Rare Book Monthly
Book Catalogue Reviews - December - 2006 Issue
European and American Autographs from David Schulson
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Item 37 is the assassin's letter. It was written in 1868 by Charles Guiteau to his brother-in-law. It speaks of his financial difficulties. Guiteau had previously been a member of the upstate New York religious Oneida Community. Now short of funds, he came up with the idea of suing the Community for his work spreading their message. The Oneida Community, in essence, told him "no thanks." If Guiteau was already acting very strange, he would go much deeper into his insanity in the years ahead. Thirteen years later, rejected in an attempt to be appointed to an ambassadorship, Guiteau concluded God had commanded him to assassinate President Garfield. He succeeded. Though obviously totally insane, Guiteau was convicted and executed the following year. $2,000.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, most noted for his detective creation, Sherlock Holmes, was a spiritualist, that is, someone who believed you could contact the dead. Writing most likely about the deceased spiritualist and inspiration for his novels Fletcher Robinson, Doyle writes, "I have never heard from Robinson but that I have heard beyond all doubt from others." That may be kind of strong. I think perhaps there is a little bit of doubt that he actually heard from other dead people. Item 23. $1,650.
David Schulson Autographs may be found online at www.schulsonautographs.com, telephone 212-629-3939. You may view all of the items from this catalogue through the following link: Books For Sale.
