Evening star., 1941-03-09


great improvement over the old one,
in which have been incarcerated
many of the best known criminals of
the past half century and more. and
the execution of a great many mur-
derers, the most notorious being
Charles j. Guiteau, who assassi-
mated President Garfield.
The location of this early jail is
on reservation No. 13, and externally
it probably differs little, if any, from
the remodeled structure. The origi-
nal structure had an outer range Of
one-storied buildings of solid ma
sonry, which formed the inclosure
of the jail proper, which is con-
structed of Seneca stone, brick and
iron, four stories high, with ranges
of cells on each floor, 300 in all when
first erected. Between the inner
building and the outer walls there
was a space of IS feet under the
surveillance of the guards
Building Described.
The dimensions of the early build
ing were 80 by 1913 feet and from
the stone base to the main cornice
so feet high, to the ridge 68 feet,
and to the top of the cupola 80
feet. Ventilating shafts Sc feet high
were provided in either end of the
building, and, in conjunction with
steam pipes under each tier of cells,
a regular temperature was pre-
served. In the center of the build
ing was a guard room II by 81 feet
from the floor of which ran the
staircases to each tier of cells. A
room was provided for the warden,
and there were guard and witness
rooms, and a chapel and kitchen.
In the basement were the laundry
and bath rooms. The structure was
designed by A. B. Millett and was
commenced in 1872 and completed
in 1876. Its cost is variously put
at from 100000 to s40o,ooO, of
which the District contributed
S125,000.
During the time Guiteau, the as
sassin of President Garfield, was
a prisoner in this building, two at
tempts, and one would-be attempt,
were made upon his life. One was by
Sergt. John A. Mason and the other
by William Jones, afterward called
Bill Jones the Avenger."
Mason's attempt on the life of
Guiteau was made on September
II, 1881, eight days before the Presi-
dent died. He was a sergeant in
Battery B, I'd Artillery, United
States Army, and was of the con-
tingent sent to guard the prisoner
at the Jail, but instead tried to shoot
him while the criminal supposedly
stood peering out of one of the upper
Jail windows on the Nineteenth
street side, between B and C streets.
But though Guiteau was accus-
toned to stand at the window, for
once he was not there.
Mason Sentenced.
Sergt. Mason was arrested, tried
by a general court-martial, con-
victed. sentenced to serve eight
years in the penitentiary and was
soon on his way.
Mason had a good record as
soldier in the Union Army during
the Civil War and was married and
had a child BY the masses he was
looked upon as hero and sub
scriptions for Betty and baby"
netted large sum of money, which
was increased by the sale of bullets
sold as faCSimileS of the one fired
by the indiscreet sergeant.
George H. Bethard did not get
as far as did Sergt. Mason in his
desire to wreak vengeance on the
unbalanced assassin, for when he
tried to borrow pistol, during the
trial, from detective in the court
room, whom he did not know at
the time, he was Immediately put
under arrest.
But real wild west show was
staged on Saturday, November 10.
1881, when William Jones made his
spectacular attempt, that gained
him his title.
Jones Story.
Fifty-nine years and more is a
long time to remember the details
of an incident of this nature, even
if it does relate to such a notably
tragic affair, and so, to refresh his
mind, the writer looked up The Star
of November 81, and there he found
the Bill" Jones story, which covers
the case very well, and is as follows:
"A horSeman followed the van
from the neighborhood of the court
house, where the trial took place
AS the vehicle was emerging from
the Capitol Grounds into East Cap
itol street and was numbering over
the street railroad tracks at that
point the horseman rode up to the
side of the vehicle and fired a piS-
tol The ball passed through the
side of the box, ripped piece of
Guiteaus coat and raised the blood
on his arm. The horseman imnhe-
diately put spurs to his horse and
galloped along First street.
The van horses were whipped up
in pursuit, and chased the fugitive
as far as First and H streets north
west, but without avail.
Officer Edelin,. who was seated
With the driver on the van, hred at