Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-09-19

He WRITES AN ADDRESS TO THE AMERICAN PEG
Plea DEMAND FOR HIS PHOTOGRAPH

NE 'HS AN ADDhkSS TO THE AMERICAN PEO-
FLEA DEMAND FOR HIS PHOTOGRAPH.
AWAITING GEN. HANcoCK's ACTION
Inc authorities here are awaiting the action
OF zen W. s. Hancock in the premises. Gen.
Bigelow, the counsel for Mason has addressed
a letter to Gen. Hancock suggesting that in case
court martial is ordered that the detail be
made OF officers who are not on duty at the
barracks here.
Mason is still in confinement at the barracks,
formerly the arsena) and bears his imprison-
Inent philosophically. He has written an ad-
dress recently: ITO All Good People of the
United States who Hate Assassins."
MAsOS's ADDRESS TO THE PEOPLE.
In this address he says: II am one who
stands ready at all times to do right, yet in this
case of mine / have done a big wrong to the
good law of the land by shooting at that would
be assassin. Guiteau, who has caused so much
sorrow and suffering to President Garfield and
to the good people of the world that has in the
Giver of all good all the prayers that men and
women could invent and | hope they have
done some good for the President and the peo-
pie who believe in prayer. / hope all do; vet /
am one who knows not how to pray or what to
pray for. l must say that while that wretch
Guiteau lives prayers will do but little good.
All assassins, or they who attempt the life of a
chief magistrate of any country, let it be en-
pre-, kingdom or republic, let them die as soon
as possible Put them in ditch ten foot deep
and then cover the place with birthstone so that
no grass can grow. want no one to applaud
me for my unsOlder-like conduct, yet am one
of the many that would take the life of any As
sassn rather than to guard him. Guiteau Or
dered the soldiers to be sent to the Jail to watch
him; TO keep the enraged people from him. He
is in strong Jail that has cost the country
thousands OF dollars. and that wretch
was put in No. 1. cell where
he could look out at the poor soldiers
coming there to keep the people away while he
slept like good man, and was one Of the
soldiers. l take the words Of great soldier
who would do anything to put down a war or
end rebellion. Why not say Death to all
assassns in his old days One man, wise and
brave. says in an article that am guilty, for he
form certain duty. and is given in COM
mand to make others obey the Oaths
which they have taken, but who, in
utter disregard OF all his obligations crawls
unknown, unseen to the lOOp-hOle of the cell
where this miserable devil is confined helpless
thought, attempts to murder him. Well. said
Mr. = let's hear from you again. l
like that word murder in case that is what /
want them for. If you had been there you
would have run away at the sound of the army
rifle l used. 1t carries larger ball than any
nngsh bull dog and and as old Guteau says
L would not care if they shot me On the spot for
what did. would do it again. And all that
haunts me is that l did not hit the wretch l
hate; yet luck was not mine in this case. He
may go that way yet. The intent to kill him is
as bad as had done the killing. made up my
mind to do the shooting and I did it, and am
not ashamed of it so far. Let others say what
they may. If the US. army of %, 900 men was
at that Jail, 10000 would kill Guiteau
and the other 5000 would desert be-
fore they would have anything
to do with him. In behalfo the soldiers of this
command, l can say that watching that Jail to
keep people from hurting Guiteau is worse than
a campaign, for it is a campaign combined with
strict camp duty. A soldier rides out there, 211a
miles, goes on post for two hours comes off, lies
down on the floor with wet clothes, while poor
Guiteau is sleeping the sleep of good man.
And what shame that poor soldiers must do
what they do not like to do and something that
they ought not to do. There are ten or twelve
guard men at the Jail who get 500 per month
while the soldier gets from $13 to S25 per
month";
Application was made by Bell Brothers few
days ago for permission to take the photograph
of Sergeant John A. Mason who shot at the
assassin Guiteau at the jail on Sunday last
Bell Brothers state that numerous applications
have been made to them, by parties north. for
copies. Gen. Ayres refused the request, saying
that he did not think it proper and right to
make hero of Serg't Mason for attempting to
take the life of the prisoner of So 900 people,
who was confined at the time in Jail and defence
less; that he regarded the act of Mason as
cowardly and he did not think it would be right
for him to aid in any way to liOniZe him. 1t is
understood that other photographers here have
been written to from other sections of the
country, especially from the south, asking for
copies of the photographs and the demand for
them is far in excess Of the demand for those
of the assassin Guiteau.