The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1882-07-04

eral Crockcr, Deputy Warden and Rev. DIR.
Hicks
1895 r. M-The death procession has Just
started for the gaIlows.
The rotunda was thrown open at 10 o'clock
and newspaper men flocked In. There were
few Others there except jail guards and a squad
of artillerymen Early This morning the Dris-
oners in that part of the Jail overlooking the
court where the gallOws stands were all removed
TO other quarters. Seventy policemen arc posted
dition to the Jail guard oil available men of bat
tcry G, U. s. Artillery, are on duty outside the
Jail. Shortly before II Guiteau called for paper
and for twenty minutes engaged in copying what
he calls his prayer upon the scaffOld At IL
o'clock Mrs Scoville arrived and bcsought ad-
mission, she was lab0ring under great excite
mcnt. John W. Guiteau went out TO see her
gain admission. At 11:S6 A. NJ, while DIR.
Hicks was in his cell, GUiteau made some request
as to the execution, and having made copies of
his last prayer, poems and other writings. tore
up the original. He had his boots BACKED, and
as DR.. Hicks was leaving his cell, his dinner was
brought in. Guiteau ale with much relish.
When Dr. Hicks came out Of the cell, he said
the prisoner had not the slightest fear We have
had pleasant religious talk he feels now that
his preparation is finished, and he is ready for
the last Formally. He commits himself to God
with the utmost confidence. think he will
SHOW SOnc eulOllOD, because the Straln great
Shortly before 10 O'Clock Guteau seemed 10
break down completely, and burst into tears,
and sobbed Historically. Afler the death war
rant was read to the prisoner by the Warden he
became much more composed, and turning away
began TO brush his hair with his old appearance
of staggering sangfroid. At 1926 loud steam
whistle was blown at q workhOuse which was
near the Jail. This whistle is usually blown at
12 O'Clock, and by it Guteau was in the habit of
reckoning his time. Delay to-day was by special
arrangement so that its striking summons might
not come before the officers were ready Two
minutes later the iron gates at The end of the
corridor clicked, then Warden Crocker made his
appearance, and in a moment later the familiar
figure of Guiteau was seen, his face was palid
and the muscles about his mouth moved ner-
vously; other than this there were no signs of
fatering. The procession moved quickly TO the
scafod, and Guteau assembled the twelve some
what steep steps with as much steadincss as
could be expected from a man whose arms were
tightly pinioned behind him. At the last step
he taltcred for moment, but was assisted by
two officers, who walked on either side Upon
reaching the platform Guiteau was placed i'm
mediatey behind the drop, facing TO The front Of
the scaffod Captain Coleman stood upon his
right, Mr.. Robert Strong upon his left and Mr.
Woodward directly behind him; Mr. Jones
took position on the north side, near the upright
beam; General Crocker, warden, took his posi-
tiOn at the southeast corner of the structure
There was slight delay while the crowd of $50
or more spectators we're pushing and jostling
through the door leading from The rOtunda to
the corridor at the lower end of which the gal
lows was placed. Cuieau in the meanwhile
gazed upon the crowd, looked up at the beam
over his head and maze a survey of all the dread
paraphernalia As soon as the crowd had gained
access, Gen. Crocker moved To them to uncover
and all heads were ba;ed. DIR. Hicks made an
invocation in these words: Father out Of the
cation, for The sake of Jesus Christ our Savior,
who has made full pupitialion for u.s. Behold
this, thy servant; we humbly pray that Thou
will deliver him at this supreme moment of his
life Let Thy light descend upon him liberate
his soul from prison; nay he appear before You
absolved, by Thy great mercy, from blood-guilti-
ness Deliver him AMI us God have mercy
on us! Christ have mercy on u.s. Lamb of
God, that taketh away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us Amen and amen
During the prayer GIiteau stood with bowed
head at its conclusion Dr. Hicks opened the
bible and Guiteau said in firm tones: 81 will
read selection from the 10th Chapter of Mat
thew, from the 2Sth to the 41st verses inclusive.
He then read in a clear strong voice. with good
intonation, showing little if any nervousness.
Dr. Hicks produced the manuscript which was
prepared by the prisoner this morning. and held
il before him, while Guteau read. While DR..
Hicks was arranging the manuscript Guteau
times from one foot TO the other. He soon re-
covered his composure, looked over the sea of
upturned faces. and said, i am now going to
read TO you my last dying prayer"
Gutcau read in loud tones, and with distinct
and deliberative emphasis, the following prayer:
I" My dying prayer on the gallows, Father is
now that 20 to Thee, and the Saviour have
finished The work Thou gavest me to do, and
am only too happy TO go to Thee. The world
does yet appreciate my mission, but Thou
knowcst it. Thou knOwest Thou didst inspire
Garfield's removal, and only good has come from
it. This is the best evidence that the inspiration
came from Thee, and | have set forth in my
book that all men may read and know that
Thou, Father, did'st inspire the act for which |
am now murdered. This government and ma
ton, by this act, know. will incur Thy eternal
enmity, as did the Jews by killing Thy man, my
Saviour The retribution of that case came
quick and sharp, and know Thy Divine law of
relribution will strike this nation, and my muir
derers, in the same way The diabOlical spirit
of this nation, its government and its newspapers
toward me, will justify Thee in cursing them,
and know that Thy Divine Law of retribuiiOn
is neXorable. / therefore predict that this ma
tiOn will go down in blood, and that my muir
dercrs, from the Executive TO the hangman, will
go to hell. Thy laws are inexorable, oh, thou
supreme Judge, woe unto the men that violate
Thy laws. Only weeping and gnashing of teeth
awaits them. The American press has large
bill TO settle with Thee, righteous Father, for
their vndictivcness in this matter. Nothing but
blood will satisfy them and 10 my blood he on
them and this nation and IFS officials. Arthur.
the President, is a coward and an migrate; his
ingratiutle To the man that made him and saved
his party and land from overthrow has no par
alle in history, but Thou, righteous Father,
wilt Judge me. Father Thou knOwest me, but
the world hath not known me, and now l go to
Thee and the Saviour without the slightest ill
will toward human being. Farewell, ye men
of earth
THE FATAL MOMENT.
The drop fell at 1910 p NJ The crowd out
side OF the Jail has got word that the prisoner
has been hanged and is rending the air with
shouts, so that il is impossible to hear a voice in
side of the Jail office
12:46 p. M.-Guiteau's neck was broken by
the fall, and no movement of limbs or body was
detected. Death cnsued instantly.
--LATEST SPECIAL TO THE UNION
AT 80 Guiteau tainted and cried bitterly.
The crowd around the Jail is immense. A crank
in endcavoring to force his way by the guard,
was arrested. A misunderstanding has risen as
TO the disposition of the body between Corkhill
and Hicks II was finally determined that the
brain should be taken out and deposited in the
Medical Museum, where the autopsy is to be
held Guiteau recovered sufficiently from his
faintng spell, and listened with composure to
the reading of the death warrant. At its conclu
sion, he said TO CIocker: You will have TO
settle that with your God"
At 1927 the procession passed to the gallows
When on the scaffold, DR.. Hicks prayed Gui-
teau read from Matthew, chap. K, 3Oth to the
4lst verse He made his written prayer, and
then read q poem. During the reading he
swayed to and fro, crying bitterly, and had to
be supported by the guard. AT 1928, benedic-
tion was pronounced. At 1929 the moose was