Conditions Governing Use:

Before reproducing or quoting from any materials, in whole or in part, permission must be obtained from the Special Collections Research Center, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.

Conditions Governing Access:

Collection is open to all researchers. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, such as the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia. § 42.1-76-91); and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Code of Virginia § 2.2-3705.5). Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. If sensitive material is found in this collection, please contact a staff member immediately. The disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to a living individual may have legal consequences for which the College of William and Mary assumes no responsibility.

Preferred Citation:

Charles J. Guiteau Papers, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.

Acquisition Information:

Gift of Mrs. Maria G. Venn, of Washington D.C., November 1931.

Processing Information:

Box and folder list compiled by Zoe Weinstein, SCRC staff, in October 2011.

Biographical Information:

Born in Freeport, Illinois, Charles J. Guiteau was connected with the Oneida Community but later sued them. He was admitted to the Bar of Illinois but mostly worked as a bill collector. He was interested in law, theology and politics. He assassinated President James Garfield for which crime he was hanged in 1882.

Scope and Contents

Papers, 1877-1881, of Charles J. Guiteau, including letters written from prison; a pamphlet written by Guiteau entitled A Reply to Recent Attacks on the Bible, 1878 given by Guiteau to Mrs. L.P. Scoville; letter, 18 November 1881, from Dr. C.B. Stemen to Guiteau's lawyer, Leigh Robinson, concerning an examination of Guiteau prior to the assassination of President James Garfield; and a photograph, 1881, of Guiteau.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Assassination--United States
• Correspondence
• Garfield, James A. (James Abram), 1831-1881--Assassination
• Publications