Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1881-09-12
GUitCaU Shot Al.

List uisht Sergeant Mason, on duty a. tho
Washington jail, attempted to kill Gritoau by
shooting "a! him in Lis cell. but tho ball missed
ila aim, passing within about S X inches OF tho
prisoners head. 1t scrms that for somo days
there has been tslk among thu soldiers do
tailed 10 kuird tho wretch as to who should
take shot st hlG whenever hJ presented him.
self st tho Riudow Of his CELL The prisoners
cell lnGks out through another window on the
ou!sd, corridor aud is plainly visible to the
guards who watch the eastern sldo Of the ,ll
Tho duty OF firing shot 81 Guiteau. it appears,
:Cl! to tho loi OF ScTg cant j. A. Mason, of Com
paoy Il, Second ArIlcry, and he prepared for
Il, when he was ordered with other soldiers to
leave Tic arsenal last night to g to tue jai and
plrI1m guard duly. TLrao wagon loads of
l1iirlS lclt tho arsenal Sele can't Mason vas
ia tho las wagon. lie Vas motto ID by some of
II! compnri0us to tumble with the lock Of his
rll, kad &C. strangely, but nothing was said IS
tbs elegant had been tlnuking duriug the day,
and HunG 10 tho wagon wero aware OF tho duty
That he had bcun OILED up0n 10 perform.
When tho wagons drew up TO tho rear OF tho
i .il, Mason was tho first man to aght. lie
pushed tias; II through q group OF several per-
son- eiaulids around, and reaching small hill.
lock ablu. lhrco iunt lr1m where the horses
stood. he brought ss riil to shoulder, TO;
nca5y Sim III tho we'll kuoWo wadow Of Gu.
tesu. opposite. shouted. There he is |" and
fred. The report Of the riff, attracted general
attention, aud before the smoke had cenred
away twenty soldiers wgre crowded around Ma
eon. Said Private Davis. I'm Lesvru's uame,
msn, why did you shJoi?' Il wanted to xiii
tina, wroGch ia there Vas the puhw3r. Il
have hren tn t. this thing for ten days, ind
hope have done tho w'rS up in good STYLE"
Masn. lhcu walk ID toward his Commands. g
officer, Capt. McHiIvrsy. Hayhg, Captain. |
have rnlcnv1rcd to XIII that dry loAtar 10
lhoic. I,rs IL h,y tua and baynn"t Liz. Run
me 10.
Capan McHl,Vfay waa asiaLdJul. llo
board tbs shot AMI witnessed tho tSclicmcnt,
t,,s had mol dreamed OF the Intentions Of Ma
sor: tut ehcu tho latter c.no forward and
m,du h,,a ackn5 wlctg nrnt hU r,cogniz: ID that
samrthi,o serious nhd Cccnred, anl turned
Mason Over 10 two soldiers. By that lino all
was excitement t'ud c,niusion. Prisoners who
eau Il Iook M. OF Il cir wlOCO 90, aud had boon
aroused. b,pnn to scros An and shout. nLd GA the
iasjdo of tho i.il scsne 1T the greatest exotic
meDt rrtv.i!ed. Warden tHrocker aad Dtru'y
Rusk, with several guards on daty. who weso
Converting 10 tho Office of the jail. sDra2g 10 their
ieet, when tho report Of the ril, rang through
tho corridor. ard. naturally suspecllng what it
meant. rec towards Guiteau's cell. Thty found
the st;er or his knees and I'D expression of
terror on i,s fac,. ''Hrent God |" he cxclam
ed, whun General Cracker Looked into his cell;
what do lhesu lneu mean, anyway? ID they
want to murder me2' why. no; what arc
yau talking about?' answered General Crocker,
who had pnr learned what tho trouble vas
"Wcl, Just this, snAwcrod Guiteau; Il have
been shot sc sgs,o. was stundiog at my win
dow lust nop,, when e shot was fired by one of
those soldiers outside, aud the bullet passed my
car, went through my coat hanging up, then
cut in pioocH the photograph Of my old mother"
did it str l., you at ALP asked Gen. Crocker.
"No; but, my God! it frightened me nearly to
des,h." Il s,ligo out and 6ud oat all about il"
said Goucrsl Urooker; AID he proceeded by
back door to 10 vestigsto. Ho found a scene of
confusion, and descended alone and learned why
Mason hal shot. and a brief consultation was
held, du.lne Which it was agreed to inform
Guitesu that ih shooting Was accidental. Gen,