The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1881-09-22
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, D. c.,
Sept. II, 1881.

From u Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, D. c., B
G Sept. II, 1881.
The past week has been an unusa-
lilly quiet. one at the Capital, but
here are signs Of approaching life.
The Cabinet officers are returningE
one by one from Long Branch, withE
smiling faces, and setting about theF
duties of their various departments
Kirkwood was the first tot
come back, having made up hisk
he says, that he could be al
great deal more useful here than any
else. Secretary Window fol
next, the business ofthe Urea
sury Department requiring his pres
ence. It is rumored, by the way,
that he will in a few days call inl
$25, 0O0,0 900 or more of THE six per-
recently extended at 81 perl
The Attorney General and:
Postmaster General will doubtless
find it necessary to remain here al
portion of the time during the next!
few days, as the Grand Jury is I'M
session and the "star route cases.
are likely to require their attention.
The attempted shooting of Guiteau'
10y one of the soldiers stationed in1
the vicinity of the jail to guard the
prisoner from mob violence was quite
an exciting episode. Of course the
telegraph has already given you the
facts, but the subject is not dead yet
There is a good deal of speculation
las to what will be done about it, as
well as a deep feeling of regret that
1.-THE shot missed its mark. Not few
lpeople quietly hope that the soldier
Twill get another chance, with better
results. The man who fired the shot
lis a Sergeant in Company B of the
Second Artillery. named John A.
Mason. He is about thirty five or
sthirty-eisht years Of age, is well
sbuilt, slender, about five feet eleven
sipctes in height, with brown hair
sand moustache, clear complexion,
shazeF eyes, and would be called a
sgood looking man. He is a native
gof Virginia and is of a family of six
syoung men. All of his brothers serv-
led in the Confederate Army, but
John Joined and served with the I'm
lion Army. When his Captain came
up to him after the shot was fired,
Mason said: 81 fired the shot, Cap
tain, and / intended to kill the
sscoundrel. I did not enlist to guard
Ian assassin" Great eeeisement was
caused by the shooting and Guiteau
himself was terribly frightened. The
Sball grazed by his head and pene-
strated his coat which was hanging
lin the cell, passing through a pic
sture of himself which was in one OF
the pockets.
In an interview with the reporters
after the occurrence, Sergeant Ma
son appeared in good spirits and
I said he would be willing, besides be
ling confined, to give $4,000 in the
bargain if his bullet had pierced Gui
! teau's bowels. He said he was tired
sof riding out there over a cobble
stone road every day to guard the
life of a cur who had shot such a
good man as President Garfield. In
this feeling he has "a good deal OF
hereabouts. There does
not appear to be much disposition &c
bring him to very summary punish
ment for the act. 1t is understood
that the formality of a court martial
will be gone through with, but prob
ABLY it will not amount to much. II
tried by the civil authorities no jury
zcould be found in this community tC
sconvict him of any grave wrong
las for Gniteau himself, he is as grea'
IA coward as ever lived. He stands
lin mortal terror of being violently
adealt with, and after this shot was
livery glad to be removed to q more
dsecluded cell. It has not been gen.
Serally known that the window of the
Zone previously occupied was in good
range of any sharpshooter outside
If it had been better known proba
ably the attempt to pick him of
would have been made before this.
Mason is said to be a crack shot
and he seems anxious to get another
5chance. Since it frightens him so,
no better punishment could be in.
zhicted upon Guiteau than to have
some guard shoot to the right and
aleft of him abou. once a day.
8 Minister Christiancy is now
shere attending in person to his suit
Sfor divorce. He says there has been
some outrageouslying in the evidence
for the defense. Washington is the
aboss place for marriage and divorce
4Few hours of the five week days
5Friday being unpopular for that pur
Spose-pass without the recording q
Ia license in the clerks office, anG
Flew tcrms of court pass that severa
Adivorces are not decreed. This Dis
4 trict is the Gretna Green of Virgini,
and Maryland and our parsons poke
scores of fees for tying knots which
Stheir brethren of neighboring State.
chad a right TO expect. The explain
alton is simple. The Virginia clerl