The Washington herald., 1918-09-29

brownstone and because OF its ap-
pearance has been referred to as the
WAS shington Bastile." The structure
has a grim history with its many
hangings. A record compiled by Mr..
William G. Ladd, formerly assistant
superintendent of the jail. shows that
there have been fifty executions in
the District, dating back to 1853, in
cluding the hanging of James Allen,
one year ago. The most notable eX-
ecution at this Jail was that OF Charles
]. Guiteau, who assassinated Presi-
dent Garfield. The hangings prior TO
1876 were conducted in the old Wash
ington jail located in the Pension
ONCE park near the corner of Fifth
and G streets.
1t is probable the Jail will present a
problem to the authorities when the
District reformatory at Lorton, Va,
Is completed. 1t has been suggested
by East Washington citizens that
when the reformatory is ready for
prisoners from this city. the brown
stone Jail, so solidly constructed, be
remodeled for community purposes.
The several wardens of the Jail
were: Gen. John Crocker, from the
opening OF the institution In 1875 to
1890; Jerome Burke, from 1890 to 1898;
John R. Leonard to 1896; James H.
Harris, from 1896 to 1908; Capt. Thomas
H. Mckee, from 1903 to 1911, and Louis
F. Zinkhan, from 1911 to the present
time.
Execution of Guiteau.
Although the Jail is in an isolated
locality. with wide commons on its
front and the Anacostia River. or
eastern branch of the Potomac flow
ing sluggishly in its rear, and Is not
easy of access by street railroads, yet
il became a congested place of
interest while Guiteau, the slayer OF
President Garfield, was incarcerated
there. and especially while he was
awaiting execution. Morbid persons
gathered in the vicinity of the Jail
and threats were freely made against
the assassin, who occasionally coUl
be seen peering through the bars of
his cell in the front part of the
structure. Fearing that an attempt
might be made to storm the prison
and mete out summary Justice to
Guiteau, the government caused a
detachment Of regular soldiers to be
detailed for duty in and around the
Jail The regulars pitched their tents
near the Jail and armed guards patrol
led about the building day and night.
1t was while these troops were
stationed in the vicinity that Guiteau
came near being hit by bullet
fired by Sergt. Mason, of the regulars.
Mason was standing near the main
entrance of the prison when he caught
glimpse OF the leering face of the
assassin at the barred window OF his
cell With an oath the sergeant
levelled his rifle and fired point blank
at the prisoner. The bullet struck
the solid wall OF the cell near
GuiteaPs head and flattened into the
shape OF a human face. much resem-
bling that OF Guiteau. Facsimiles
were made by an enterprising relic
manufacturer and many of the re-
plicas were sold to curious visitors.
The mark of the bullet may still be
seen on the wall of what is some
times termed "the Guiteau cell"
The records of the Jail show that
Charles J. Guiteau was committed to
that institution July 2, 1881. charged
with the murder OF President Gar
field. He was sentenced to death
February 4, 1852, and executed June
80, 1880, by John Crocker, warden.
hs>asshh w as EhtiiSte tTahAs
I was a reporter on the sEvening
Critic, then published on Ninth street,
between E and F streets northwest,
and was assigned by the managing
editor. Oscar Harris, to "cover' the
final act Of the Garield-Guiteau trag-
edy-the hanging OF the assassin. In
pursuance of my assignment made
daily visits to the Jail in a creaky and
tt-ha Al G,f1
been chartered for the purpose by the
Evening Critic Company. Each day
1 was permitted by my friend. Gen.
Crocker. the warden. to have a talk
with the assassin. I found he was
what the worlG terms "a crank on
religion" He claimed to have direct
communication with God. and de-
clared his act in killing the President
was done in obedience to divine or
ders. Guiteau regarded matters re-
Ggious from a weird viewpoint, and
his Bible contained many queer nota-
tions on the margins of its pages. He
preached the doctrine of an impossi-
bic creed and blankly informed me
that II was right to slay men or won1-
en- when doing so would remove OBJ
stacles in. the path of the homicidal
sect he was seeking to form. On the
morning of his execution he called me
to his cell door and thanked me for
representing him fairly in the Even
ing Critic, and presented me with a
book. The Blood OF Jesus" many, of
the words and sentences being under
scored.
1t is not generally known that
Guiteau was drunk when he as
cended the stairs to the scaffold on
that fateful June 80, 1882, to pay
the penalty for his dastardly crime.
have the word of the late DR.. Til
den, at that time chief chemist of
the army medical museum, located
then in the old Ford Theater build
ing on Tenth street, where Presi-
dent Lincoln was assassinated sew
enteen years before, that 1t became
necessary to administer a heapine
glass of brandy to Guiteau Just be-
fore the march to the scarfold be-
gan. 1t appears that a detail OF
regular soldiers had been made TO
form line in the darkened cor
ridor where the scaffold was Iocat-
ed to preserve order. As the .roops
came to halt in the Jail rot lnda,
the ofhcer in charge gave the COM
mand, order arms" The rife butts
came down with a crash, sending
rying echoes through the adjoin-
ing corridors. The assassin, teliev-
ing another attempt was being
made upon his life. turned pale and
came near coilapsing. Mr.. McWill-
iams. the Jail physician. was sum
moned from. the front of the build
ing and DIR. Tilden, who was assist
'ng him. also went to Guiteau's
cell.
You will have. to carry that fell
low to the scaffold unless you stim-
ulate him thoroughly" DR.. Tilden