THE MURDERER GUITEAU.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3202, 3 October 1881, Page 4

THE MURDERER GUITEAU.

The following is an account of the attempt made by Guiteau to stab a gaolwarder :— On August 16th the news in the gaol of the President's critical condition, and the strengthening the gaol-guard yesterday, excited Guiteau, causing him to p&ce his cell and ask anxiously about the President. The story reached the gaol that the President was dying, and Guiteau climbed up the window, and otherwise seemed excited. Guard M'Gill watched him closely, fearing he would attempt suicide, and opened the cell, and seeing something in his h»mds, feared it wae a knife. He said : " What are you doing with that knife ?" Guiteau looked up excitedly, and said : "So help me G , I have* no knife." M'Gill insisted that he had, when Guiteau furiously sprang at his throat. M'Gill drew back, and the knife entered his collar, cutting off the upper button, and made a clean stroke to the left shoulder. The guard cocked his revolver, when Guiteau dropped the knife and grasped the pistol, crying for help, and saying that he was being shot. The pistol was accidentally discharged, and the gu.irds entering disarmed Guiteau, who says he wns acting in self-defence. The prisoner who formerly occupied this cell had probiib'y concealed the knife there, which Guit'MU found. It is a substitute for a jackknife, razor, or dagger blade, and is two or three inches long and half an inch broad. When the guard remarked he thought the pistol shot had settled the dog, Guiteau, who was well pleased at his escape, said, "My dear sir, that is too important a subject for joking. A life is valuable."