The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1882-04-05
SERGEANT MASON.
A Talk With the Man Who Tried to KIN
Guiteau.
Wat Led 70 the Commission of the Deed
Prison Life at Washington and
Albany.
ALBANY Arpus.l

whEe waiting in the guard room of the AL
bany Penitentiary. was suddenly awakened
from q reverie that was fast assumin,
an unpleasant phase by the tinklC
pf a bell whose long service in The
Prison had not detracted from its pris
ine melody, and the metallic groan of q
massive lock that secures the door dividing
The lawless from the law-abiding. In com
bany with Clerk Paddock the news-gatherer
descended the stairs that led to the main
prison. At desk built against the wall
were two minor officials of the Penitentiary,
while standing in front of and facing them,
In an erect, military altitude, with eyes
liked straight ahead, arms folded, bare
headed, and with the regulation cap hang
no over his left arm was Sergeant Mason,
The military guard in The Washington Peni-
entiary who sought to improve on judicial
methods and TO hasten the departure of G vi
Ieau'frOm this world Of sin. The prisoner, who
II five feet and ten inches in height, looked
kuch taller IN the regulation roundabout OF
ark blue. His ordinary weight is 170
bounds. but he has fallen, since his first in
arecration, to $50, and his spareneSs of
cure also adds TO his apparent altitude.
LIS dark hair.was closely cropped, display
a head Of fair frontal and emotive de-
lopement, full in the animal region, and
omewhat deficient in the vital and basilar
Sior His cheek-bOnes at first GLANCE APP
ar 10 be very prominent; but a study of
| e face reveals a very peaked lower devel-
ement and remarkably small mouth.
s eyes are gray, and appear restless when
lis talking.
Superintendent McEwan and Clerk Pad
ek did not think that Mason would be in
ned 10 talk, as he had not appeared over
| h Hra ont her
hugh he has by no means evinced a surly
position. He was shy yesterday until he
rned the reporters business, but was
duslly drawn out
How long have you been a SOLDIER"
| | have been in the regular army continu-
ly since July, 1866, but was a soldier
IN I was sixteen years old. L enlisted in
uafy, 1852, at Jsnesville, o., in the
sniy-nineth Ohio Regiment | was at
battle OF Fort DOnelson and at Shiloh in
: am nstive of Virginia-was born
lpOttsvlvania COnnty-but was raised in
0. and will be thirty-eight years old in
What family have your"
A wife and one boy fifteen months old.
y are in Orange County, Virginia"
Did you mean 10 kill Guiteau, only to
hten him?'
meant to kill him, OF course. Every
Ter around there wanted to dispose OF
get him cut of sight. They all hate d
his name, his looks. his actions, and
the cruel crime he had done. He was
e he looked out at Us every time guard
changed. His mug was at the window
day, and could be seen from the out
and every body hated him."
OyOu think Guiteau is insane?'
lOt can't call that man 3 sensible man.
some kind If mysterious fool As
bout TO say. before that shooting was
Def re he shot the President-I had
come from Texas, from Fort McA bbDtt.
jed at Washington City the 4th of July
not very well at the time. L heard OF
shooting and, of course, did not get
J better after that. Since | done the
kating, SePtem Der IL, | have been confined
Eashington Barracks, waiting for trial
3Is tried in February. and had a good,
air trial, as l consider it-a court-martial,
nth twelve officers. | was defended by j.
!. BigelOw-Called General Bigelow-an ex-
rmy officer LETT everything In his hands,
nd believe that he and another lawyer are
rying to do something for me vet. l ex-
ected T. get out on n habeas corpus, and
Tas surprised TO find myself at the depot in
Washington and on my way 10 this place
ince l landed here l wrote piece to
mall paper in WashIngtOE-l believe it Is
allied the Critic. l wrote that piece to that
aper for the reason that il was the
means of getting me better quarters
1hen l was waiting for my trial
was kept in place there that
lOuld kill nalf the men in this Prison--a
ANN cell, with a marsh just outside of it,
nd L wonder that it did not kill me. As /
7as going 10 say, l M tde q remark the other
ay thsI see the papers are printing. to
he effect that did not want any favors
rom any Guiteau President | was wrong
n saying that. (Here Mason's ewes filled
nth tears, which he male no movement 10
ripe away as they coarsed down his cheeks } |
resident Arthur is a good man, and was
lected by the people IF the country with
resident Garfield, and | don't believe he
nil take any notice of such thing as that
"a remark made in anger, when L did not
now how it would sound. | thought my
was too long for shooting at
1ch thing Guiteau'' pronounced by
Jason GaytOw)
did you see Guiteau when you fredN
NO; IL was a dark. rainy afternoon and |
1Om he occupied, and knew that his mug
as az the window every day. thought
e was by the window. It was like house /
lside OF hOuse-Sou looked through one |
-indOw, and right through was another
indoNs which was in his cell. / was not /
n duty az the tims as the papers said, put /
as just going on duty
"Of course you claim to be sane?'
Il claim to ne IN my right mind, and / |
new what | was doing at the time. there
as nothing insane about it. think it is
me- the greatest affections that God ever
ut on man. to take away his reason. |
new Ii was against the Law and the mill
Try code 10 do such thin g as shoot a man
nder such circumstances, but L was mad
lOugh AZ Gui eau 10 kill iOrty like him. /
ould not advise any soldier 10 shoot a man
Prison. no matter how bad he Is: bat |
as mad to see his mug always ar the win
)w. and 10 know that The President was
lffrring so. had an idea the whole coun-
y was prayiag 50 for the President that
1 shot, Gditeau the President would get
ell IL seemed t1st that man was devil,
ld that as long as he lived the President
ouid suffer. have been n soldier ever
nee | was sixteen years old, and until
lat happened was never in guard-hOuse
under arrest. i believe if bad not shot
him some of the other soldiers there
Ould. There were two batteries of soldiers
ere While ! think that my sentence is
o long, | shall obey orders here, as / al
ays did in the army"
Mason's cell is next 10 that OF Tom Bal
ri, the poted fOrger, and he is employed
fthe sb5e department, n the work Of fin
hing shoes.
Assassinated.
A st. Louis special Of the 30th to the Chi
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