The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1882-07-06
Il Thrilling Description Of Scenes
IN the jail and Hvsteric Con-
tlalct on the GQllOsvs.
He Chants q Poem A1nj1lst Sobs
anil Tears and Recites
Bl0sphen,O,ss Praver.
Broken DO.C,s But Composed
Enough to GiUe the Fatal
SiO,aGsI Himself.
Sp,'i',0i',O Of the Iral,-Issta,..
t<s,,e0sss De0th-Yelxs from.
the Popaszace-Hts Body.
Friday Morning.

Friday Morning.
WASHINGTON, D. c., June 3o.-Guitcau was
very restless during most of the latter part
of the night, not sleeping more than twenty
minutes at time. Towards morning he
fell into sounder sleep from sheer exhaus-
ton. He rose few minutes after and
breakfasted heartily at G:3O. When the cook
took his breakfast into the cell Guiteau told
him to bring his dinner at II o'clock
promptly. DR.. Hicks, who remained at the
Jail all night, was called into the prisoners
cell as soon as he rose and held Convcrsa'
ton on religious subjects with him.
Ats o'clock DR.. Hicks saw the prisone.
again, when he made request to have a
bath and asked Hicks to go out and see the
scaffold. Guitcau desired him to arrange
with the warden to have the ira p sprung as
soon after IL o'clock as possible. He also
expressed considerable anxiety lest some &C.
cident should occur and insisted that Hicks
should see that the scatfold and its appur.
tenanccs were all in proper condition. AT:
ter Guitcau had disposed of these matters he
read poem composed by himself, which he
calls 'Simplicity, or Religious Baby Talk. u
After reading it aloud he attempted to sing
it, but broke down in the effort. Guiteal1
then talked some time about the
future. He remarked that his heart was ten.
der. 1 don't think" he said, II can &c
through the great ordeal without weeping,
not because Of any great weakness, for prin.
ciple in ME is strong, but because am near.
ing the other world. hold to the idea that
God inspired me'' Gu;tcau subsequently,
asked that in his books all complimentary
remarks about President Arthur and his adj.
ministration be eliminated. Then he pre-
sentcd to Hicks the books that have been
companions Of his lonely hours He told
Hicks that he wanted to offer the first pray
er on the scaftold, saying he (Guiteau)
would then read his favoritc Scriptural pass
age, the tenth chapter of John, and offer
prayer on his own &C cunt. Then he in.
tended, he said, to read his poem, "Simplici-
ty." He desired to have the execution 50
arranged that just as he uttered the las,
word the drop should be sprung.
John W. Guiteau arrived at the iail at 6
o'clock, and was followed in few minutes
by Warden Crocker. These two gentlemen.
with Hicks, had consultation as to the dis.
position of the body. At 9:15 the prisoner
came out into the corridor and exercised for
Is minutes. He walked very briskly, max
pace with him.
At 10 o'clock Guiteau expressed desire to
take bath, and large tub was taken into
his cell. At this hour no one but the Death
watCh' was with him.
Guiteau nervously dressed and bathed.
1t was quite apparent to the guard, who
was closely watching his every movement,
that his object in asking for bath was
simply to obtain some employment which
might distract his thoughts from the dread
contemplation of his approaching death. He
evinced increased nervousness and his un-
certain movements, distrai manner and the
markell trelnor i'll his tones1when he attem,, t.
ted to speak, impressed the guard with q
belief that he is rapidly weakening.
A battery Of artillery and 20 mounted men
were detailed from the arsenal, and have
taken position as an extra guard. Every
possible precaution has been taken against
interruption Ofthe ceremony The mounted
men patrol the vicinity and press the crowd
ing troops back from the building. No
trouble was anticipated but the authorities
deemed best to take every precaution.
THE HOUR APPROACHING.
10:45 a. m.-The rotunda was thrown
open at 10 o'clock and the newspaper men
at once focked in. There were
few other people there except the jail
guards, and a squad of artillery men who
looked down upon the scene from the higher
steps leading to the scaffold. Early this
morning the prisoners in the part of the jail
overlooking the court where the gallOws
stands were all removed to other Quarters
and locked in their cells. At nine o'clock a
sort of rehearsal of the part they are to play
in tn, execution was had for the PURPOSE
chiefly Of testing the appliances of the gal.
lows. A bag of sand weighing 1GO pounds
was attached to the moose, the trap was
sprung by means of a trigger rope which was
passed into one of the cells of the north
wing. The rope on the scat1old stood the
test we'll.
At 10 o'clock Mr.. Hicks and John W.
Guiteau went with Gen. CrOcker to the scat:
fold, together with number of the guards
John w. Guitean ascended the steps and ex.
amined the structure, handling the rope
and carefully inspecting all the fixtures
both above and below the platform.
HIS GREAT DESIRE
seems to be that there shall be no scene, and
his programme shall be carried out without
any Intervention or incident to detract from
the heroic picture which he believes he i:
about to present.
At 10 o'clock there was large crowd o.
newspaper correspondents crowding about
the gate leading into Guiteau's corridor, but
they could see nothing except the wooden
door which screens Guiteau's cell from visit
ors.
Now and then the guard appeared at the
door and sent some message to the warden,
At such times those at the gate got view o
the table and chair on which the death
watch sat.
After Guiteau had finished copying his
prayer upon the scaftOld' he began to ar
blue trousers.
At 1890 the guard came out of the door,
and said: HE is ready for DR.. Hicks now,
and wants the flowers to come" Another
guard who took the message, hurried off.
and soon he returned with Hicks, who
went into the cell. Guiteau was then very
composed.
Guiteau's message about flowers referred
to his expectation that Mrs: Scoville would
send some flowers to him; but none had ar
rived ut the time he asked for them.
After short conference with Warden
Crocker, John w. Guiteau went outside the
Jail to see his sister, and he found her in
great excitement bordering upon 'hystcria,
but after short time he succeeded in calm
ing her and dlssuading her from any at
tempt to gain admission. She acknowl-
edged the good propricty of such course,
but said she could not possibly re-
main in the city during all the wretched hours
2fthe morning. She brought with her the
dowers which Guiteau asked for, and they
were taken to the prisoner. Mrs. Scovilie
also brought two handsome flower pieces,
cross and an anchor, which she will place
upon her brothers coffin with her owl,
hands.
11:35 a. m.--While Mr. Hicks was in the
prisoners cell at IL o'clock Guiteau made
the same requests as to the execution, and
having made copies Of his "last prayer, -