The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-09-17
MAsoN's TRIAL.
No one saw Him In the Act of shooting
.t... fnt nj fsuIteau, .,


HI.II..y ,ll at GuIteau.
WAsrnxGroN, September lB.-The Court.
martial to try cases which have accumu-
lated at the Barracks here, during the past
month, assembled this morning at the Ar.
senAl The cases under consideration were
those OF the regular routine OF army life.
One was the case OF man who had gone
to sleep while on dutyat the White House,
Sergeant &fason's case is not before the
Court. No orders for his trial have been
Issued. Matters Of that kind are not con-
summated 10 quickly, The charges and
specifications against him were only sent
General Hancock the other day, and in the
ordinary course Of business Of this charac.
ter, no Court.mattial In the case could have
been ordered by thistime. The announce
ment that such u Court has been convened
was based upon the assumption that the
monthly detail OF q Court.martial, to
try such cases as had accumu.
lated, would include the case Of
Mason. But such Is not the fact: There
has to be separate order for each case
from Gen. IIanCock's headquarters, and, o.
stated above, no such order has been re-.
ceived or Issued, as far as the military ari.
thorities here know. In Mason's case the
charges arc preferred by Captain John Nc.
tiilVrey, who IA President OF the Court
which convened to-day, and tho other
members are all on duty at the Barracks. It
Is thought that the Court which will try
Mason, II such one be convened, will be
made up OF officers who are not connected
Immediately with Captain McGilvrey's
company. It is understood that the de
fendant will, on the trial, insist on strict
proof as to the shooting, and there having
been no witness 10 the'att itself, except gui.
teau, Il becomes an interesting question as
10 how the Case will be made out. Captain
Nct1ilyray, hearing the report, saw Mason
with his Inusket Id hls hand 1Hsl ~ he
had fired Il, but did not sec the net itself,
and as far as known, II Guiteaustells the
truth, he is the only one who saw the
flash. This Is doubted by some, who claim
that Guiteau told the truth when the
guards, hearing the report, ran To his cell
his bed at lid Hme," thgHgG lie d9lbtleSs
heard the crash Of The ball through the
glass. w..
II Is true that Mason informed Captain
MCGilvrey that he fired the shot, and In.
tended to kill Guiteau The law on the
suhjeGt Ia found In Do Hagt's Colrt-Mar.
tiaI,' page $50, Which Saysi 'ip1ltesslons
are received with caution. A Voluntary
confession Is evidence agdinst the party,
although uncorroborated, provided the cor
p,a deficit he first proved" II will be con.
tepdel that Under this provision the crime
shall be 'itlIy proven. Fhls Will BepesSl.
tate Guitead' appealing as a witness, and
II is stated that the Judge Advocate
tiBneyaPs office Is examining The case ID de.
tettnine What gGurse tl pBtsqe, II iSHat
thought that any military trial will be or
dered, and certainly not until the civil Ali.
thorities officially notify the army officials
that they do not intend 10 move In the
matter Should the civil branch not al.
teInpt a trisl Vf Mason, The military author
IiIts would lien deal Nth him % With any
other soldier &iio hadebeen illsQbetient 10
orders. The officers al The War Depart.
nent hgye stated all along that In their
opinion there would be R9 military trial al
Mason,