The National tribune., 1882-05-20
SUITEAuJS LIFE IN JAIL,

GUITEAU'S LIFE IN JAIL.
About the time the jail guards are "turn-
| ing out in the morning-that is, opening the
cell doors for the purpose of bringing out
the tubs, at about or 6@ o'clock, says a
recent visitor tothe Washington jail, Guiteau
rises from his couch and dresses, and between
! that time and breakfast reads his Bible lit
tie. The guard, in passing calls out, How
! do you feel this morning ?" and he answers
generally cheerfuly, II am feeling first
rate; have had a good nights rest" His
| breakfast is brought in about o'clock. The
usual bill of fare is three eggs, six or eight
! pieces of toast bread, a piece of beefsteai,
| from one-half to three-quarters of pound,
a dish of fried potatoes and a pot of coffee.
This is cooked in the kitchen, and he has an
arrangement with the cooks by which he
pays for his coffee, (for he says he don't like
the taste of the Rio coffee supplied to the
! prisoners and also for a portion of the other
| articles, and for their cooking. After break
fast he cleans up his cell, puts his books in
ORDER reads little and embraces the privi
| lege of exercising in the corridor for an hour.
This he enjoys, and commencing his walk
! slowly, gradually increases his speed, work.
| ing his arms as well as his legs actively.
! Gradually he slows down and then will sit
down in a chair at the lower end of the cor
ridor and cool off. Returning to his cell he
takes up his Bible again and reads for some
time-perhaps receiving a visitor or two
for 1E-ba,, ba ratur,c IN HE coll no is looked
in again. About one o'clock his dinner is
brought to him, and this is a repetition of
his breakfast, except that sometimes varia-
ton is made in the style of cooking. Dur
ing the day he also eats several apples or
oranges. After this heretofore he has spent
the time in receiving visitors, but now, as
these have been cut of, he hardly knows
ho,g to spend his time after his one hours
exercise. Yesterday he was quite low
spirited. One Of the guards found him for
the first time during the day, when not sick,
lying down. Asking him if he did not feel
low-spirited he replied: "Yes, there is no
business doing, and l might as well be lying
here" About 5 o'clock he again takes exer-
else. His supper is very similar to his other
meals. Afterwards, sitting at his table he
reads some, or sitting near the window will
hum or whistle a tune; but his early train
! ing as g whistler never amounted to much,
| apparently. He sometimes whistles hymn
tune of Moody and Sankey, and other per-
sons joining in renders sleeping impossible
/ till the music. is checked. About or 81
o'clock he lies down, but his sleep is not
heavy, and, in fact, he wakes on the least
sound. Whenever the guards make their
rounds he raises his head. 1t will be seen
! that his daily food is from 1l to pounds of
beef eggs, Is to 18 slices of bread, besides
fried potatoes and coffee and fruit 1t is,
| therefore, not to be wondered that he is fat
tening.
The first religious exercises held in Gui-
teau's cell were some weeks ago, when a col
ored Baptist minister engaged in prayer
with him; next he received two visits from
the evangelists, Bentley and Jones; and a
layman from Baltimore about week ago
succeeded in drawing him out more than any
other has done. Guiteau is well read in the
scriptures and when asked if he knows some
religious sentiment or fact, he usually dis
misses the subject by remarking ooh, yes, [
know that 1t was used during the Moody
and Sarkey meetings in which l worked"
The Baltimore layman asked Guiteau how he
felt spiritually, and he answered, II have no
doubt but I am the Lords man."
"But," said the layman Have you made
your peace with God?"
Yes" said Guiteau, al did that twenty
years ago"
"And you believe in the doctrines of the
Protestant churches ?" queried the layman.
Yes"
Reading the account Of Nicodemus COM
ing to the Savior, the layman asked "Do
you believe in the necessity of new birth?
and have you experienced 2"
II firmly believe" answered Guiteau,
that l experienced a new birth about twen-
ty years ago, and such birth is necessary for
salvation. l have tried, too, to live up to my
profession"
The layman then prayed with him and
took his leave
Much has been said as to privileges al
lowed the prisoner in jail, and an attempt
has been made to make it appear that the
| iail officials make too much of him. The
fact is that in reality Guiteau has not so
much privilege as is usually accorded pris-
oners charged with capital offence, for he