Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-07-01
THE EXECUTION OF GUITEAU.
The Scenes at the Jail Yesterday-The
March to the ScaffOld - The Con.
demned Mans CompOsurc i'm the
Face Of Dcath-EiOw the News was
Received.


Almost the last request made by Guiteau was
that there should be no bunglng In hanging him,
and his request was granted. Gentlemen who
have witnessed great m any executions spoke Of
this as being In every way perfectly arranged.
warden Crocker and his assistants received many
compliments for the way In which their duties
were performed The details OF the execution
were obtained by the public almost as soon as
tney were known to those in the jail, through the
medium or the extra editions OF THE STAR. Those
who went to Che Jail expecting to witness some
extraordinary sensational scenes were dsap-
pointed.
SCENES IN THE RoTUNDA.
The rotunda OF the Jail was crowded all the
morning with newspaper men and others who had
secured admission to the jail. Apparently tn
most composed persons about the Jail were tie
)nci.-.s, Rev. DIR. Hicks. who made constant
Vlslts 10 the cell OF the condemned man, and Mr..
JOhn w. Gutteau, who seemed not Indifferent to
wnat was going on, but to have mastered his
natural emotion A crowd Of reporters besiegef
the iron gates leading to the wing in which GU
teau was confined, and every time the woodel
door that concealed Gu1teauS cell from view Wa s
opened, a tremOr OF excitement went through the
whole fotunda. Every one who came out from the
corridor was at once piled with questions. During
Tue morning many sensational stories regarding
tne condemned mans conduct gained currency in
the crowd, and some Of them were clicked OF on
the wires.
THE FIRST PREPARATION
Tor the execution which the crowd could see was
the forming OF the military. The squad OF artillery
we're drawn up In lines Oh the east side Of the
tunda. The grounding OF their arms made harsh,
rafting sound that startled every to the rea-
Ties or the occasion. 1t reached the cell of the
prisoner and seemed to depress him greatly. He
was visited by the warden and DR.. Hicks, who
made every effort to strengthen his purpose to die
bravely. Shortly before 12 O'Clock Guiteau showed
more emotion than at any other time during the
day For time he gave completely away, but,
making agreat effort, gradually composed himself.
THE MARCH TO THE sCAFFOLD.
At noon Warden Crocker read the death war
rant to Guiteau In his cell Guiteau listened to it
attentively, and then turned to brush his hair
The scenes Immediately attending the hanging
were soon over. Before the door of the corridor
was opened the newspaper correspondents and
other spectators had formed in long line reach
ing across the rotunda and facing the military
The door of the corridor was opened at 1927
O'Clock, and Guiteau soon appeared attended by
his guards and DR.. Hicks. Guiteau's face was
pale, but composed. His step was firm. The
shambling gait, so familiar to those who watched
him daily during the trial, could hardly be recog-
nlzsd IN the steady, even steps with which he
walked to his doom. His arms were piniOned be-
hlnd him. He wore suit OF dark blue, was bare
headed and had a handkerchief thrown loosely
In his toilet, and had the lOw-quartercd shoes he
wore polished only half an hour before he was
Upon entering the rotunda he looked once out
upon the sea OF faces, and then holding his head
erect wal walked steadily ahead. The passage to the
cOmplished quickly, and as the condemned man
and his guards passed down the steps the crowd
oen,nd rushed IN, Jostling and pushing and making
perfect jam in the doorway. Guiteau stumbled
on one OF the corner steps of the scaffold, but
quickly recovered himself.
ON THE sCAFFoLD.
When Gufteau, Dr. Hicks and his executioners
Y0on nI,0dth
pause for a few moments until the scrambling of
the spectators was over. Guiteau, meanwhile,
surveyed the scene apparently with calm indifrer-
ence. When order had been secured Warden
Crocker gave a signal to uncover, which was in
stantiy Obeyed by all present DR.. Hicks voice
this was over DR.. Hicks held an open Bible before
Gulteau While the latter read, with a strong full
voice and an effort at declamatory efecta passage
from Matthew. When this was over Guiteau, In
the same way, read his "dying prayern from the
manuscript. which was held by DR.: Hicks. Some
phass, and when delivering one or two passages
his facial expression denoted great intensity OF
feeling. From his prayer he passed to his poem,
Which he began to chant dClefully. There was
something peculiarly pathetic about the delivery
OF this poem. Guiteau was overcome at the end OF
very quickly he went on until he broke down again
at the end OF the fourth stanZa. The remaining
lines were delivered in quivering tones. A bene-
dlctlon was then pronounced by DR.. Hicks.
THE TRAP SPRUNG.
Gu1teau's legs were pinioned. The black cap
was placed over his head. Guiteau shouted
"Glory, glory, glory!" and as he did so dropped a
piece OF paper he held in his hand as signal that
he was ready. The drop was sprung; there was
creaking sound, and Guiteau's body hung in the
air below the platform. The body was lowered
nearly to the ground three minutes after the drop
fell. Life was extinct in fifteen minutes, and at
l;l6 p m the body was lowered to the ground and
placed in the coffin. After it had been viewed by
N hp
chapel, where the physicians began the autopsy.
HOW THE NEWS WAS RECEIVED.
The news OF Guteau'S execution was received
with satisfaction in all sections OF the country At
Perth Amboy, N. j., and Hunters Point l. L. he
was hung in effigy. In some places salutes were
fired. In Philadelphia numerous ef1igies were
hanged In different parts OF the city. A Chestnut
street firm had Scaffold in front OF their store In
the hand of the hanging effigy was revolver.
ton considers that his behayogr until it the 1asf
shred OF hope had disappeared W as consistent. 1t
says: "He was not SO overcome at the prospect OF
certain death as TO forget his theatrical airs He
was not ashamed to declare that he died q Chris
t1an and patriot GuIteaus place In the dark
lac"
THE CERTIFICATE OF DEATH.
The following is the certificate OF death" in full:
ITO the Health Officer, District of Columbia -
Permit No. -; date OF death, June Goth, 1882;
full name of deceased, Charles julius Guitesu; SEX
male. age, ~ years, months, - days; color.
white; single; occupation, attorney-at-law; birth
place. FreepOrt, Ill. nativity of father, United
States: nativity OF mother, United States: duration
OF residence In the District OF Columbia, about Is
months; place OF death, United States tail; cause
OF death, execution by hanging. by order OF the
Supreme Court OF the DStricLof Columbia
ALEX. MCWIILIAMs NJ. D.,
Acting Physician, U. S. jail"
Place OF burial, q. S. jail; date OF burial July
1st, 1882: undertaken, j. r Wrtght-place of busi-
ness, 1887 10th street northwest.
WHERE TIE BODY WILL BE BURIED.
Before the surgeons left the Jail the body was
placed in the coffin, and about O'Clock the chape!
in which the post mortem took place was locked
for the night The body will be Inferred some
time to-day, but likely near sundown. 1t will be
buried at least for the present. In the east wing of
the building. The services will consist only OF a
short prayer by the minister, Rev. w. w. Hicks,
and the reading OF the burial service.
GUITEAUs BROTHER AND SISTER.
Mr.. John w. Guiteau and Mrs. Scoville arrived
at the jail about two o'clock this afternoon.
INCIDENTS OF THE DAY.
Guiteau, when he went to the scaffold, had
common white handkerchief thrown round his
neck and as he dropped it few OF, one OF those on
the scaf1old picking it up.
As soon as the crowd could get to the rope there
were knives out to cut 1t In pieces but Mr. Strong
took it on and placing It in canvas bag soon had
1t under lock and key. 1t Is needless to say that II
A>N N@.