The daily gazette., 1881-11-21
GUITEAU.
The Prisoner Fired At and Slightly
Wounded While ON His Way Back
IN Hail.

wounded While ON His Way Back
to Jail.
WASHINGTON, November 19.-Upon
the adjournment of the court to-day
the Jail van started as usual for the
Jail, having one policeman as guard,
who sat on the seat with the driver.
Before reaching the Capitol the guard
noticed young man on horseback
riding lelsurely behind the van. Near
the corner of East Capitol and Fifth
streets the horseman rode directly up
to the rear of the van and peered
through the small grating. Guiteau
was alone in the van, sitting ON the
right-hand side. After evidently sat
isfying himself of the exact location
of the prisoner the horseman wheeled
suddenly to the left of the van and
fred directly through 1t. He then
dashed to the front of tue van and
pointed his pistol at the driver with
the evident intention of intimidating
him, but seeing an armed policeman
by the side of the driver he exclaimed,
"I've shot the - of a -" and
putting spurs to his horse dashed
down East Capital street, in the direc-
tion of the Congressional Cemetery.
The policeman fired one shot at the
fast disappearing horseman, and the
driver of the van whipped his horses
into a gallop and kept in sightssof him
for several blocks. The would-be
avenger was, however, mounted upor
a blooded horse and readily escaped
out into the country. The van was
then driven on to the Jail and Guiteau
was taken out in a state of great ex-
citement. He exclaimed sI've been
shot. Notify Major Brock at once.
| Tell him to arrest the scoundrel and
have him dealt with as he deserves"
On examination it was found that the
ball had just grazed Guiteau's left
wrist infiicting mere scratch. The
ball struck the opposite Side of the
van and fell upon the floor, where II
was found on reaching the Jail.
| AcRANKY INEBRIATE.
Lieutenant johnson tonight refused
to give any information concerning
Jones, but this was an official eff,rt Il
magnify thing which proves TO be o
little general conseq uence into sup
posed Importance. The man Is wei
known in police orioles. While he ha
been eccentric in his conduct he has no
been considered insane. 1t has been
faverite sport with hun while intoxica
ted to pretend to be an Office and ter
rify the weak and the unoffendirR. HI
has several times arrested boys and car
ried them to the station house where h
Is now lodged. UroR one OCCASION b,
arrested a negro woman and tied he
securely with ropes. This conduct o
his has been generally overlooked, a
he seemed to do 1t more for amusemen
than for injury to the persons. He ha
been before the police court severa
times aud Is not regarded as q man 0
strong char racter. He was at the cour
room to day and was there seen to b
under the influence of liquor. just be
fore tt van left the Court House Jone
: saw where Guiteau was standing, an
had the prisoner not changed his posi-
, ton he would have received the bulle
in the back. Jones Is said to be to
, drunk to give any satisfactory explani
nation of the affair, which Is regarde
I as o very laughable occurrence by a
save Guiteau, who according to anothe
account than the drivers, when the she
was fired, fell to the floor of the van an
evidenced the greatest fear. During th
I rest of the jou rney to the Jail he Is sal
to have been greatly alarmed, jumptn
about In the van like terrified anim
s IN the street parade OF a circus.
Some who know Jones say that he is
veritable crank. From police quartz
. 1t is learned that Jones is man of di
. sipated habits, but is not crazy, exec
when drinking to excess, as was Il
N case to-day. He is a daring rider, an
:, although often too drunk to walk, is sa
to be always able to keep his saddle al
put his horse at full speed. His eque
- trian exploits this evening surprise
81 many who saw him, bat those who kno
the man say that when once he gets {
,r horse he remains there until it sui
him to dismount.