Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-02-21
ONE IIFE LOST
Sergeant Masoa's Court Martial.

THE PRISONERS GRIEyASrES-wIIY HE SHOT AT
GrIrEAU-DlpN'T LIKE HIs MUG-THE SENTINEL
AND THE REPORTER, ETC.
The dozen Officers, gay I'm blue and gold. COM
posing the Mason court martial, were all ass, ~
bled at noon in the court room at the Washington
barracks, and Mt Bigelow, Sergeant Ma son's
counsel, was in his place, near the judge advO-
cate. There was also a st"n0grapher present. Mt
son wos brought from the gulrdhouse some min
utes before the court VAS called u order, which
ceremony WIS performed with military punctual-
ity promptly at noon. The prisoner then saun-
tered in aud sat down by MS counsel. When the
roll was called Lieut. Brown read telegram from
headquarters at Governors Island, authorizing the
employment OF a steno-raphc reporter The re-
porter Was jhsreupon sworn IN.
MASoN'S TALK AsoUT GUITEAU AID RATS
At this point the court was cleared. This means
that Mr.. Bigelow, the prisoner and the reporters
were turned out OF the room and permitted % cool
their heels on the damp sod outside Mason
mounted bis fay0r,te position on a dry goods box
and the sentry kept a wary eye on him. Mason,
WITH MS hands IN his pocket talked quite NOlubly
TO the reporters, "lou got IN little too much
about the rats" he said Il ain not death on rats.
l am death on Gu;teaG | have more respect for
an orderly RAT than Tor tuirpau An officer caipa
over To nay cell last night and said rats couldn't
ctimh up an iron door. lie was wilt.,d when said
they could. Tney IA ty5 stopped inc giving out auto
graphs and photographs, too That's the way they
do it IN the army. There's sentry there 10 stop
it."
Mason went on with his complaint at some
length, saying that he would rather SlSnd 100
months in lail than leo days IN his cell. "TO add
TO my troubles, he said They gong 20 white
wash my cell. They have got all nav things up-ide
down. Some halt drunk soldier Will go there and
Spatter whitewaSh over everything Mason sid
that he didn't shoot because he did not Ike mill
tlry rules. but he ''hated GuiteauS id mug"
WARNING TO A REPORTER.
reporter having taken out a piece OF paper, the
sentry walked up and said: "No sket,hing heren
He was Informed that no sletching was being
done 'If you do it." said the sentry, you VIII
ct lac into trouble"
MASON ISsTRUcTs HIS couHsE1-HE WANTS A SAY
LIKE GUITRAU.
The judge advocate having appeared at the door
and sent orderly TO summon Gen. Ayres as a
witness, Mason stepped down from his box and
said TO Mr. Bigelow, handing him list Of ques-
tons written on paper: ''Guteau had everything
TO say in his trial. / want something to say here.
want you 10 ask him these questions. ana don't
let any officer in shoulder straps brOWbeat YOU"
While Mr. BigelOw WAS endeavorng IL persu de
Mason that he would only injure his own case by
such course the judge advocate appeared at the
door and announced that
THE COURT WAS AGAIN OPENED
Col. Mzner, when the prisoner was In his place
announced that no witness would be allowed In
the room while the preceding witness was testify
ing. The judge advocate announced certain for
NAL corrections made in the record, and submitted
diagrams Of the 1an procured from Supervising
Architect Of the Treasury HILL The officers spent
some time examining these diagrams.
TESTIMONY OF GENERAL AYREs
Meanwhile Brgadier General r. B. Ayres, COM
mandant OF the post, having arrived In the court
room he was sworn, and the judge advocate pro-
ceeded TO his examination. General Ayres was
questioned and testified that battery left the
post on the evening OF September 1lth 10 do guard
duty at the jail, In pursuance OF orders received
from the Secretary OF War on July "a and July 4th-
The purpose OF having the guard there WAS 10 de-
fend United States property. The cause OF their
being sent was the fact that a certain prisoner,
charged with assaSSnating the President, was con-
fined there and il was feared that unauthorized
persons might undertake TO take him out. The
orders Were thereupon read.
Mr.. Bfgelow was allowed to question the witness
on behalf OF the prisoner, the witness being In
structed 10 reserve his replies in case any objec-
uon was made. The main point elected was that
Mason had been in close confinement since.
the 1lth OF last September. A ques-
tion arising as TO whether the stenographer
should read over the testimony 10 the witness the
court was again cleared, and, during the interim,
Mason told the reporters he wanted 20 ask General
Ayers why he had placed sergeant in close con-
hnement, as his rank entitled him 10 be confined
in quarters. Captain John McGilvray, command
ing Masons battery, was then examined as 10 the
Sho