The daily gazette., 1881-11-21
SECOND EDITION
GUITEAU'S ASSA1LANT.
Jones Declares his Innocence Of
the attempted Crfme-Fatiure 10
Identify him.
WASHING TON, Nov. 20, 1Sl

Identify him.
WASHING TON, Nov. 20, 1881.
William Jones, who is charged with
beiEg the latest would-be avenger Of
President Garfield, Is twenty-nine years
of age, and of rather muscular build.
lie is well connected and is respected.
well-to do farmer in the neighborhood
in which he resides, locality seven
miles west of Washington, on the met
ropOlltan branch Of the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad. He was married, about
six years ago, to lady somewhat his
senior. His wife is said to be wealthy.
He is reputed to be a man of much
courage, and is considered by his neigh
bUrs as a terror to all evil doers. Jones
has held COMMISSION from the Com
missioners of the District of Columbia
as a local detective and has operated
very successfully in the rural districts in
bringing many criminals to trial. He Is
not considered a rowdy, but is said to be
an advocate of law and order, and only
resorts TO extreme measures when the
law lags, but at times he is little &C.
centric.
AN INTERVIEW WITH THE PRISONER.
Your correspondent this afternoon
was allowed to see Jones, who is con-
fined at the Second precinct police
station. In response to a question
whether he had premeditated the as
sault upon Guiteau yesterday or
whether it was the result of drunken
freak, he said
81 guess they will have to prove
that am the man that did the shoot
ing"
"Were you at the Court House yes
terday, Mr.. Jones, watching this
trial 9'
"No, sir, / went up there in the
forenoon from market, but could not
get near the door. There were over
two hundred people, black and white,
in front of the door ahead of me. l
then left there and walked home
seven miles, got my horse, came back
to the city and was passing by the
Court House just as they were bring
ing Guiteau out to put him in the van.
That's all remembered until on my
road home an officer beckoned to me
saying, The Captain wants to see
you.' / answered, 'if he wants to see
me let him come after me : with that
l put spurs to my horse and we had a
lively chase for about five miles. My
horse had no reins to the bride. The
officers, or the men after me, fired five
shots, which frightened my horse and
made him go all the faster. AS soon
as l perceived that the man was an
officer stopped my horse, and the
officer rode up and said, Il arrest you
for shooting at Guiteau.' If I ha6
known who the officer was l would
have given myself up sooner. l theI
turned around and accompanied th,
officer to the station house, where
have been ever since, and SO has tht
officer. We slept together right herr
on the floor last night. They have GO
Bill Jones but there are hundred
Bill Joneses."
"Were you drinking yesterday" ?"
"Yes, ] was drinking yesterday.
was pretty full when l got here las
night"
"Who are you going to employ 70
counsels"
81 have sent for Mr.. r. K. Elliott
of Hyattsville, Nd, to be at the polio
court in the morning."
No charge has as yet been place.
against Jones, as there is some doub
in the minds of the authorities as t
his identity. The officers in charge 9
the station all treat their prisoner Q
hero and apparently entertain tt
. hope that there will be nothing dor
to him.
"Gentlemen, that is not the man.
should know the man fred at yeste
terday among million. l not onl
fail to recognize this man Jones 9
the man, but could swear that he
t not the man."