The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1882-07-05
THE EXECUTION OF GUITEAU
The Long Looked for Event the Exes
oution Of Guiteau, Accom-
plished.
DEATH Is ALMOST INSTANTANEOUS.
WASHINGTON,

| The scene about the Jail this NOR.
ming is unique. The Office of the
|jail has been given up completely to
a large corps of newspaper reporters,
and squad of them are scribbling
away at every table, window stills and
every projection that offers rest for
paper. The private Office of the war
den had been transformed Temporal
rily into telegraph office and be-
fore 9 o'clock eight instruments
were clicking merry accompani-
ment to the gloomy preparations 60
ing on inside the Jail. At > o'clock
there was constant stream of per-
sons coming into the Jail. The scene
outside was like that of some great
gala occasion. Some enterprising
colored men had erected booths from
which they dispensed lemonade and
other refreshments to the weary and
thirsty people who began, before 9
o'clock, to assemble in the road in
front of the Jail. Mounted messen-
gers speeding to and from the city,
and carriages bringing visitors to
the Jail kept continual cloud of
dust lowering over the road that
winds through the wide common
which lies between the Jail and city.
Shortly before 9 o'clock Guiteau
seemed to break down completely,
and burst into tears and sobbed hys.
terically. After the death warrant
was read to the prisoner by the war
den he became much more composed
and turning away began to brush his
hair with bis old appearance of swag.
gering sang froid. At 1928 a loud
steam whistle was blown at the work
house, which was near tue Jail. This
whistle usually blows at - o'clock,
and by it Guiteau was in the habit
of reckoning his time daily. To-day
it was fixed by special arrangement
so that it's startling summons might
not come before the officers were
ready. Two minutes later the iron
gates at the end of the corridor
clinked. Then Warden Croker
made his appearance and a moment
later the familiar ountenance of
Guiteau was seen. His face was
pallid and the muscles about his
mouth moved nervously. Other than
this there was no sign of faltering.-
The procession moved quickly to the
scaf1old and
GUITEAU AsCENDED
twelve somewhat steep steps with as
much steadlness as could be expect
ed from man whose arms were
tightly pinioned behind him. At
the last step he faltered for mo-
ment but was assisted by two officers
who walked one upon each side.
Upon reaching the platform Guiteau
was placed Immediately behind the
drop facing the front of the scaffold.
Capt. Coleman stood upon his right;
Mr.. Robert Strong upon his left;
MIR. Woodward behind him; Mr..
Jones took position on the north
side near up to the right of the
beam, and Gen. Croker took his DO.
sition at the Southeast corner of the
structure. There was a slight delay
while crowd of ESQ or more specta-
tors were pushing and jostling thro'
the door leading from the rotunda to
the corridor, at the lower end of
which the gallows was placed. Gui-
teau meanwhile gazed upon the
crowd, looked up at the beam over
his head and quickly made a survey
of all the dread paraphernalia. As
soon as the crowd had gained access
Gen. Croker waved to them to un.
cover and all heads were bare. DR..
Hicks made an invocation in these
words: "Father, out of the depths,
we cry to Thee; hear Thou our sup
plication for the sake of Jesus Christ,
our Savior, who has made full propi.
tiation for US; behold this, Thy ser.
want; we humbly pray that Thou
wilt deliver him at this supreme mo.
ment of his life. Let Thy light des.
cend upon him; liberate his soul
from prison; may he appear before
You absorbed, by Thy great mercy,
from blood outlines; deliver him
and US; God have mercy on us;
Christ have mercy on us; Lamb of
God that takes away the sins of the
world, have merry on US. Amen, and
amen"
During the prayer Guiteau stood
with bowed head and at it's conclsion
DR.. Hicks opened the Bible, and Gui-
teau, in firm tones said. 81 will read
selection from the 10th chapter of