Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-06-30

| tlat In many boots and shoes are steel or iron
ShanES, which prisoners sharpen when they can get
them, and make what ere In prison slang known
as ''cheesers,' with which they might do damage
Guiteau, on coming out or the bath, was assigned
TO the first cell, west corridor of the first floor OF
the south wing, but the location OF the prisoner In
the building was streauously conce lied from out
slderS. Here Gutteeu soon made himself at home,
anu Ia leSS than two hours after the deed was
committed he was sitting on his couch reading
paper borrowed from prisoner.
TIE MILITARY GUARD.
In the afternoon OF the same day the troops from
/ the Arsenal (2t Z. s. artillery ordered "to
protect the government property"-after Cabi-
| net meeting or consult1tion-appearei Major Nc
Glvrays battery {lS Infantry reporting at the jail
building, AMI Major Graves battery, with Calling
| guns, taking st ttion at Lincoln Park, about five
squares west OF the jail. Sentry posts were es =
tablshed about 30 yards from the Jail The fell
pieces remained at the park for about three weeks,
the men being relieved every "a hours. The force
| at the Jail has been maintained ever since, being
9uartered in the east wing ia the ap irtment built
for the chapel II Is likely that had not this pre-
caution been taken an attack would have been
made on the building, in which case more blood
taan That OF the prisoner would have been shed.
| EARLY INTERVIEWS WITH GUIrEAU.
| The afternoon and evening OF the day OF COM
mtment various detective officers. local and ma
| tional, Including Chief Brooks. of the Treasury
| secret service, Ind Interviews with Guteau, in
| all OF which he asserted that he alone did the
deed, and not living soul knew OF it; that he had
get to the JAIL and that he alone was responsible
For a few days after Guiteaus commitment there
were twelve or fourteen persons in the same tier
OF cells, but he did not have much to say to them.
tlemanly looking he had nothing to do with them.
TO one who had been convicted OF manslaughter
ne had some talk, telling the same story as he
gave TO the detectives, and also describing the
shooting and how Mr. Garfield acted. To the
| warden, Gen. Crocker he made on the 4th OF July
like statement, and gave him also sketch Of
| MS lie. In none OF the MISUNDERSTANDING
those OF the District attorney, (Col Corkhilll taken
In short hand by Mr.. Bailey-bafore July 10th did
Guiteau put forward IN any distinct form his in
spiration theory, or Intimate that the Deity i'm
PEELED him to commit the act. On that date Gen.
which the prisoner closed by remarklng, "You
! must not laugh when tell you, but guess you
t;m for y0u VIII hardly believe It. , the same
and this IS believed to have been the first time in
which he made such claim: Some few days after
Gen Reynolds called In the interest OF the govern
ment, and Guiteau spoke of the inspiration theory
| and enlarged upon it.
HIS PHYSICAL CONDITION
When committed he appeared to be an ex-
ceedingly Slight built man and apparently would
| not have weighed more than 125 pounds, but
when stripped for the bath It was noticed that he
was well built man, especially In his lower ex-
| tremitieS. When exercising in the corridor, he
| made some spurts in padestrianism which would
| have done credit 70 a professional He, however,
took no exercise out of his cell for time after
|
| that some one would avenge the death of the
/ PRESIDENT by shooting him.
AFRAID OF VIOLENCE.
For weeks he would shudder and cringe at the
| sight Or sound OF stranger. Indeed, so fearful
was he that shot might come into his window
| from the outside, that he removed his cot from
under the window OF his cell to the door, and then
| to make himself still more secure, he had his cot
| lowered so that at no time would his head be
above the level of the sill OF the window He
| would cringe and quake with fear at the least
sound, and 1t was only after he had made several
trips to court that he seemed to gain courage and
| confidence. When taken to his bath, in crossing
the roJun1a from the south to the west wing.
| walk as to shield himself behind the persons Of
| his guards. SO abject was his fear Of violence,
that at times "nea going to the bath he could
would trust even the best officers OF the prison
From the very first he seemed to be fearful, even
OF the guards OF the prison and as for the soldiers,
ne studiously kept out OF their sight. SO intense
was the feeling that some OF the guardS-both the
| regular attaches OF the prison and the military
We're for time fearful OF being left alone with the
| prisoner any considerable length OF time. One OF
them was so Impressed with the danger OF his feel
| fngS getting the upper hand OF him that he made
request to be transferred to the opposite wing for
| duty, but the request was not complied with.
| PLuIs
1t Is now pretty well known that there was more
than one plot made against TIE life OF Guiteau, and
had the trial resulted in disagreement OF the jury
| there probably would have been no need of q
second trial. Perhaps the most ingenious plan
was one which was arranged just before the trial
| closed. 1t was prcpozed that a small bomb should
be quietly slipped Into the cell through the grated
door, and that it should be exploded by means Of
long fuse froiI the rotunda or cour5e this plan
would need the cOnnvance OF some OF the regular
Officers, but had there been q m1SS-tr there
might have been found among the guards some
one vino would not have been unwilling to engage
| In or wink at such an undertaking.. The prison
ers who were In the adjoining corridor often
talked OF way of getting away -atrh Gulteau
mr. ayvad t1xnp ryc Ia,
kindly feeling for him, and were sincere In the
wish that when he went to the court that mob
would prevent his return.
THE MAGILL AFFAIR.
About month after his commitment one of
the guards, Mr. Magill, seeing Guiteau standing at
an unreasonable hour at his window bars. went in
to examine them, when he found the prisoner
with knife "a "cheeser," such as IS referred to
above) In his hand and asked for it. Then they
got into a scufle, In which Mr.. Magills pistol
went on and Guiteau claimed that Magill had
come into the cell to murder him, and demanded
| that he should be prosecuted. The fact that he
was not killed by Magiu he claimed was evidence
that he was Gods man, and that Providence was
| protecting him and would not let him be harmed.
MAsoN's ATTEMPT.
Guiteau was confined in the cell to which he was
first assigned until after he had been shot at by
Sergeant Mason, Sept 18th last, when, as will be
remembered, the ball missing Guiteau imbedded
Itself In the wall In the form OF fair profile Of
Guteau Guiteau, as soon as the officers entered
the cell to see what damage had been done, was
found terribly excited, in fact almost unable to
sneak. When asked where he was at the time, he
REPLIED pointing to his cot, "Lying here with my
head turned to see the soldiers leave their wagoan
Subsequently he asserted that he was standing at
the window at the time that the ball graZed his
ear. In j few days he had this incident fixed Oh
his mind as an instance tilustfa tng how the Deity
protected mis- life This attempt OF, Mason's so
terrified him that as soon as he Saw Gen. Croker
ne demanded removal and protection: He was
therenpon placed in the corresponding cell on the
opposite side of the wing, ana as further safe
guard, at his request the window was bricked up
AT the entrance TO this corridor wooden doors
were placed for the purpose Of isolating him as
much as possible. Here he was visited by MANY
before his trial, and clamorous was the public
to see him that he felt himself
A POPULAR HERO.
The demand made upon him for autographs
finally induced him to sell them From this corri
dor all the other prisoners were removed and he
saw none OF them save those allowed out to run
brands and work about the cells At times he
was even afraid OF these He was also allowed the
use OF the double cell at the south end of the tier
hR