Rensselaer Republican, Volume 13, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 August 1881 — The Assassin’s Ancestry. [ARTICLE]

The Assassin’s Ancestry.

Antwerp, N. Y. Gazette. * It seems to be an established fact that the brother of Charles J. Guiteau, the assassin, was formerly Mrs. Jane Howe, of this village. Her father. Major John Howe, was one of the early settlers here, and was the first merchant who brought a stock of dry goods to Antwerp. Mra. Devillars, of this village, distinctly remembers the Howe family. Jane Howe was born here, and about 1830 removed with her father to Oswego county, where she was married to Guiteau, who was a French Hugenot. Charles, the assassin, was born iri Ann Arbor, Mich., in 1841. Subsequently, bis mother died, and his father married Marie Blood, of Cazenovia. His father died c about eighteen months ago, but his stepmother is still living in Freeport. Illinois. The New York Sun says: “While conducting revival meetings in Milwaukee last June, Mrs. Van Cott exhibited several letters written to her by Charles'J. Guiteau, prefacing the act with the statement, in substance, that Guiteau was formerly an infidel, who had been converted through her efforts, and that since his conversion he was-tbe smartest and most influential young man in Chicago. The letiera were neatly tied together with perfumed bine ribbon and were a mixture of ambiguous dissertiona upon things spiritual, rhapsodical references to his all-absorbing affection, profound admiration for and inexpressible gratitude to the lady evangelist, who, he said, had saved him. Said one of the ladies whp was privileged to read the letters: ‘Mrs. Van Cott expressed at tbe time great pride in showing the letters, and seemed highly to esteem the author.’ A lady says that she knows that Mrs. Van Cott is -the wealthy widow the crack brained fellow thought he could marry.” One of thATjest acts of the New York Legislature was the enactment of a severe law against the adulteration of food, which law is now being enforced by the State Board of Health, through analysts operating in aU parts the State.