Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1881-09-28

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first thought the shot had been fired
by one Of his men. As | stepped for
ward / saw a man standing just in
front of the window of Guiteius cell,
holding his piece presented, evidently
having just fired. Still under the i'm.
preston that it was one Of Major
Graves men, | walked rapidly forward,
and as approached him ! was amazed
to SEQ it was Sergeant Mason, of my
company, my first sergeant Ho was
very much excited, and said. 4 fred
that shot, Captain, and intended to kill
the scoundrel / did not enlist to
guard an assassin. took his arms
from him and placed a sentinel over
him. When the guard was relieved /
placed Sergeant Mason in Mai. Graves
hands, and requested him to take him
back to tbs arsenal and turn him over
to the commanding officer with re.
port Of the occurrence. Upon ex.
animation ! found that the shot had
gone through the window opposite
Guiteau's cell the ball could not have
missed him more than three or four
inches at the farthest The bullet
struck the south wall of the cell four
feet six inches from the floor, and then
glanced of, striking tho last wall at
nearly the same distance up, when it
fell to the floor. The window of Gui.
teau's cell would hardly be visible to
any one unacquainted with the plan
of the building, but Sergeant Mason
had been on duty at the jail and knew
the exact position Of the windows"
Mason was Immediately taken to the
arsenal, aud put in a small cell.
SOLDIER FOR NEARLY TWENTY YEARS.
Upon being questioned as to his mo-
tive in attempting to shoot Guiteau he
calmly and quietly replied that be had
become tired Of being compelled 10 20
to the jail to guard a man who had
shot a good man, the President OF the
Nation. He said that before leaving
the arsenal he had loaded his gun with
lorty-five calibre ball tor the purpose
OF killing Guiteau. He said be had
been thinking about doing it for sew.
eral days, and he had concluded that
it was his duty to kill the assassin.
The officers and comrades of Mason
speak OF him in high terms They
say be has the reputation of being
good and faithful soldier and that he
is not drinking man. Some Of them
say that at times he is rather eccentric,
but be has been regarded as thoroughly
honest and trustworthy. Some of his
comrades attempt to excuse his act on
the ground that of late he has been
sick with fever and ague, and has been
taking a good deal Of medicine, which
may have affected bis mind Mason
has been in the army most of the time
for nineteen years. He is a native Of
Virginia. Though five Of his broth
ers served in tho Confederate army,
he Joined the Union army during the
war. He is thirty.eight years Of age,
is strong muscular man, and nearly
six feet tall. He is fine marksman,
and General Aver, colonel OF the Sec.
ond artillery, says that if Mason had
had a sight of Guiteau he would have
killed him.
MAsoN's PUNISHMENT.
In response to an inquiry today,
Assistant Adiutant General Ruggles
said, that Mason would this week be
turned over to the civil authorities of
the District of Columbia, and that he
would doubtless be tried on a charge
of intent to kill If he should be sent
to the penitentiary for any length of
time, be would probably be dismissed
from the army; butif he should be
sentenced for only afew months by the
civil authorities, be would after serv-
ing out his sentence, in all probability
be tried by court martial, be subjected
to military punishment for a month or
80 for violation of military discipline,
and would then be released. In army
circles there is much chagrin over
Mason's act. The officers at the
arsenal are afraid it will be regarded
by the public as severe reflection on
regular soldiers as q guard at the jail,
and as q suggestion that Guiteau has
more TO fear from the soldiers than
from civilians.
aUITEAU's TERROR.
Masou's shot made Guiteau frantic
with fear. He was found crouched in
one corner Of his cell praying loudly
for protection. Though assured that
the shot was the result Of an accident,
be had no faith in the statement, and
he kept carefully away from the win.
dow. He begged passionately to be
removed to a cell where be wouldn't
be exposed to such shots. From his
point of view Guiteau's appeal was
very reasonable. He has from the be.
ginning OF his Imprisonment been ox.
posed not only TO shots from the
guards outside, but from any one with
long range rifle. The window through
which Sergeant Mason shot ut Gui.
teau last evening was examined this
morning BY the Jail warden to see il
by any possible means the bullet could
have struck the prisoner. Warden
Crocker gives the following as the re-
suit of his examination The bullet
entered the outer window, passing
through the centre pane of glass,
making a small round hole about half
and inch in diameter Crossing cor.
rftior of perhaps ten feet il entered
Gulteau's cell, which is on the ground
floor, grazing the window.sill aud
striking Guileau's coat, which was
hanging against the southwest corner
of his cell penetrating it and striking
a picture Of himself recently photo.
graped by c. NJ. Bell, which was in
bis pocket. 1t glanced along side of
the wall about an inch from il,
then striking the wall and dropping
TO the floor.
WHAT THE WAR DEPARTMENT WILL DO.
official notice Of Sergeant Mason's