The Russellville Democrat., 1881-09-01
Guitpau.

Warden Croker of the District of Colum- bia iail, now admits that Guiteau did have knife and used it in his assault upon Guard McGill. Crocker says he had not thoroughly investigated the affair when be denied it, but the belief is that the denial was intended to suppress the truth, because it was a reflection upon the manner in which Guiteau is guarded to let him get knife. The implement used by Guiteau turns out, as has been stated, to be a "cheeser," but instead of having been made from a shoe-shank was merely piece of corset steel about four inches long and three fourtbs of an inch wide, with a ham, dle made of paper wrapped with a common string. It has an edge quite sharp. in fact it was, says McGill, as sharp as razor, as it cut entirely through his coat and vest and nearly touched the skin. The warden thinks the weapon got into Guiteau's cell from another cell About the first of each month the prison beds are taken out and steamed. Crocker thinks that in returning them the cot from some other cell in which the knife was concealed, was put into Guiteaus cell, instead of the cot he for. merly had; but this hardly looks plausible, as in washing and steaming the cots it would appear that anything concealed about them must have been discovered.
 The accepted theory is that Bedford la colored man), who was hung for the mur- der of Heith, left the knife in the cell and Guiteau found it. General Crocker is of the opinion that Guiteau's restlessness the night before the attack was occasioned by the conviction that the President was dead. Even before the appearance of additional soldiers at the jail Guiteau manifested the most intense uneasiness, and when the sol diers moved he would go every five or ten minutes to his window and look out at their movements. McGill, who has been seen but little by Guiteau, in making his rounds, startled the wretch, and he, think ing an attack was to be made upon him by a mob, resolved to fight. It is McGill's custom at night to go through all the cor riders of the jail and see that the prisoners are not engaged in mischief. This he did early yesterday morning, and finding Gui teau sitting on the side of his bed. and thinking something was wrong in his movements, spoke sharply to him and ask ed him what he was doing. This aroused the prisoner, and jumping to his feet he rushed spasmodically " at the jaier. When questioned as to why he attacked the guard, Guiteau said he had no business in his cell at that hour of the morning, and he only intended to put him out.
 Guteau is even more fond of writing now than he was when first put in jail He frequently asks the warden for pen and paper and whiles away time in writing let ters. These letters are all taken in charge of the warden and for the most part treat by the assassination. In nearly every on of them, he gays, he believed when he shot the President he was simply carrying out Gods will. The tone of some of the letters would indicate that he thought the Presi dent was dead. He is still engaged in writ ing up his life, which he says will make a book of 800 pages, and the epizode of yes teTday morning seems not to have inter fered greatly with his work. In the pages he wrote yesterday, and which were hand. ed 10 the officers, he speaks of "the late President Garfield" and writes of Mir. Arthur as President of the United States. This impression he has doubtless got from the guards having been doubled, and the general aspect of affairs about the jail.