The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1882-03-16
SERGEANT MASON.
How the Prisoner Takes His Sentence


Special Dispatch to the Globe-Demo-rat
Washington, ID. c., March I2-Sergeant
J Mason was interviewed in his cell, in the guard
house At the Washington barracks. Although
Saturdays paper contained the finding of the
court martial, it had not been, up till 1870
O'Clock to-day, contrary to the general expec-
,ation of the officers and men at the barracks,
officially communicated. A fellow soldier,
however, who read the sentence, shocked at
ITS severity and full of Indignation, rushed
around among the men with the intelligence,
and 1t was soon brought to the prisoners ears
by the too willing mouths.
well, what do you think of the sentence"
said your CORES pOndent.
'Ihey have not read me my sentence, but
they say, believe, that I've got to 90 to pris-
ON for eight years, or something like that
YES, sad the reporter, as Mason paused
and reflected Tor moment
but don't mind gong to prison. No,
don't care ii they sent me there for thousand
years. would rather 60 to prison for that
long, and longer too-anything to get out of
Ibis accursed cell. Why, the walls are SO
damp that al night land he prepared to show
how ii was done) | can draw picture of Gui-
teau and the sulphur makes it stand out like
fire.
This statement must have been true, for up
| on examination the whltewaSh was found to
have literally trckled down into drops in some
places.
"Ihey even took my razor and my knife
away from me yesterday continued Mason,
branching off on to another topic, "as #
wanted to commit suicide. would rather 90
to the penenuaIy and work there until die
than cut my throat for such wretch as Gui-
| teau."
The subject of Guiteau always works Mason
| up into passion, and as he finished this SEN
| tence, he
| STAMPED HIS FOOT AND sWORE.
"Peope think hard ofme because swear"
said he, apparently as an apology for the out
break of passions; "but it's my raising. was
brought up in the wrong, and taught to believe
there was no harm in it," Returning to the
question of suicide, he said: "Now, il | had
done anything wrong | would he ashamed of
myself and want to cut my throat, but as it is,
| | haven't committed any sin. mean TO 90
| to Jail and learn trade, and hang on as long
as possible"
'Do you think they will hang Guiteau?''
| asked the reporter.
Mason had been rapidly pacing the floor He
suddenly paused, lowered his head and stopped.
| After moments thought he answered in an
| ott-hand way, as if to dismiss 4 subject that
suggested an awful possibility as chance that
| Guiteau would not he hung, ole needs hang
ing; he ought to be hung and cut and quarter
| ed, like frog"
| "Could you see Guiteau when you fired at
| him 90
"No. couldn't see him. 1t was too dark
| Tor th:i, Tut knew just where he generally
| p"ked his grlnning head, out at, and fired
| right 1t that spot. would like to kill him,
and I'm only sorry that | didn't. l wouldn't
care ha'f 50 much G. ing to prison for having
killed man as for having failed to kill him.
when tiled SO hard and wanted so bad to do
50. Betty, Betty Oh. if it wasn't for Betty
[ wouldn't care" said Mason, his eyes invol-
unfairly filling at the remembrance of his faith
full wife, who had come all the way from her
fathers home in Virginia TO comfort and stand
by him.
81 don't know what'll become of her." he
| continued. 81 guess she'll have to go back
10 Virginia and wait for me-" Here the in
terview terminated. The principal care on
MaSon's mind seems to be his wife and child.
lie apparently does not care one whit about
going to prison, and as little for his discharge
from the army, he said a number of times
during the interview, 'Tm going to quit SOL
lleliilS anyway. VIC Sot euouSn oil IL.
At present Mrs. Mason is staying with the
other women in the barracks, where she is
being comfortably cared for.
1t is not believed in the post Office depart
ment that the propos Il restrictions upon the
letting Of star mail .oG'"s will result in any
saving of public III, my. Under the new
method certain frauds pcrpetrated by the old
ring would be impossible, but the robbers
have been pretty well cleaned out, so that
economy may properly now be aimed at, as
well as honesty. Many routes in the terrific
ries are SO long and expensive to manage that
it will be difficult, if not impossible, to find
parties in the locality to take the contracts.
Large operators, with sufficient capital, are
always ready to take charge of the routes and
Sub-lct them IN sections. 1t would perhaps
meet all The requirements of the case to give
the department discretion in the matter, pro-
v'ded the appearance of new Bradys can be
guarded against.