Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1882-07-06

Then Mr.. Coleman sid the knot up be
hind his ear. Another deputy advanC
|. ed and placed the black cap over hi
) head. Here Guiteau still continued t.
be the director of ceremonies. H
dropped the paper from his hand q
soon as the black cap was fairly fasten
/ ed over his head, stamped his righ
foot right imperiously, and said
GLORY glory Ready I" He was s.
quick about it that for a second tn
warden Jagged in the part he was t,
play but IN an iusl ant he dropped hi
handkerchief, the bolts were pulled
from the trap, and
THE BODY FELL.
There was no struggle apparently. Th,
body twitched four or five times, b1
death, to all appearances, must have
been perfectly painless.
as the trap fell the warden bowed hi
head. Rev. DR.. Hicks rushed forward
to the front part of the scafold anC
fell upon his knees, crossing himself az
he did so. As the trap fell, Samue
Strong, the guard, took hold of the
rope, and, leaning over the trap, looked
down In q contemplative manner a.
the slightly twitching form of the ass
ASSN. The contemplative look of this
rOund-shouldered, iron-gray-bearded
| guard, casing down with a professional
air upon the swaying body, the kneel
ing priest, the guards in reserve, stiff
and solemn, made up a strong gallows
picture upon the black muslin stretch.
ed over the windows behind them
| The crowd below talked easily and
quietly. There was no solemnity, and
no hilarity. The whole affair was dull
heavy, and not thrilling, even to the
morbid lovers of gallows horrors. Quit
eau, as conductor of the affair, only
became interesting when he began to
blubber and baWl about going home to
his ''Lordy."
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 contractions.
Three minutes after the drop fell, the
body was lowered to be examined by
the physicians. There was a decided
action of the heart for fully fourteen
minutes and the pulse futtered two
minutes longer. When the body had
hung with the feet just touching the
ground over half an hour, it was
LOWERED INTO THE COFFIN
which was waiting for it under the
scafold.
The physicians decided that the neck
had been broken. When the BODY was
lowered the black cap was removed
and his face exposed. The features
were pallid and composed about the
mouth there was considerable mois
ture. After the body mad been arrang-
ed in the coffin, Warden .Crocker as
cended the steps of the scaffold, and
addressing the crowd, said: Those
who desire, can now view the remains" :"
Then the crowd of spectators was
formed in line, and passing between
the scaffold and the wall of the Jail,
VIEWED THE REMAINS.
Some jail officers, two or three phy-
sicians and DR.. Hicks stood about the
coffin. John w. Guiteau Joined the
company and famed his dead broth
er's face to keep away the flies. John
w. Guiteau did not 90 on the scaffold,
but stood during the scene just within
| the line of officers at the bottom of the
steps. When liberty was given to the
crowd to view the body, the scaffold
was at once filled with people who GU
riously examined it.
PREPARING FOR THE AUTOPSY.
At 40 o. M, the lid of the coffin
was put IN place and the body borne to
the Jail chapel, where the physicians
who were to make the autopsy were
assembled. After the body was taken
to the chapel, arrangements were
made to let Mrs. Scoville view it.
Guiteau, just before the trap was
sprung, dropped piece of paper from
his hand; this paper was given him by
Warden Crocker, to be dropped as a
signal when he was ready.
John w. Guiteau said to reporter.
just after the execution, that she was
glad it was over"
"What will be done with the re-
mains?' asked the reporter.
eve will bury him here in the Jail
where be will be safe, said Mr.. Gui-
teau. "He will not be taken out of
the jail"
The spot indicated by the warden
for Guiteau's burial is in the same
court as the gallows, and four yards
from it.
THE AUTOPSY.
The body was allowed to bang forty
minutes. The pulse continued to beat
for sixteen minutes. At the expiration
of forty minutes the body was cut
down and placed in the coffin prepared
for it last night. After the body was
placed in the coffin, those present were
allowed to pass through under the
scaffold and look at it. DIR. Hicks
took his place at the head of the coffin,
John w. Guiteau sat upon @ chair just
back of it, and DR.. Noble Young, the
physician of the Jail, occupied place
near the group. The spectators pres
ent were obliged to pass through in
single file and around by the corridor
leading from the other side of the jail.
The assassin's face looked quiet
There was 10 evidence of any struggle.
His mouth was slightly open, with a
line of blue foam upon his teeth. The
general appearance of the face, how
ever, indicated very quiet death.
The doctors, who then gave him hur-
ried examination, said his neck was
broken. The body was exposed until
2 o'clock, when it was removed to the
chapel of the prison for the purpose Of
conducting the autopsy.