Free The Psychopath Whisperer: The Science of Those Without Conscience by Kent A. Phd Kiehl Page B

He saw himself as a Confederate soldier, deeply dedicated to his cause, and believed that Lincoln was a tyrant who must be executed. He believed that the death of the president could be used to leverage the resurgence of the Confederacy. The only recognition he seemed to seek from his political crime, which he perceived as an act of war, was the approbation of his fellow countrymen.Moreover, John Wilkes does not appear to have an inflated sense of his self-worth. He was able to achieve, through hard work and practice, a sizable following in the theater. He maintained a close group of friends and family. His score on this item is moderate, at best a 1.
    Guiteau, on the other hand, felt that menial work was beneath him. His former wife reported that he looked down upon people who did such work. He believed he should be a published author, but he failed to put in the time and effort in his writing, instead plagiarizing text from others. As an orator, he enjoyed the crowd’s attention but copied his religious speeches from others. He dreamed of marrying rich, traveling the world, and living the high life, even though he had no reasonable plans to acquire such wealth. His former wife noted that:
    He was always anxious to live so far beyond his means. It was always “Nothing but the best,” the best place and among the very best first-class people, prominent people, people well known, so far as position and wealth were concerned. That was his great object—always to be among them and to live at the most expensive places and to have the best accommodations; he was not satisfied to live in plain style anywhere. (pp. 85–86)
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    A note found in his pocket when he was arrested for shooting President Garfield provides additional evidence of this trait:
    To the White House
,
    The President’s tragic death was a sad necessity, but it will unite the Republican Party and save the Republic. Life is a flimsy dream, and it matters little when one goes. A human life is of small value. During the war thousands of brave boys went down without a tear. I presume the President was a Christian and that he will be happier in Paradise than here. It will be no worse for Mrs. Garfield, dear soul, to part with her husband this way than by natural death. He is liable to go at any time any way. I had no ill will toward the President. His death was a political necessity. I am a lawyer, a theologian, and a politician. Iam a Stalward of the Stalwarts. I was with General Grant and the rest of our men in New-York during the canvass. I have some papers for the press, which I shall leave with Byron Andrews and his co-journalists at No. 1,420 New-York Avenue, where the reporters can see them. I am going to jail. CHARLES GUITEAU
.
    A search of Guiteau’s home following his arrest revealed numerous letters; one letter was to Vice President Chester A. Arthur (who succeeded President Garfield upon his death) in which Guiteau made recommendations for selecting members of his new cabinet.
    A morbid follower offered to pay $1,000 for Guiteau’s body following his execution. Guiteau replied, “I think I ought to bring more than that.… Perhaps some other fellow will offer $2000, then I can pay my debts, and if I get a new trial, that miserable Corkhill can’t bring on a lot of fellows just to swear how much I owe them.” The prosecutor, Corkhill, had subpoenaed numerous individuals who testified that Guiteau owed them money.
    During his time in jail, Guiteau dictated his autobiography. The man who took the notes in shorthand referred to Guiteau’s vanity as “literally nauseating.”
    And, of course, Guiteau wanted to represent himself at trial. In my clinical experience with prisoners, many psychopaths are so grandiose that they feel they can do a better job defending themselves than an experienced lawyer could, despite the fact that most of them didn’t finish high school.
    This egotism and arrogance is palpable in every aspect of Guiteau’s life. He earns