San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1882-07-06
The Execution OF Guiteau.

the ScafOld. he gaZeu upon tuo cio"o
looked up ut the beam over his head, ana
quickly made a survey of all the dread para,
phernalia. Al soon rs the crowd had gained
access, Gen. Crooker waved to them TO I'M
cover, and all heads were barred. DIR. Hicks
made an invocation. -,
During the prayer, Guiteau stood with
bowed head At its conclusion, DR.. HICKS
opened the Bible, and Guiteau, In hrm tones
said: II will read a selection from the 10Th
chapter of Matthew, from the 18th to the
41st verses, inclusive" He then read IN q
clear, strong voice, and with good intona-
tons, showing little, if any, nervousness.
DIR. Hicks produced manuscript which was
prepared by the prisoner that morning, and
held it before him while Guiteau read.
While DIR. Hicks was arrang ng the manu-
script, Guiteau exhibited slight nervousness,
and moved several times from one foot 70
the other. He soon recovered his compos-
ure, looked over the seq of upturned faces,
and said-'I am now going to read TO you
my last dying prayer" .,
| He then read in a loud tone, and with dis
tinct and deliberatiye emphasis, the follow
ing:
my DYING PRAYER ON THE GALLONS"
Father, now 1 90 to Thee and the Sa-
vior. have finished the work Thou gavest
me to do and I am only too happy to go to
Thee. The world does not yet appreciate
my mission, but Thou knowest it. Thou
knowest Thou didst inspire Garfeld's reno
val, and only good has come from it. This
is the best evidence that the inspiration
came from Thee, and have it set forth in
my book that all men may read and know
that Thou, Father, didst inspire the very
act for which I am now murdered, This
government and this nation, by this act,
know, will incur Thy eternal enmity, as did
the Jews by killing Thy man, my Savior.
The retribution in that case came quick and
sharp and know that Thy divine law of
retribution will strike this nation, and my
murderers in the same way. The dlaboll-
cal spirit of this nation, its government, and
its newspapers, towards thee, will justify
Thee in cursing them, and know that Thy
divine law of retribution is inexorable. L
therefore predict that this nation will go
down in blood, and that my murderers,
from the executioner to the hangman, will
go to hell. Thy laws are memorable. On.
Thou Supreme Judge. Woe unto the men
that violate Thy laws. Only weeping and
crashing of teeth awaits them. The
American press has large bill to settle with
thee, Thou righteous Father, for their vim
dictiveness in this matter. Nothing but
blood will be upon them, and this nation
and it's officials also. Arthur, the president,
is coward and an migrate. His ingratl-
tude to the man who made him, and saved
his party, and land, from overthrow, has no
parallel in history, but Thou, righteous
Father, will Judge him. Father thou know
est, and the world, it too, hath known me-
and now I go to Thee, and the Savior, with
out the slightest ill will toward a human
being. Farewell ye men of EARTH"
When he had finished reading his prayer,
he again surveyed the crowd, and said, with
a firm voice, II am going to read some
verses, which are intended to indicate my
feelings at the moment of leaving this world.
If set to music, they may be rendered etfec-
tive The idea is that of a child, babbling
to his mamma and his papa. l wrote it
this morning about ten O'clock"
He then commenced to chant these verses,
in sad doleful style:
! am going to the Lordy;
/ am so glad I am going to the Lordy.
Glory, hallelujah!
Glory, halleluiah!
l love the Lordy with all my soul;
Glory, hallelujah!
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 mis- chant.
saved my party and my Lord,
Glory, hallelujah!
But they have murdered me for it, and
that is the reason
l am going to the Lordy;
Glory, hallelujah.
1 am going to the Lordy.
Here, again. his feeling overcame him,