Rare Autograph and Manuscript Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/19/2015
(GARFIELD ASSASSINATION) Charles Guiteau, a disappointed office seeker, shot President Garfield at a rail station in Baltimore on July 2, 1881. Garfeld died on September 19. Guiteau was tried, convicted and hung the following year. Offered here is a rare collection of documents related to that assassination.
(A) An ALS by Guiteau, undated but written during his imprisonment, to Ainsworth Rand Spofford, who had been appointed by Lincoln to the post of Congressional Librarian. On an 8½ x 11 sheet apparently torn from a bound note book, Guiteau wrote in dark ink as follows: To Mr. Spofford Congressional Librarian I am about to issue a book entitled The Life and Theology of Charles Guiteau Prepared by himself. It will consist of two parts 1. My Life. 2. My Theology.
It will make about 500 pages of a good sized book. It will be published entire in the New York Herald in sections; then in book form probably by the Harpers in New York. The bearer Mr. Nordhoff is the Herald reporter & he will pay you a dollar for the copyright. Please copyright it in my name (residence Chicago Ill.) & send me information of this copyright. Address me here, care of your brother, the Warden.
(B) Four photos of Guiteau – (Forbes Albertype, Boston) from photographs taken by C.M.Bell, Washingon, D.C., July 4, 1881. These were on a sheet about 7 ½ x 10 ½, which has been divided horizontally so that there are 2 photos on each piece. One has a piece missing from the lower right corner but the image is not affected.
(C) A clipping 8 ½ x 11 from the February 4, 1882 issue of Frank Leslies Illustrated Newspaper bearing individual photographs of the 12 Guiteau trial jurors. Some staining at right edge does not affect the photos, and a small piece missing from one of the photos is of little significance. As one would expect, the jurors are all men, one of whom is African-American.
(D) A document attesting to the conviction signed by all 12 of the jurors.Supreme Court of the District of Columbia The United States vs. Charles J. Guiteau Criminal No. 14056 Indictment for murder of James A.Garfield January 25, 1882, found guilty as Indicted by the following jury Below all 12 jurors have signed their names.
An incredible piece of presidential history.
Guiteau Collection (Garfield Assasination), With Guilty Plea signed by the 12 Jurors!
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