American Historical Ephemera & Photography

Writing to his attorney and brother-in-law Mr. Scoville, Guiteau expresses his concern about being poisoned via his food while in prison while on trial: "Please see me at once about my meals. There is far more danger of me being poisoned from jail food …”

Guiteau, a writer and lawyer, believed himself to have played a major role in James Garfield's campaign victory. When he was not awarded as he saw fit with a consulship, he shot Garfield at a Washington DC railway station. Garfield persisted for 11 weeks, but after his eventual death, Guiteau was charged with murder. Guiteau initially wanted to represent himself, but the court appointed Leigh Robinson, but he resigned after a week. George Scoville, a lawyer married to Guiteau's sister, then took on the case. 

He was indicted on 14 October 1881 and the trial began on 17 November. He attempted to claim temporary insanity as a defense and this was one of the first high-profile cases to consider this claim. This short letter was written shortly before the jury delivered a guilty verdict on 25 January 1882. He was hanged in a public execution on  30 June 1882.