The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1881-08-30
TELEGRAPUIC
SOLDIERS AND GATLING
GUNS
Ready TO Defend Guitteau
against a Mob.

Washington, 27.-The Sunday Her
| aid Tomorrow, publishes the following
interview with General Romeyn B.
Ayres, commandment of the United States
forces Of this district:
General there is considerable talk
that in case the President dies the peo-
pie will take the law into their own
hands and Guitteau will be executed by q
mob. Have you heard anything Of
such q movement, AID have you
done anything to meet it?" "Yes,
sir Government has been fully ad
Vlsed Of this movement and is fully
prepared to meet it. Ny Instructions
are complete and am prepared to act at
moments notice. The jail force has
been strengthened to-day, and at one
moments notice, and within half an
hour after receiving the news annOunc.
ing the death OF the President, I can
have 1000 armed men and trained col
dlera at the jail prepared to protect it at
all hazards"
General. it is said this action on the
part of government will be made only in
ssmDlance Of giving protection to the
assassin, and that you will give way and
allow the people to take their man,
and II you are compelled to fire
it will be with blank cartridges"
Those who have such ideas will be sadly
mistaken, and while I should deeply re-
greet the death Of a single man in such
case, yet my orders are imperative, aud
as soldier they will be obeyed. Guitteau
is prisoner OF the United States govern
msnt. He is confined within q United
States jail. The Constitution and lswE
guarantee him q fair trial. This is the
capital of the nation, the head centre of
law and order. Government has deter
mined that no mob law shall reign here,
and l have been directed 10 protect the
prisoner and United States property and
you may rest assured it will be done.
Ny force is ample and in condition to
meet the largest mob that could possibly
be found. l sincerely trust that no such
demonstration will be made by the people
because in their attempt to carry out
their purpose innocent lives may be lost"
General, how many men have you at
this barrscks?" Companies A, B, @,
D and 81 OF my regiment. with
companies s and K at short call.
The entire available force 1T Fortress
Monroe will be here tonight or
in the morning. The marine corps and
and militia of the district are under my
orders, so the force to quell any unlaw-
fully disposed persons is fully equal to
the utmost demand that may be made
upon them"
"General, have you sent out any guns
to the jail to-day2" "No, sir, but have
four Calling guns ready to move at mo-
ment's notice These guns shoot very
fast ana each one is equal to a regiment.
l most earnestly hepeI may not be called
on to use them, but shall do so if ocea-
sion requires it."
Guitteau is still in dire terror Of mind.
He usually inquiries of the guards as they
come on duty for the latest news from
the President, and receives stereotYped
answers, Improving at last accounts"
to which he replies II am glad to hear
it," He is still engaged ia writing seme
of his illusions, directed to outside par
ties, in reference to procuring bail, while
others purport to give an account Of the
alleged vision that inspired him to shoot
the President. Since the episode with
Guard McGill he has been quite bitter
towards the gusrds. A few nights after
that occurrence, seeing Mr.. MeGill in
the rotuuda, he demanded to know why
he was not locked up, claiming that
NcGill was as guilty as he was, only
McGill failed to shoot. Officials at the
Jail give out the statement that all in
quires Of Guitteau about the President
are answered either evasively or that he
is improving, but the indications are
that from seme come source or other
Guitteau gets information as to the
Presidents actual condition. He has
grown very nervous and is in constant
dread from attack from the outside of
the Jail, which shows that he knows of
the critical condition of the Pretident.
Secretary Lincoln, this evening,
ordered four batteries of artillery from
Baltimore to Washington Immediately,
and another order was Issued from the
war department directing all staff officers
of the army now in the city on leave OF
absence to be ready at moments warn
ing to report to their respective COM
msnds. Two additional companies Of
troops have been stationed at the Jail, an
evident intention Of the authorities, both
civil and military, to protect Guittesu
from mob violence.