Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1882-07-01
distinct and deliberative emphasis, the fol
MY DYING PRAYER ON THE GALLONS.

distinct and deliberative emphasis, the fol-
lowing:
MY DYING PRAYER ON THE GALLONS.
''Father, now 1 go to Thee and the Sa-
vior. l have finished the work Thou hast
given me to do, and l am only too glad to
go to Thee. The world does not yet appre-
ciate my mission, but Thou knowest it.
Thou knowest that Thou didst inspire Gar
fields removal, and only good has come
| from it. This is the best evidence that the
| inspiration came from Thee, and I have
set it forth in my book that
| all men may read an0 know that Thou,
Father, dids't inspire the act for which 1
| am now murdered. This government and
nation by this act, know, will incur Thy
eternal enmity, as did the Jews by killing
Thy Man, my Savior. The retribution in
! that case came quick and sharp, and know
Ihy divine law of retribution will strike
| this nation and my murderers in the same
way. The diabolical spirit of this
! nation, its government and news
papers toward me will justify
| Thee In cursing them, and know that Thy
divine law of retribution is lneXorabiss; /
| therefore predict that this nation will GO
! down in blood, and that my mu1derers,
| from the Executive to the hangman, will go
| to he'll. Thy laws are inexorable, oh Thou
Supreme Judge Woe unto the men that
violate Thy laws, only weeping and gnash-
| ing Of teeth awaits them. The American
| press has a large bill to settle with the
righteous Father for their vindictiveness
! in this matter. Nothing but blood
will satisfy them, and now my blood
| be on them and this nation, and
! it's officials. Mr.. Arthur, the President, is
a coward and an migrate. His ingratItude
| tn tha mar, that JnaIa HIM and Sava1 his
party and land from overthrow, has no par
alel III history, but Thou righteous Father
| will Judge him. Father Thou knOWest me,
| but the world hath not known me and go to
| Thee and the Savior without the slightest i'll
will toward human being. Farewell ye
| men of the earth"
| At several points he half paused, and en-
| deagored t. lmpart an increased emphasis
| TO his words by peculiar, facial expression,
| so often observed during his trial, when he
| was angered at something which was said
or done. This was peculiarly noticeable
when he alluded to President Arthur, and
when he declared that this uation would go
''go down in blood" When he had finish
ed reading his prayer, he again surveyed the
crowd and said, still with a firm voice:
II am now going to read some verses
which are intended to indicate my feelings
set to music they may be rendered effective
The idea is that of child babbling to his
mamma and his papa. l wrote it this morn
ing about 10 O'clock He then commenced
to chant these verses in sad, doleful style:
Il am going to the Lordy,
am SO glad,
am going to the Lordy,
am so glad,
l am going to the Lordy,
Glory, haiielujah! glory, hallelujah
am going to the Lordy,
| love the Lordy with all my soul
Glory, halleluiahl
And that is the reason
am going to the Lord
Glory, hallelujah!
Glory, hallelujah
am going to the Lord"
Here Gulteau's voice failed, and he bowed
his head and broke into sobs, but he rallied
a little and went on with his chant
l saved my party and my land:
Glory, hallelujhh!
But they have murdered me for it.
And that is the reason
an going to the Lordy;
Glory, hallelujah!
Glory, hallelujah!
am going to the Lordy."
Here, again, his feelings overcame him
and he leaned his head on the shoulder of
MIR. Hicks aud sobbed pitifully, still he went
on.
Il wonder what | will do
When l get to the Lordy
guess that l will weep no more,
When / get to the Lordy
Glory, hallelujah
Here there was another interruption,
caused by sobs and emotion which he was
unable to repress. He went bitterly, and
then with quivering lips and mournful cries
he went on to finish his ditty
81 wonder what 1 will see
When l get to the Lorty.
L expect to see most splendid things,
Beyond all earthly conception,
When l am with the Lordy-
Glory, hallelujah ~
Raising his voice to the highest pith
that he could command
''Glory, hallelujahl
l am with the Lord"
This closed the chant, and then Rev. Nf.
and farewell, saying: "God the Father be |
with thee and give thee peace forevermore" |
The attendants then pinioned his LEGS,
placed the moose over his head and carefully |
adjusted 1t about his neck. Mr. Stro1e |
placed the black cap over his head, and IS |
he dlG so Gulteau called out III loud tones |
Glory, glory, glory"
Instantly the spring was touchd. |
The drop fell at 12:40 p. m. and Gute.u |
swung III the air. The body turned party |
around but there was not the slightest |
perceptlble movement of the limbs or aIy
evidence of a conscious effort to move then. |
When the drop fell yell was sent up ly |
some persons inside of the jail This was |
echoed outside by the voices of a Thousand
or more people, who hurrahed Justify. |
lace upon the door, which |
was SO powerful that the officers
were unable to Withstand it. Hundreds of
people crowded into the office, and there
was terrible rush at the DOORS For at
least forty seconds after the drop fell the
body hung motionless. Then there was a
slight motion of the shoulders and legs
due to the muscular contraction. Three
minutes after the trap fell the body was
lowered, to be examined by the physicians.
There was decided action of the heart for
fuliy IA minutes, and his pulse huttered two
minutes longer. When the body had hung
with the feet just touching the ground, it
was lowered into the coffin, which was wait
ing for it under the scatfoid. The physi-
clans decided at once that his neck had been
broken. Whom the body had been lowered,
the black cap was removed and the face
exposed. His features were palid and
composed About the mouth there was
considerable moisture. After the body had |
been arranged in the coffin, Warden Crocker |
ascended the steps Of the scaffold, and ad-
dressing the crowd. which was kept back
from the scaffold by line of officers, said |
that those who desired could pass along the |
side of the scatfold and view the |
body. The crowd of spectators was
formed into line, and passing between the |
scatfold and the wall of the jail, viewed the |
dead face.
Some of the jail officers two or th rec |