Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-09-20
Sergeant Mason's Defense.
oecial to the Cincinnati Commercial.

Special to the Cincinnati Commercial
WASHINGTON, September 17.-Mason's
case is in General Hancock's hands. The
counsel for Mason has addressed a letter to
General Hancock suggesting that in case
court martial is ordered that the detail be
made by officers who are not on duty at the
barracks here. Mason is still il confine-
ment at the arsenal, and bears his imprison-
ment philosphically. He has written an ad-
dress to all good people of the United States
who hate assas5ins. In this address he
says:
~ am one who stands ready at all times
to do right Yet in this case of mine T
have done a big wrong to the good law of
the land by shooting at the would-be assassin
Gulteau, who has caused so much sorrow
and suffering to President Garfield and the
good people of the world, that has in the
last two months caused to be offered to the
Glyer OF all Good all the prayers that men
and women could invent, and / hope they
have done some good for the President and
the people who believe IN prayers. | am
one who knows not how to pray or what
to pray For. [ must say that while that
wretch Guiteau lives prayers will do but little
good All assassins, or those who attempt
the life of a Chief Magistrate of any coun-
let them die as soon as possible put
them in a ditch ten feet deep, and let all
who want to throw mud at them do so; and
then cover the place with limestone so that
no grass can grow. l want no one to ap-
plaud me for my unsoldier-hke conduct, yet
l am one of the many that would take the
life of any assassin rather than to guard
him. Guiteau ordered the soldiers to be
sent to the jail to watch him to keep the
enraged people from him. He is in a
strong Jail that has cost the country thou
sands of dollars, and that wretch was put
in a No / cell when he could look out al
the poor soldiers coming there to keep the
people away while he slept like good man,
and was one of the soldiers. | take the
words of great soldier who would do any
thing to put down war or q rebellion.
Why not say death to all assassins. In his
Old days one man, wise and brave, says Ill
an arucle that | am guilty, for he says that
H"o taken a solemn oath to perform GER
'i,n uuIy, and Is given command to make
other6 ohey the oaths which they have
e"hel, Out who IL utter disregard to all his
0Ohgatlons, crawls unknown, unseen to the
loophole of the cell where this miserable
deVn IS confined, helpless and defenseless
ana, deliberately after weeks thought, at
tempts to murder him.
Well said, Mr.. --, LET'S hear from
you again" | like that word murder in the
case, that IS what l want them for If yor
nad been there you would have run away a
'ne sound of the army rife used. 1t carries
larger ball than any English Bull Dog,
anu as Guteau's, 1t was powerful shot.
would not care if they shot me on the spo
Tor what did. l would do it again, and al
mat haunts me is that | did not hit tn
wretch hate, yet luck was not mine in thi
case. He may go that way yet. The inten
to kill is as bad as if | did the killing.
made up my mind to do the shooting, an
| did it, and am not ashamed of it, so far
let others say what they may. |
the United States Army of $500
men were at the Jail, 10000 would XII
Hmteau, and the other 5000 would deser
before they would have anything to do wit
INN. In behalf of the soldiers of this com
mand, I l can say that watching the Jail +
Keep them from hurting Guiteau is wors
I!ah u campaign, camp for it is campaign com
plheu Wltn strict camp duty. A soldia
rides out there two-and-a-half m;ias 'I,,tle |Slas
on foot for two hours comes off lies 1oJ,, 19Dr
on the floor with wet clothes while no,
GuIteau is sleeping the sleep of good ma,
ana what shame that poor soldiers mn
be what they do not like to be and do som
thing they ought not do. There are fen ,
Twelve gllardsmen at the jail who get SO
per month, while the soldiers get from 81
to Sl5 per month"