The Chickasaw messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1880-1900, 1881-07-14


An Official Of the Jail bad a LONG
interview with Guitean. ard gives Tie
better partofitto the Times. Guiteau
when the official entered the cell
was seated on his cot He is in Z
very plainly furnished cell, looking
on one Of the inner corridors. There
Is nothing TO read in the room
Upon a little table near the head Of
his cot was a large piece OF meat and
a bit Of bread, showing that be had
eaten nothing Of the food sent to him
THIS Official was seut to Guiteau for
The purpose Of talking with him and
linding out from a general CONVERSE
iion something Of the ideas Of tue
man, and whether be himself would
Indicate whether he had any conled-
crates or not. Guiteau walked up and
down in his cell, and was very
earnest, but he did not betray any
more excitement than a man would
ordinarily, He was very r.uch in
earnest He did not appear to be
crazy His talk was coherent. His
language was more Of the character
Of religious fanatic. Almost before
the official who interviewed him be-
gan the conversation, Guiteau began
questioning him. lie said: 81 have
not seen a single newspaper since my
arrest II is an outrage / do not
know what the people think of me
No ore is allowed to speak to me, to
let me know what has taken place
Are the people rejoicing throughout
the country Are they having pro-
cessions What are the leading
newspapers Of the country saying
about it? / take it that the New
York Herald Is backing me in it, and
the stalwarts throughout the country
are having Publications. What an
outrage it IS that ] cannot learn any
particulars" The gentleman calmly
and quietly sat down aud explained
to him that there was not a single
newspaper that approved his act, and
the person was yet to be found who
thought as he (Guiteau) did This
seemed to disapPoint him. He said /;
aAre you really telling the truth 2"
The official said that he was
Then" said Guiteau, striking a
tragic attitude, lifting up his head,
81 know that God is with me and,
God being on my side, will defy
Tho whole world T"
lie then went on to explain his
motives for committing the decd, He
said that he felt that this country was
in danger. Unless the Republican
party should rule, il woald 20 to
destructioa. The destruction Of the
oauntry meant great unhappiness.
The lie of Garfield was standing
menace to the Republican party.
Garfield was going to die, he believed,
and with his death woald come the
solididcation Of the Republican party
and the consequent prosperity Of the
country.
The officer attempted TO reason
with him a little on the subject.
Guiteau said "No, sir, | will not
reason with you Ny idess are fixed
Ii is useless TO waste words In talk
ing with me"
Then he turned to the gentleman
and SAID "IIow is the President
to-day2 Is he suffering 2"
Eyes said his visitor
"Poor, poor, dear man How
sorry / feel III had had the least
idea that he was going to suffer so
/ 1 would have put another ball through
him"
The gentleman asked him how be
slept.
He said "Last night was the drsl
nights rest have had in six weeks
It was the sweetest sleep of my life =
and he added eIn the midst OF i
| was awaken BY two officials, who
came to question me It was an
outrage"
This represents very fairly the
character Of the talk with the pris-
oner.