Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1881-07-16
Guiteau'S Jail Life.


Guiteau'S Jail Life.
Guiteau is having very solitary time
of it in the Jail far out on the eastern
border of the city, writes q newspaper
correspondent from Washington. He
is quarantined from any connection with
the outside world even more effectually
than the President is. He gets his
meals delivered to him by a very mute
messenger who under orders returns a
cast-iron 81 don't know" to every
question put by Guiteau. Five times
he has been taken out into the office of
the warden of the prison and permitted
to narrate the story of his life. This he
is perfectly willing and even anxious to
do. When started on his story he keeps
on talking until the next meal-time ar
riyes, and when he goes away to get his
meal his victim escapes. Thus far he
has talked only to those coming from
the office of the District Attorney. He
has secured no counsel ard beyond
visit from his relative, Mr.. Scoville, he
has not seen an acquaintance since he
was lodged. He has one of the lower
interior cells, and despite his profane
protests against the deprivation he has
not been permitted to read the newspa-
pers. A Bible is the only book in The
cell and this he is devouring, at times
reading on for hours at stretch. He
complained to the District-Attorney at
the last visit of that official to tine Jail
that he was suffering for want of exer-
else, and asked that he permitted to
have the run of the Jail. Colonel Cork
hill offered to bring down his carriage
and give Guiteaua ride on the outskirts
of the city, but this offer was quickly
declined by the prisoner, who in his
cowardly conceit imagines that there is
crowd without the Jail waiting to
make short work of him. He has been
very consistent in his statements, as his
fine memory enables him to recall
names, dates and places with readiness,
aud while he has been allowed to talk
his story over nearly half dozen times,
has not tripped or deviated in one single
instance. All that he has said has been
taken down, and he has been led to be-
| lieve that his yarn has been set forth to
the public, and several times he has
asked the keepers whether all the peo-
pie were not talking of him. But he got
only the regulation 81 don't know 1"
from the keepers.
Guiteau has insisted from the start
that he himself conceived the idea of
nobody else had any previous knowledge
of the act. The more the officers of the
District-Attorney's Office study the man,
| the more they are convinced that he is
correct in this statement, since his ego
tism would not permit him to share the
glory he thought he was earning with
another. He insists, too, that he was
inspired to perform the act and that
the inspiration came few days after
resignation of Senator Conkling. He
has found out that the President is
not dead and seems disappointed that
! the shot was not fatal. He appears
lively enough in exchanging the common
salutations with the officers, but it is APP
parent that he regrets that the Presi-
dent has lived so long. He says his
trouble is the pain which he has caused,
for he desired that the shot should have
proved fatal. At first he seemed inclined
to the opinion that the first shot ne fired
struck the President in the arm and the
second one in the back. He is not now
so certain, for he remembers that the
first shot was fired horizontally and the
President raised his arm, slightly turned
and "looked scared" He likes to talk
of how he would reorganize the Govern
ment and makes up cabinet slate with
the greatest readiness and is never so
happy as when he is talking of politics.
There have been large number of let
ters sent to the Jail intended for and
directed to him, but they are not de-
livered to him. A humber of postal
cards contain threats and others have
jeering remarks. No steps have yet
been taken towards bringing him to trial,
and nothing will be done until definite
report on the condition and prospects OF
the President has been received. A
guard of soldiers still remains at the
Jail, and an extra sorce of police as well.
In case of the sudden death of the Pres
ident, immediate precautions will be
taken for the safe keeping of Guiteau,
as there is fear that company OF
Marylanders and Virginians might apply
lynch law to his case. He is not suffer.
ing at all in his new quarters. He eats
every meal with avidlty, andis gaining
flesh under confinement.