Description:

The Rope That Hanged Charles Guiteau - With Handwritten Note Signed

A length of rope from the noose used to hang Charles Guiteau, accompanied by a handwritten note by Guiteau and a notecard of provenance from the warden of the jail where he was held. The rope measures 4.5" in length and 1" in diameter. The braided rope is bound with twine at both ends to keep it from fraying. With expected wear and soiling.

The small card in Guiteau's hand measures 3.75" x 2.25", No place, dated February 25, 1882. Written from prison, the note reads "Recd from Charles Guiteau Fifty dollars for deposit." The card is attached to another small card by a short length of string, on which is a note of provenance for the handwriting and the rope, written by Col. J.B. Burke (Warden). It reads "Charles Guiteau's handwriting, & a piece of rope from which he hung", and is written on the verso of an execution invitation card dated March 17, 1893. The two items were given by Burke to Dr. Jonathan Ketchum on March 5, 1894. There is toning, soiling, and ink transference to the signed card. Both cards have light wear but are overall very good.

Charles Guiteau (1841-1882) was a disgruntled lawyer and mentally unstable man who assassinated President James Garfield on the morning of July 2, 1881. Guiteau believed that he had played a major role in getting Garfield elected and expected to be rewarded with a government position. After his applications were rejected, however, Guiteau turned against Garfield and believed that by assassinating him, it would leave the path open to Chester A. Arthur. When Garfield died eleven weeks after being shot, Guiteau wrote a letter to Arthur, arguing that he should be set free because he had made Arthur president and increased his salary. Despite his lawyers' attempts at an insanity defense, Guiteau was found guilty and sentenced to death by hanging. He was hanged on June 30, 1882, just four months after this note was written.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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