Details
[GARFIELD, JAMES A.] GUITEAU, CHARLES J. Assassin of President Garfield. Autograph manuscript signed ("Charles Guiteau"), a 120-line poem entitled "My Case," dated at end, "United States Jail, Washington, D.C.," 1 June 1882. 6 pages, folio, in rectos only of six sheets of lined paper, a small strip with additional lines pasted onto p.5.
"MY INSPIRATION MADE...ARTHUR PRESIDENT...": GUITEAU'S VERSE ACCOUNT OF GARFIELD'S ASSASSINATION
A highly unusual verse self-justification, apparently sent by the condemned assassin to the Saturday Star, a newspaper whose name appears at the top corner of the first page: "Today before my God I stand, A Patriot and a Christian man: Condemned by men to die, For obeying God's command. "Ye murdered Garfield, And ye must die." 'Twas God's will, Not mine /That he should die...I executed, the Divine command, And Garfield did remove, To save my party and my country From the bitter fate of war... Concocted by the scheming brain of [James G. Blaine, Secretary of State] For this: Say fools and devils, "On the gallows, ye must Die!"
"...Garfield, under /Blaine's vindictive spirit, Proved a traitor... And imperiled the Republic. Hang Blaine! /...For his vindictive spirit, caused poor Garfield's death... My inspiration made /General [Chester A.] Arthur President..." Guiteau, whose insanity plea was ignored by the jury, closes with the lines: "Some think me a devil /Some a lunatic..." On 30 June, a few weeks after penning these lines, the unrepentant Guiteau went to the gallows.
"MY INSPIRATION MADE...ARTHUR PRESIDENT...": GUITEAU'S VERSE ACCOUNT OF GARFIELD'S ASSASSINATION
A highly unusual verse self-justification, apparently sent by the condemned assassin to the Saturday Star, a newspaper whose name appears at the top corner of the first page: "Today before my God I stand, A Patriot and a Christian man: Condemned by men to die, For obeying God's command. "Ye murdered Garfield, And ye must die." 'Twas God's will, Not mine /That he should die...I executed, the Divine command, And Garfield did remove, To save my party and my country From the bitter fate of war... Concocted by the scheming brain of [James G. Blaine, Secretary of State] For this: Say fools and devils, "On the gallows, ye must Die!"
"...Garfield, under /Blaine's vindictive spirit, Proved a traitor... And imperiled the Republic. Hang Blaine! /...For his vindictive spirit, caused poor Garfield's death... My inspiration made /General [Chester A.] Arthur President..." Guiteau, whose insanity plea was ignored by the jury, closes with the lines: "Some think me a devil /Some a lunatic..." On 30 June, a few weeks after penning these lines, the unrepentant Guiteau went to the gallows.