Evening star., 1898-09-16
Scrap Books in the Library,
= Editor of The Evening Star:

10 the Editor of The Evening Star
Recent contributions to The Star upon
this subject recall the experience of a max
er of scrap books during the exciting events
of 1SS1-'S2, after the assassination of Pres
ident Garfield, and the trial and execution
of Guiteau
1t is not the purpose in this article to
criticise the action of the librarian of the
Congressional Library. A mere statement
of facts in connection with the fate of the
scrap books referred to will perhaps enable
Mr.. Richard to arrive at conclusion as to
the admission of scrap books to the library.
The facts are few and soon stated. This
scrap book maker, gentleman of limited
means, lover of books and collector of
curio, began by purchasing the daily and
weekly newspapers published in all the
large cities OF the Union. They cost him
quite large sum of money, and, to prepare
and paste his clippings an immense amount
of work. Nothing of interest or impor-
tance connected with the life and history of
GARFIELD or Guiteau escaped his vigiant eye.
Editorials, magazine articles, illustrar 'ons
good, bad and Indifferent. We're made use
OF. Daily reports from the bedside OF the
dying President, the sad and mournfuI de-
parture from Washington to EIberOn. the
tnal death-bed scene, the autopsy of the
body, the funeral obSequieS indeed all the
minute details of the great crime and the
consequences resulting therefrom, as pub
nshed in the newspapers and magazines of
the day, found their proper place in this
unique and valuable collection of clippings
The trial of Guiteau and the many dramat-
1c scenes and events attending and, as
specially interesting feature the original
manuscript of the book published by the
assassin during his Imprisonment, was pro-
cured at considerable trouble and expense.
Letters addressed to him. showing the in
tense egOtiSm and insanity of the man
We're changed and altered in their address
by him by the addition of the word Hon
orable' Immediately preceding his name
and these letters and envelopes found their
place in the collection. Each book contain
ed about go pages. The clippings Were
neatly pasted, an index prepared and the
books handsomely and strongly bound
for some reason, known only to himself,
the maker and owner of these scrap books
(ebout forty volumes) tired of his collec-
ton and approached the librarian of Con-
greSS with a view to their sale to the Ii
brary.7 He was politely informed that the
library had the same matter in copies Of
the same papers from which his books were
made and his offers to sell to the library
declined.
Some time in the eighties these scrap
books, with the library of this gentleman
quite an extensive one), were sent to New
York city, catalogued and sold at auction
The scrap books were purchased by Mr..
john Gulteau. brother of the assassin. at
the ridiculous price of 20 cents per volume,
and in few hours after coming into his
possession were ruthlessly destroyed
1t is very true the library has exactly the
"iihS pupliCdtiollS III tlle newspapers ana
magazines of the day, buried in an immense
mass of other matter. running many
months of time. The scrap books had it
all together in convenient form, where a
full and complete history of the tragicaI
events of 1881 could be read with comfort
and ease and interest without hauling down
an innumerable lot of musty old newspaper
flles. The newspapers doubtless still exist
and will give the future historian no end of
trouble and annoyance. The scrap books
have been destroyed. Further comment
seems unnecessary.
GEO. w. MCKEE.
September 10, 1895