Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-11-21

70 pass through tie corridor and view the
prisoners in theif cells, including Guiteau.
The guards in charge of such parties would
engage Guiteau in conversation, saying some
thing in reference to the shot fired at him
yesterday. His invariable reply to all such
questions would be: Oh, yes, am hard to
| hit. People will learn alter while that the
| Lord 10 with me and will not permit me to
be killed. He insists that he must have
strong guard sf policemen TOMORROW, to
assist the Lord in keeping him from danger.
| This afternoon the crowd At the jail became
so great that Guiteau was notified oy inc
Warden that there was large number OF
persons in the rotunda Who desired to see
him and that he better step out in the corridor.
The prisoner offered no objection to this
proposition but Immediately put on his coat
and hat and made his appearance In full
view of every one present. Upon retiring ne
saluted the audience in military style,
smiling in a seeming Indifferent manner As he
did so. The guards say he passed "a quiet
night and talked but little. He spends most
of his time in reading and writing. The
guards also say. that while he appears per-
fectly calm and composed, today, exhibits
great apprehension about tomorrow, and that
he does not appear to be quite satisfied that
he will escape violence.
Various rumors are in circulation in the
eastern part Of the city regarding attempts
which will be made to shoot the prisoner.
Many persons believe that concerted action,
with that result in view, has been taken since
the trial commenced Talk of this charac-
ter had the effect of inducing the curious to
to visit the Jail during the day. At SIX
O'Clock this evening there were but few VS.
itors in the building. The military guards
are still on duty. No apprehension l. felt by
the officers of the Jail that any further at
tempts will be made to take the life Of the
prisoner.
ARRESTED ON SUSPICION.
William Jones, who was supposed to have
fired into the prison van yesterday afternoon
with the intention of killing Guiteau. was
taken to the second precint police station
about nine o'clock last evening. He was
very much under the Influence OF liquor
when arrested and was unable to say much
about his suspicious conduct, even if so in
clined. This morning he had become sober
eaeugh to appreciate his position, and at
once took steps to secure counsel IN the per-
son of X. X. Elliot, who will defend him
upon his arraignment in the police court to-
morrow morning. Jones is well known to
the police here, having been arrested several
times upon various charges within the past
IN
owns and operates fine farm upon the Bates
road, three miles from the city. He is re-
garded as ''Crank" by his neighbors, and
his frequent eccentricities would seem to JUS
tify their opinion. His main amusement for
the past two years has been to personate pO-
licemen, and after arresting someSunspecting
wavfarer and making show of taking them
to the station house, to release him with the
warning not to be caught offending again.
He spends much of his time in the saddle
and is an accomplished horseman. Upon
recent occasion he rode up to carriage
which was just entering the grounds OF the
Soldiers Home, compelled the driver to halt.
The occupants, a gentleman and two lad
las, protested, blu: with much severity of
manner Jones called out. This thing has
been going on long enough, you must go
with me to the station house, l have my
orders to arrest you" Explanations failed
to satisfy him, and supposing him to be an
officer, though laboring under evident mis-
take in regard to them, the party accompanied
him to the station house. just as they were
about to alight from the carriage, however,
Jones laughingly babe them good day, and
putting spurs to his horse, quickly disap-
appeared. As he had neither offered viol-
ence nor attempted to defraud them in any
way no charge could be sustained against
him. Shortly after, he arrested woman,
and upon this occasion he was fined in the
police court His freaks were always of a
harmless character and he never was known
to carry or use a revolver. Those who know
him intimately say he is rather half-witted
than a crazy man. His demeanor today
would seem to indicate that he rather enjoys
the notoriety which he expects to gain from
the situation. When asked by gentleman
L H.: eol l.: a.
''why he didn't hit Guitea?" he laughed and
said, "It wasn't l that shot at him. want
to see them prove it."
So confident were the authorities that the
right man had been secured that no further
search was made, and it was not till five
o'clock this afternoon that any of
the officers, who were on the van
at the time of the shooting, were sent out
to the station house (where he is c0nfned)t to
identify him. Police officer Edlin, who was
sitting on the van with the driver, and who
fired at the horseman as he wheeled and fed,
rode out to the station house to see the pris-
oner about five o'clock. After thorough
scrutiny of his features and some conversa-
ton with the prisoner. Officer Edlin an
nounced to the officers and reporters who
were in anxious waiting: Gentlemen, that
is not the man. l should know the man
only fail to identify this man, Jones, as the
man. but could swear that he is not the
man." Officer Edlin then specified the points
of difference between them. He stated that
the horse he rode was heavy sorrel with
white fore legs, while Jones' horse not
ieck upon it.
The authorities are pretty well satisfied
from officer Edlin's statement that they have
not yet secured the right man, and as he
(Edlin> is probably the one who was in po-
sition to identify him, Jones will doubtless
be released tomorrow. As an interval of an
hour and half had elapsed between the time
when the would be avenger escaped
from the pursuing van and the time when
the mounted officers first sighted the eccen-
trio Jones, there is room for several theories
Either that the real culprit made good his
escape, As he had ample time to do, or that
Jones, after, as he supposed, having eluded
the pursuers, concluded to celebrate his ex-
plot with grand spree. Still another theory
has advance advanced, that Jones was an ac-
complete to the extent of loaning his horse,
and that after receiving back the animal on
the outskirts of the District. and learning
what had been done he was just drunk enough
to enjoy the sport of being pursued by the
police. knowing he could not be held for
real criminal. This new phase of the case
has added unevDpcted conn lica fions and cro-