Scarce ink signature, “Charles Guiteau, April 14, 1882,” on an off-white card, the reverse of which bears an amusing ink notation by the original recipient: “Autograph of the assassin of President Garfield, when Nellie and I were visiting Washington and were passing by his cell in the jail he handed me through the grating, this card. He was afterwards executed.” Given Guiteau’s date, he was hanged at the D.C. Jail on June 30, 1882, some 77 days later. In fine condition.
After shooting President Garfield on July 2, 1881, Guiteau was initially apprehended and held on charges of attempted murder; it was not until Garfield succumbed to infection from his wounds nearly three months later that he could be brought up on charges of murder. Guiteau was formally indicted for murder on October 14, 1881, pleading not guilty, and the trial began in Washington on November 14, 1881. Although Guiteau would insist on trying to represent himself during the entire trial, the court appointed Leigh Robinson to defend him. Robinson retired from the case after just a few days, and Guiteau's brother-in-law George Scoville—a real estate attorney—then became lead counsel for the defense, feeling obliged to represent his family member. The assassin was found guilty and sentenced to death on January 25, 1882.
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