The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-07-11
WAS ARTHUR SHOT ATq
A Correspondence Tale of Bullet
That Came Into Senator Jones
House
From the PHILADELPHIA Time.

That Came Into Senator Jones
House
From the Philadelphia Times
1t was through a window Of Jones' house
that bullet intended for the Chesterfieldian
successor of Garfield sped vainly on its way,
You never heard of such thingl I don't
wonder at that because the secret has never
been disclosed before. Arthur died in
ignorance of it. l received permission the
other night to tell the tale, as no reason
now exists why it should be buried in 81
lence
One night, few days after Guiteau had
felled Garfield to the ground and the Presi
dents life was still hanging in the balance,
the then city editor of the Cincinnati En-
Quirer, who was in Washington, became
impressed with the Importance of having
an interview with Vice President Arthur,
who was at that time domiciled in the house
of John ?. Jones. He got in a coupe and
fastened TO the bonanza kings residence,
reaching there about midnight. He was
met by Senator Jones, who told him that
the vice president was in his bed and he
would not like to disturb him at that hour,
as Mr.. Arthur had gained little rest since
the assass ination of the President. He
invited the newspaper man, however, to
his library and smoke and the two sat
down in bay window fronting upon the
street and quietly chatted about the Singu-
lar events which were at that time testing
the endurance of republican institutions in
this country. The air was warm and the
easements were raised. The waiting car
riage was drawn I'D in the shadow of tree
on the opposite side of the highway. The
driver slept. Nothing disturbed the quiet OF
the scene except the occasional stamping Of
the restless horse The room was lighted only
ana internationally by the glow of the cigars
behind which the two men talked in sub
dued tones Suddenly there was flash Of
light in front of the window, a sharp report
and bullet whistled between the senator
and the scribe and sank into the wall be-
hind them The waiting horse ratified his
feet on the asphalt pavement, his awakened
driver uttered an exclamation of alarm,
and footsteps were heard hurrying away.
The newspaper man had sprung to his feet
Senator Jones graSped his guests arm and
whispered: Don't move"
"Some one fired in here, " said the jour
nalist. Il will pursue him"
DO nothing of the kind" said Senator
Jones in an agitated whisper make no
alarm. That villain could not be caught
now and no one must hear of his attempt
| lest others should be led to initiate it."
What do you meanH' asked the other in
surprise.
II mean this: That man thought he was
| shooting at the vice president of the United
! States, who, by reckless newspaper publica-
tiOns, he had been led to believe is indirectly
responsible for Garfields fate. Mr.. Arthur
must never hear of this, and, above all, the
public mus: never hear of it, | consider that
| Mr.. Arthurs life is in your hands. If you
| publish this incident othor cranks will re-
| peat toni ghts attempt | trust to your
| honor to keep this event secret"
| heard the occurrence narrated by the
| journalistic participant in Senator Jones
! presence and the latter fully corroborated
| it, and added these further historical facts:
"At that time Mr.. Arthur's friends had
great difficulty in keeping from him the
| threatening letters which poured in upon
| him. He was deeply distressed by the I'M
! fortunate position in which he found him
| self, and we dreaded the result If he discov-
| cred that hundreds of letters were addressed
| to him charging him with Gdrfields aSsassl-
nation, and threatening him with a like
| fate. | we'll remember receiving at that
| time a confidential letter from Murat Hal
| stead, editor of the Cincinnati Commercial,
| in which he warned me that he had credi-
| bic information to the effect that seven men
| in Boulder county, Col, had soemnly
pledged ono another to 60 TO w ashlngton
and take Arthur's life. told Mr.. Arthur
nothing of the matter, but | wrote to Mr.
Halstead that had no fear of the Boulder
county desperadoes or any other mon who
took the trouble to register solemn oaths
and all that sort of thing, and that the vice
presidents only danger was at the hands OF
lust such cranks as Guteau."