Affidavit/Memorandum by Edmond Bailey., 12/07/1881-12/07/1881

File — Box: 1, Folder: 5

Identifier: 42708

Scope and Contents

From the Collection:

The Charles J. Guiteau collection consists of correspondence, affidavits and printed material by and about Guiteau, the notorious attorney who assassinated U.S. President James Abram Garfield on July 2, 1881. The assassination resulted in one of the most celebrated American 'insanity trials' of the nineteenth century, which became something of a legal milestone in the judgement of the criminally insane.

This collection has been digitized and is available to view online in DigitalGeorgetown.

Dates

12/07/1881-12/07/1881

Conditions Governing Access

Most manuscripts collections at the Georgetown University Booth Family Center for Special Collections are open to researchers; however, restrictions may apply to some collections. Collections stored off site require a minimum of three days for retrieval. For use of all manuscripts collections, researchers are advised to contact the Booth Family Center for Special Collections in advance of any visit.

Extent

From the Collection: 0.20 Cubic Feet (1 Slim Document Case)

Language of Materials

From the Collection: English

Additional Description

Container Summary

Contains 10 sheets of 10 autograph pages written and signed by Edmond Bailey, a legal colleague of George Corkhill, district attorney for the case. Corkhill introduced Guiteau to Bailey, who then proceeded to hold lengthy conversations with Guiteau, and supposedly made copious notes on his life, ideas and motivations. Bailey claimed later to have destroyed the notes. The affidavit concludes - @ "In my conversations with him I did not understand that he claimed to have acted on "inspiration," but that he reasoned out the idea and then became convinced that it was in accordance with God's will and in that manner it was the "act of God."