Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-27
HIS SANITY QUESTIONED
William Jones Believed By His Wife to BE
Mentally Unbalanced.
The Man Who Attempted to Kill Gui-
teau, President Garfield's Slayer
Action of Court.

Justice Cole has appointed Drs. Cliff
ton MayfieId and William T. Burch to ex-
anime into the mental condition of Will
liam Jones. who is otherwise and more
Familiarity known "Bill Jones. the
avenger," because he attempted to take
the life of Charles ]. Guiteau, the assassin
of the late President Garfield. This at
tempt occurred the 10Th of September, 1881.
The trial was on. and Gu1teau was being
transported In a van from the city hall to
the Jail, after adjournment of court for the
day. AS the van passed through the Capt.
toll grounds Jones rode up to the side of it
on horseback, suddenly whipped out re-
volver and fired several shots through the
sheet-iron structure with view of hitting
the prisoner. He came within an ace of
cheating the gallows of its victim.
Jones made good his escape notwth-
standing the fact that several policemen
We're at the time riding beside the vehicle.
and it was some time afterward that he
was apprehended. He is said to have stated
since the occurrence that he could easily
nave killed the policemen who accom-
panied the van, but he didn't care to do so;
that he did not have anything against
them. When captured Jones was indicted
for assault with intent to KILL but he was
never tried, the Gaze against him being
finally nole pressed by the United States
attorney for the District of Columbia.
Petition of His Wife.
The action of Justice Cole, above noted,
was based on a petition filed by the Com
missioners Of the District of Columbia. but
which is signed and sworn to by Mrs Cath
erin2 B. Jones. the wife of Jones. The
petition is in no wise different from those
usually fled In such cases, it being set
forth therein. in substance. that Jones is
believed to be lunatic of homicidal and
har Igr ,,ix,
unfit to be a: large, and that if allowed 10
remain at large the rights of persons and of
property will be greatly endangered and
the commission of crime rendered prob
able.
The court has signed an order directing
the physicians mentioned to examine Jones
and to appear and testify as to the result
OF their examination next Friday at =
CLOCK pm. III the room of Criminal Court
No. , number of other witnesses have
also been summoned to appear and give
testimony in the case.
Mrs Jones says she firmly believes her
husband is mentally unbalanced. and that
she is anxious to have his condition Judi
c1ally inquired into. AS was noted in The
Star at the time, Jones was treated at the
Emergency Hospital last week for Sc
we're stab wound just over the heart He
left the hospital before the physicians In
charge finished treating him. He wouldn't
divulge the name of the man who stabbed
him
1T was a love affair." was all he would
say anent his injury. His wife thinks ne
stabbed himself.
Mysterious Fire.
After he escaped from the Emergency
Hospital he was recaDtured by Detective
Helan and Sergeant Sprinkle, but he re-
fused to remain at the Institution. and was
later released. The following day. early
in the morning, Policeman Stroman heard
that Jones house. on the Bates road about
one mile north of Brookland. was on fire
He hurried there with Sergeant S4attery
and succeeded in eXtinguishing the blaze
A crowd of citizens was assembled and
pressed into service Il bucket briga de-
The fire started on the first floor and grad
ually worked its way to the upper story
where quantity of antique furniture, the
damage aggregated fully $1,000.
The police investigated the affair and
learned that the fire started while Jones
was in the house. He was burned while
attempting to eXtinguish the flames He
said he thought the fire had been put out,
and soon afterward started for the city on
an electric car. Search was at once made
for Jones. but he surrendered himself to
the police when he heard he was wanted
He is alleged to have threatened several
persons. and was held by the police on
the charge of threats. but in view of his
mental status the charge was nolle pressed
Jones is now confined temporarily In St.
EifZabeth's Asylum 1t is not yet known
whether or not he will be represented by
counsel at the hearing on Friday. Attor-
ney A. Leftwich Sinclair will conduct the
case on behalf of the authorities.