Annotation:Charles Guiteau

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 CHARLES GUITEAU. Old-Time, Breakdown. G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABBCC. Charles Guiteau (1841-1882) was the assassin of U.S. President James Garfield, on July 2, 1881. Guiteau was a sometime utopian believer, a lawyer, and office-seeker, whose failed life was the result of a chronic mental instability. He shot Garfield after his unrealistic requests for high office were denied. Garfield lingered for some eleven weeks after being shot, and many believe that if sterile techniques had been employed he would have recovered. Guiteau himself was executed by hanging. Source for notated version: Jere Canote [Phillips]. Printed source: Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes, vol. 1), 1994; p. 46.

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