The Portland daily press., 1881-08-18
GUITEAU.
Assaults His Keeper With a knife

ASSduiIS Els Keeper WIN q hQ1I0.
WASHINGTON, Aug. IA previous de-
spatch stating that there was no truth in the
story that Guiteau had attempted to kill one
of the Jail guards was based on information
received from police headquarters. There is
every reason to believe that the police authori-
ties falsifed the facts. The Evening Critic, in
an extra, gives the details of the assault
This morning at T.. 30 while W. c. McGil, one
of the guards at the jail, was passing through
the corridor, something in the appearance of
Guiteau attracted his attention. Entering the
cell he found the assassin in possession of a
knife. How he obtained it is mystery. When
he demanded the knife Guiteau refused to sur
render it. McGill drew his pistol and then an
exciting tussle ensued, Guiteau making every
exertion to get the pistol from the guard. He
succeeded after struggle, but afterwards
McGill after most strenuous exertion regained
it. In the scufae that followed the weapon
was discharged and the report brought other
guards to the assistance of McGill, and
Guiteau was finally disarmed. He succeeded
however, in cutting McGill's clothing pretty
badly and came very near infleting dangerous
wounds Guiteau pretended to be crazy and
complained that his pistol had been taken fron,
him
Major Brooks, of the Metropolitan police
force, says the guard was standing Immediate
ly outside the door of the cell when he noticed
the prisoner was acting in strange and unus-
ual manner, and as he (the guard) thought,
was trying to hang himself. The guard
opened the door and upon entering Guiteau
seized him, and a scuffle ensued in which the
guard drew pistol in self-defence and iU was
accidentally discharged Hearing the report
OF the pistol another of the guards rushed to
the scene and separated the men. There was
no damage done by the discharge of the
weapon.
Guiteau has volunteered no explanation of
the matter so far. 1t was thought he was at
tempting to escape, but Warden Croker states
that il his belief no attempt at escape had
been made His theory is that Guteau, who
has been in an extremely nervous and irritable
condition for sometime, became SO much ex-
cited and enraged at the sudden entrance of
the guard that he was led into this attack.
Gen. McGill states that about 4 80 he went
to Guiteau's cell aud noticed he was apparent
~ pairing. his nails, McGill thinking he might
have made some preparation to hang himself,
went in and asked what he had been LONG.
Guiteau replied, Nothing, nothing Noticing
the knife he asked what he was doing with it
aud he replied, $50 help me God | have
none" He then said 'Drop it" in command
and made cut, but fortunately McGill threw
his hand back and the knife cut the lapel OF
his coat Giteau was as nimble as a cat. Nc
Gill pulled his revolver out but did not cock it
and Guiteau then tussled for its posses ,ion. ex-
claiming "Don't oct mei' McGill cooked
the pistol and he (Gteau) said 'Give me nv
pistol and finally got hold Of it but not till
Jones) by this time appeared and Giteau
was second. They then searched for the knife
and seeing something under his foot picked il
up. 1t was what is technically known in iail
parlance as a stcheeser' made OF the steel
shank Of shoe, 8 Or inches long ground
down to a good edge with paper and Irvine
wrapped around one end as handle.