Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1882-07-06
GRAND RAPIDS, WIS, THURSDAY, JULY 6, 1882

moval. and only good has come from it. This
the best evidence that inspiration came from The
| and have set it forth in my book that all me-
may read and may know that Thou. Father, did 5
| the act for which l am murdered by thi
| government and nation. By this act know the,
will incur Thy eternal enmity, as did the Jew
| by killing Thy Son and my Saviour. The retri
button in that case was sharp and I know Thy
divine law of retribution will strike this natioI
and my murderers, in the same way. The dia
boGcal spirit of this nation, its government an.
| its newspapers toward me, will justify Thee il
curSlng them, and | know that the divine law O.
retribution is inexOrabe. / therefore predic
| that this nation will go down in blood and M
murderers, from the executive down to the hang
man, will 90 to hell. Thy laws are MEMORABLE
Oh thou supreme judge! Woe unto the mer
that violate Thy laws only weeping and gnash
Inn OF teeth await them. The American pres
has large bill to settle with Thee. Righteou:
Father, for their vindictiveness in this matter
nothing but blood will satisfy them, and now my
blood be on them and its officials. Arthur
the president, is coward and an migrate; his IN
gratitude to the MAI that made him and saved
his party and the land from overthrow, has nc
parallel IN history. But Thou Righteous
Father, will judge him. Father, Thou knowest
me, but the world ha h not known me- and now
GO to Thee and the Savior without the slightest
ill-will toward human being. Farewell, We men
of earth!
At several points Ae paused and eR-
deavOred to lmpart increased emphasis
to his words by those peculiar facial
expressions so often observed during
the trial, when he was angered at some
thing which was said or done. This
was particularly noticeable when he
alluded to President Arthur. and when
he predicted that this nation "would
go down in blood" When he had fin
ished reading his prayer, he again sur
veyed the crowd, and said, still with a
firm voice; 81 am now
GOING TO READ SOME VERSES,
which are intended to indicate my feel
ings at the moment of leaving this
world. If set to music, they may be
rendered efectiYe. The idea is that Of
a child babbling to his mama and his
pa. | wrote it this morning about 10
o'clock" He then commenced to
chant these verses in sad, doleful
style:
| am going to the Lordy,
l am SO glad am going to the Lordy,
L am so glad L am going to the Lordy,
Glory hallelujah, Glory hallelujah
am going to the Lordy.
Here his feelings overcame him and
he leaned his head on the shoulder of
Hicks and sobbed pitifully:
wonder'what will do Wien [ get to the
Lordy2
guess / will weep no more when [ get to
the LOrdy,
Glory kallelujahl
Here there was another interruption
caused by sobs and emotions which he
was unable to repress. He wept bitter
ly and then, with quivering lips and
mournfu1 tones, he went on to finish
his ditty:
I am going to the Lordy;
[ love the Lordy with all my soul,
Glory halleluiah
And that is the reason l am going to the
Lordy.
Glory hallelujah!
Glory halleluiah, [ am going to the Lordy,
Here Guiteau's voice failed, and he
bowed his head and broke into sobs:
but he rallied a little and went on with
his chant:
[ saved my party and my land,
Glory hallaluiahl
But they have murdered me for it.
And that is the reason 1 am going to the
Lordy,
Glory halleluiahl
wonder what 1 will see when 1 get to the
Lordy ....
I expect to see most beautiful things beyond
all earthly conception,
When I am with the Lordy
Glory h-llelujah!
Raising his voice to the highest pitch
that he could command, he cried:
Glory halIelujah,
[ am with the LOrdy
This closed the chant, and then the
Rev. DIR. Hicks gave Guiteau his
FINAL BENEDICTIoN
and farewell, saying: ''God the Father
be with us and be with thee, and give
thee peace foreverl"
Guiteau said in d loud, clear voice
that was heard from one end of the
court to the other: 81 am willing to
die" From now on, there was no
flinching. From the time the prisoner
had ascended the scaffold until he
closed the ceremonies himself was not
over ten minutes. He was the chief
director, In every sense of the word, of
the proceedings on the scafold. He
had had an understanding with Gen.
OfOCK6T luaG he S0OulQ
HIMSELF GIVE THE SIGNAL
when he should be dropped off. This
was arranged in this way, the warden
was to place paper in his hands be-
hind him and when Guiteau dropped
the paper the warden was to drop his
handkerchief, and the trap was to fall.
The warden now stepped behind him
and placed a white paper in his
hand. The final act was about to take
place. Samuel Coleman. who has
pinioned and placed the hangman's
moose on about thirteen victims, ap
preached and proceeded to tie the legs
of the assassin. This was done quick
ly. A great many people said it was
clumsily done, and that long time
was taken upon it, but the actual time
by the watch showed that Mr.. Cole
man was only thirty seconds. The sus-
pense and anxious nervousness of the
crowd made it appear very much long
er.
Rev. DR.. Hicks now stood at the
right, and advanced little forward as
he
SAID GooD-BY.
to the prisoner. The prisoner merely
nodded. He looked neither to the
right nor the left. He exchanged no
word with any of his so-called "mur-
derers." He stood out in strong relief
against the background of black mus
lin stretched over the window Just
east of him. All of the deputies ex-
cept Coleman fell back. Warden
Cronlror otiII rotairn I'd hir ront Ia Al %