Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-07-01


access, General Croeker motioned to them
to Uncover, and al, heads were barred. D..
Hicks made an invocation fl these words:
Father, out of the depths we CRY to Thee.
Hear Thou our supplIcation for the sake Of
Jesus Christ our Saviour, who has made q
full Precipitation for us. Behold this Thy ser
want. We humbly pray that Thou wilt deliver
him at this supreme moment of his life. Let
thy light descend upon him. Liberate his
soul from prison. May he appear before
Thee absolved by thy great mercy from
blood guiltiness. Deliver him and
us. God have mercy on us;
Christ have mercy on as; Lamb of
God that taketh away the sins of the world
have mercy on US. Amen and amen !"
During the prayer GuIteau stood with
bowed head. AT it's conclusion DIR. Hicks
opened the Bible, aud Guiteau In firm tone
said:
81 will read a selection from the 10 b
chapter of Matthew, from the 28sh to the
4lst verses, inclusive"
He then read IN clear, strong voice, and
with good intonation, showing little, II any,
nervousness. DR. Hicks produced the MAUI
script, which was prepared by the prisoner
this morning, and held It
before him while Gulteau read. While DR..
Hicks was arranging the manuscript Gut
teau exhibited slight nervousness, and
moved several times from one foot to the
other. He soon recovered his composure,
looked ever a sea OF upturned faces, and
said: T am now going to read to you my
last dying prayer"
THE AssAssIN's PRAYER.
He then read In loud tone, and with
distinct deliberatlon and emphasis, the fol-
lowing;
"MY DYING PRAYER ON THE GALLows.
"Fatherl Now 1 go to Thee and the Sa.
viour. have finished the work Thou gavest
me to do, and am only too happy to 90 to
Thee The world does not vet appreciate
my mission, but Thou knowest It.. Thou
knowest Thou didst inspire Garheld's
removal, and only good has come
from It. This is the best evidence that
the inspiration came from Thee, aud have
set forth In my book that all men may read
and know that Thou, Father, did inspire
the act for which l am now murdered This
government aud nation, by this act, know,
will incur Thy eternal enmity, as did the
Jews By killing Thy Man, my Saviour The
retribution In that case came quick and
sharp, and know Thy divine law OF retribu-
ton will strike this nation and my murder
eers In the same way. The diabOlieal
spirit OF this nation, its government
and its newspapers toward me will
justify Thee In cursing them, and
know that Thy divine law of retribu'ion
is inexorable. / therefore predict that this
nation will 90 down In blood aud that nv
murderers. from the Executive to the hang
man, will 90 to helf. Thy laws are intxor-
able. O1 thou Supreme Judge Woe
unto the men that violate Thy laws. Olly
weeping and gnashing of teeth awaits
them. The Amer can press has large bill
to settle with Thee, Righteous Father,
for their vindictiveness 10 this matter
Nothing but blood will satisfy them, and
my blood be on them aud this nation and
its Officials. Arthur, the President, is
coward and sa migrate. His ingratitude to
the man that made him and saved his party
and land from overthrow has not & parallel
in history. But Thou. Righteous Father,
will Judge him. Father, Thou knOwest me,
but the world hath not known me, and now
l go to Thee and the Saviour without the
slightest I'll will toEAEd yllyl a h''-~'- --i-@'
rare ae Several points he half paused and en-
deavored to impart an increased emphasis
to bis WORDS by the peculiar facial express
sions so often observed during his trial,
when be was augered st something which
was said or done. This was peculiarly notice
able when he alluded to President Art hur,
and when he declared that this nation
would ego down in blood"
THE POEM.
When he had finished reading his prayer,
he again surveyed the crowd, and said, still
with firm voices 81 am now going TO read
some verses, which are intended to indicate
my feelings at the moment of leaving this
world. II set TO music, they may be rem
dered effective. The idea IL that of q child
bah bling to his mamma and his papa l
wrote It this morning about ten o'clock"
He then commenced to chant these verses
In a sad and dOleful styles
Il am going to the Lordy,
am so glad;
am going to the Lordy,
| am so glad.
] am going to the LOrdy
Glory hallelujlh; glory haleujah
lam going to the Lordy-
love the Lordy with all my soul.
Glory hallelut lhl
And that is the reason
am going to the Lord
g ory hallelui al! glory hallelniah!
am going to the Lord"
Here GuIteau's voice failed, and he bowed
his head aud broke into sobs. but he rallied
little and went on with bis chant.
81 saved my party and my land,
Glory halleluj4h.
But they have murdered me for It;
And that is the reason
am going to the L0rdV
Glory hallelujah! glory hallelui ilh!
am going to the Lordy.'
Here again his feelings overcame him, and
he leaned his head on the shOalder Of Mr..
Hicks and sObbed pitifully. gtill he went
on.
81 wonder what will do,
When get to the I.ordy9
guess that will weep no more
When get to the Lordy.
Glory hallelujahl'
Then there was another interruption,
caused by sobs and emotion, which he was
unable to repress. He wept bitterly, and
then, with quivering lips and mournful tones,
he went on to finish bis ditty;
Il wonder what I will see,
When get to the I.Ordv
expect 70 see most splendid things,
Beyond all earthly conception,
When am with the Lord
Glory hallelujah
Raising his voice to the highest pitch that
he could command.
'GIory hallelujah.
am with the LordP'
This closed the chant, and then Rev. Mr.
Hicks gave to Guiteau his final benediction
and farewell, saying: "God the Father be
with thee and give thee peace forever more"
THE MOOSE ADJUSTED.
The attendants then pinioned his legs,
placed the moose over his head and carefully
Al ALznw -
pIGceu Tue OIacK cap over MS 1eGu, q
he did so Guiteau called out IN loud tones:
''elOryi glory glOryr
SWUNG OFF.
Instantly the spring was touched, the
drop fell a. 12:45 D. m, and Guiteau swung
in air. The body turned partly around but
there was not the slightest perceptible
movement of the limbs or any evidence of
conscious effort to move them. When the
drop fell a yell was sent up by some per-
sons inside the jail. This was received out
side by the voices of a thousand or more
people, who hurrahed Justify. There was
a general onslaught by the pOpulace
upon the door, which was so powerful that
the officers were unable to Withstand 1t.
Hundreds Of people crowded into the Office
and there was terrible crush at the doors.
For at least forty seconds after the drop
fell the body hung motionless. Then there
was slight motion Of the shoulders and
legs, due to muscular contraction.
INSTANT DEATH.
Three minutes after the drop fell the
body Was lowered to be examined by the
physicians. There was decided action of
the heart for fully fourteen minutes, and
the pulse futtered two minutes after. When
the body had hung with the feet just touch
ing the ground for over half an hour, 1t was
lowered into the coffin, which was waiting
for IL under the scaffnld The nhYsicians