The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-09-13
.GUITEAU'S CLOSE CALL,
THE MISSION OF MAsoN's MusXET,
And why II Failed to FHIRlI It-The
The Black and Craven Heart That
the BALLET Did Not Reach.
The Fear OF GuIteau.

WASHINGTON, September l2.-Sergean
Mason, who fired the shot at Guiteau las
evening, still remains under militar,
guard ut the arsenal District Attorne,
Corkhill has not yet decided upon making
demand for the prisoner and the question
Of jurisdiction remains in doubt 1.I 1 .
The idea that Mason was under the in
tluence OF liquor or u drug Is generally dis
credited in the vicinity Of the jail, and al.
though no evidence Ola plotamongth mill.
tary guard for the killing Of Guiteau has
etbeen discovered, it has longbecn known
that u feeling OF the deepest hostility
against him exists among the soldiers on
duty at the jai The officers Of the jail,
after having made an examination, are Oi
the opinion that Guiteau was not ut the
window Of his cell MS he told them, but
was reclining upon bed ut the time the
shot was fired, They state that Guitcau
exhibited an agony OF fear and apprehen-
sion for some time after the shooting, He
Was removed to another cell.
No official notice OF Sergeant Mason's
otiense hasreaChed the War Department., It
Is stated there that Mason will promptly be
surrendered II demand Is nude for him
by the civil authorities, and thus all compli-
cations be avoided. II such demand Is not
made, Mason will be tried by court mar
tial. Army officers generally express a
feeling Of modification ut this attempt on
Guiteau's lifeas retlecting on the discipline
and good name Of the service.
Gulteau has told ten different stories
about his position when Sergeant Mason
fired into his cell lust night. At first, and
when under excitement, he said he was
lying on his bed when the shot was fired.
Subsequently he said he was standing at
the window, but It Is believed his first
statement Is trueand that he cOncOCted the
second with tho idea that It would give
him more notoriety II he made II appear
he had a very narrow escape This Is not
the first time that Guiteau has given reason
since ho was imprisoned to believe he does
notalways tell the truth. His account Of
the shooting, rs now given to Warden
Croker, Is rs follows:
He was getting close to me, and walking
to the window, he pointed to hole in the
outer glass and asked: "You see thatY
Well | saw tic wagons when they came
up. It was raining then, and was looking
at the soldiers getting out; two OF them, |
had my hands In this position, Quitting one
arm over the other, near the elbow, and
resting them on the first bar Of tho cell
window and my chin WIS resting on them,
when saw the flush, right from that COR
ner Indicating the south corner OF t,ie left
TiGgl and the next thing was the hall
whiEaipg by tnC, passing over here, (points
ingoyer bis shoulder) See here, the ball
came In right here. pointing TO q spot on
the wall.) 1t was powerful Shot; for after
1t glanced i went right through my coat,
which was hanging on this nail. See what
1t did? ,ltsp0lled this picture, pulling out
one Of the photographs taken Of him, In
which the left breast is completely torn out,
l had some other things, tooth pick
among them, which It did not touch, /
want to keep the picture as nemento,
General Croker said there was good aim
at the heart Of the picture,
. Yes, but would rather have Il there
who did It,"
A guard remarked that It looked like It
was an accident.
Guiteau made no reply, but evidently
did not take my stock In the suggestion.
Sergeant Mason Is said by the officers Of
the battery to be the best shot In the com.
pany. lie says he had observed that very
evening. when the guard arrived, that GuI.
teall took the same position at the cell
window, n TIfIl - -
For weeks Mtson noticed itand he made
up his mind that Il bullet aimed nj that
spot any evening Just after the guard ar.
rived would hit Guitoau. From one Wow
he could see Guiteau through n window
opening In u line with Guite0u's cell win.
dow, but he could not fire direct shot
from that position, lie had to 10 around
the jail and get position at another place
In order to command n range of CiI,;tea,,is
cell window. Mason did not stop at bis
usual place OF observation TO sec Il Guiteau
WIS At the window, but as he had never
failed to be there when the guard arrived,
Mason took Il for granted that the prisoner
was at the window. 80 lie hurried on to
the point where he could get in range OF
the window and fired without attempting
10 make IL certain that Guiteati wafih r,npe,
The reason for believing that lGuite6u
tells a falsehOOd In saying he was M lie
window Is that from where the shot was
fired lie must have been hit had he stood
there. - I''~I.p 80
Guiteau has been removed to another
cell, and It's location in the iail Is kent A
profound secret Neither military nor
officers other than those who are on duty
IN that Particular portion OF tho building
know where II Is About noon today
Guiteau took up his abode In bis new
quarters. There will be no court martial
IN the case Of Sergeant Mason Ills 0iTenEe
is one against military not civil law Its
now Thought at the War Department
that there will he any trial at all,
The opinion that Mason was not In his
fight mind when he did tho firing Is d pre-.
yalent one among the officials Of The War
Department, The civil authorities must
move In the matter and prosecute Muson,
but II Is not thought that they will. The
District Attorney has not taken any action
md says he has no official notification of
the shooting Gultean keepshis repknning
pttime by making a little notch In piece
d candle he has for eaOl day that PASSES,
This Is how he knew when Ills birthday Ar.
rived. Some Of the Jail guards nav Gui.
teat Is IN uncOnsCinuahle liaT that ho lies
about most unimpOttant matters, lie was
In great terror last evening lest he should
be mdrdered, and the guards In passing
his cell frequently heard him pfayinp dur
Ing tho night lie Is evidently an atrant
coward, sw
Jonathan q, BIgeloy, Sergeant Mason's
lawyer, called upon the District Attorney
IhiG afinFnnnf and ouknd hin, Ia nIni.,, IEsn
prisoner from the military authorities, IL
WAS Alasnn's wlsh 10 be tried In civil
Cottrt, Colonel CofkhiIl declined 10 do
this at present, aud the lawyer expressed
his intention 10 swear out d warrant him.
self for Ntasoh'S arrest, Bigclow says, in
his opinion Mason is insane on
when the news OF Guiteau's Cfiuie flrst
reached Mason (he was serving In Texas at
the titnel lie expressed his intention OF
killing him. Mason Is sqil 10 be Of the
langIs family Of Masen.aldell He served
IA 1 a.. A..lN q y . ~ .