The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-09-07
TRIED TO INSURE GuITEAU.

TRIED TO INSURE GUITEAU.
A Joke That Helped to Kill Dcathbed In
surance In Pennsylvania.
The following is the story Of the
pretended effort to insure Guiteau's
life. The scheme was conceived by
two young lawyers, and, although
they began it as joke, there were
many who took it seriously. One
of its results was to help to kill
"deathbed insurance in the eastern
part of the United States.
Garfield was shot in July, 1881,
and the trial of the assassin began
in November, 1881, and ended with
a verdict of guilty on Jan. Is, 1882.
Guiteau was hanged on June 30,
1882. At this time the deathbed in
surance craze was at high water
mark, many of the companies TAX
ing all kinds of risks. One evening
in February, 1882, two young attor-
neys here we're talking of Guiteau,.
for whom an application for new
trial had just been made. One Of
the attorneys suggested that they
attempt to insure Guiteau's life, as
means Of bringing ridicule on the
graveyard companies. !" They talk
ed of it to aresident of Reading who
at that time held a political Office in
Washington.
He entered into| the joke and
thought he could arrange the Wash
ington end of the affair. Going back
to Washington, the Berks county
politician told newspaper man
there Of the business of the insur-
ance companies in Reading, and also
of the scheme of insuring Guiteau.
Meanwhile, the attorneys made
written application for $1OO, 900 in
surance on Guiteau's life. The ap-
plication nearly got the jokers into
trouble. Among the many life in
surance concerns in Reading at the
time was one that did not prop
erly come under the designation Of
adeathbed company. By accident
blank Of this particular company
was filled out in due form and for
warded to the Washington newspa-
per man. His part was to take it to
Guiteau and try to secure his sigma
ture.
The reporter visited Guiteau and
told him that firm Of insurance
agents in Reading, thinking that he
might secure new trial and even
tually escape the gallows, considered
him a good risk and wanted to in
sure him for 10000 The reporter
gave Guiteau to understand that
neither he nor his friends would
have to pay any Of the assessments;
that would be attended to in Read
ing. Guiteau was also told that the
agents would make it worth his
while to sign the application. Al
though no figures were mentioned,
he was left under the impression
that his heirs might expect $25, 600
should he be executed. Guiteau lis
tened to the scheme and then smiled.
He knew the newspaper man, and
told him he thought the entire mat
ter a joke. The reporter knew it
was, but did not say so. Guiteau
declined to sign then.
The following day the Washing
ton newspaper appeared with a long
article, saying that graveyard in
surance company at Reading want
ed to place 100000 insurance on
Guiteau's life. The name Of the
company was given. The article
was in the form Of an exposure and
said that large sums Of money had
been offered to secure Guiteau' g sig-
nature and that large sum was to
go to the assassin 9 heirs The news
was sent all over the country subse-
quently.
By this time the Reading origina-
tors of the scheme were beginning
to find that they had succeeded be-
yond their expectations. The off,
GERS of the company whose name
was connected with the affair went
on a still hunt for the schemers and
lawsuits were threatened. Then the
New York and New England papers
took up the subject. Long articles
appeared calling attention to the
deathbed or graveyard insurance
companies doing business in eastern
Pennsylvania, and especially In
Reading. Next the insurance pa
pers of England took up the matter.
They cited the Pennsylvania death
beds as samples of American life in
surance. One daily paper in San
Francisco called the attempt to in
sure Guiteau disgrace on humani-
ty. 1t is said by those conversant
with their affairs that the Guiteau
episode, as much as anything else,
assisted in wiping out deathbed in
surance concerns.-Reading (Pa.)
Letter in New York Sun.
Inoh and Hairbreadth Measures.