New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-08-29
TIE PRISON AT WASHINGTON.

THE BUILDING STRONG AND WELL SECURED
LYNCuING ENTIRELY MpRACuCABLE--A STRONG
MILITARY FORCE AT rAND-TuE AssAssINs LIFE
Ills TREATMENT AND BEHAVIOR
my TELEGRApH THE rRIBuSR.I
WAsHNGroN, Aug. 2S.-So many sensational
stories have been told about the possibility of at
tacks upon the jail where Gutcau is confined, the
possibility that n welI-directcd pistol shot from the
outside could reach hm in his cell, and the like
that TRIBUNE correspondent paid visit of in
spection to the Jail this morning. look at the
outside to say nothing OF an inspection of the mte-
rior, was enough to show how futile the attack of
mob in the case of the Presidents DEATH would
surely be. The Jail lies to the southeast of the city,
in the very outskirts, and the dismal Congress
sional Cemetery. Back of it lies tho marsh of the
Eastern Branch, with the track of the Balti-
more and Potomac Railroad in full view.
The Jail itself lies in tho midst of bar
rem, the grass burnt almost to the color of the
earth, and the earth. with gashes through
in all directions dried and cracked with heat. The
space of fully hundred yards about the jail is clear
of houses and beyond this line only few
shantlcs or huts of negroes On line with these
houses out on three sides from the Jail the fourth
being covered by the river Mt the back, are three
picket posts of three soldiers each.
As one drives up to the door u bayOnet is
gnting in the sunlght out on the picket line and
this is the only visible evidence from this point of
the military guard about Guitcau IL is easy to see,
therefore, that tho occupants of the Jail would have
ample time in which to approaching mob and
prepare for it. and that the chances are that if
Gating guns were in position at the gates the
courage of a mob would out of their boots long
before they got across the common.
The Jail is fertilization in itself. It consists OF ono
central building with something like a block shape,
and two long wings running Out of 1T; the building
itsef being massive structure of sandstone, with
tl,a ilto inI Mo ip.l o.
is mainly taken up with the rotunda, large room
open TO the roof and aiding to supply ventilation 20
the wings These contain the cells of the prisoners
rising five stories one above another. The end of
each corridor running between the of cells in
these five stories looks out tho rotunda, and
staircase from the floor to the roof each side
of the rotunda covered with iron network.
This is entered by n gate at the bottom,
and once inside, tho keeper can thus reach any
cell in n moment by mounting this stairway.
In one of these cells Guiteau is confined. IL VIII
give still clearer idea of the protection afforded
by the building to say that the tiye-storled struc-
ture in which the cells are is building within n
building The prisoners cells do not look out upon
the outside world. Between the outer wall of tho
cells and tho great outside wall Of the jail therc
runs corridor about 10 feet wide, 100 feet long,
the full length of the wing, and go feet high This
was designed largely To aid in ventilation, as we'll
to increase the difficulties Of escape. The result
would DO that il n mob should by any miracle
ing the window bars. etc., they wonld "".. iind