The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-07-01
LAST HOURS.
UNITED STATES JAIL,

WAsHINGToS, d. c., 50.
945s.m.
GpIIeau was very restless during most
of the latter part Of the night. not Sleep
ing more than twenty minutes at time5
Towards morning be fell into q sounder
sleep from sheer exhaustion. He -ose q
few minutes after 5 and breAkfasted
heartily at $50. When the cook took
his breakfast into the cell, Guiteau told
him to bring his dinner In at IL O'Clock,
promptly. DR.. Hicks, who remained at
The jail al night, was called into the
prisoners cell as soon as be rose, and
held q conversation on religious subjects
with him. At o'clock DR.. Hicks saw
the prisoner again, when he made re-
quest to have bath end asked Hicks to
20 out and see the scaffOid. Guiteau de-
sired him TO arrange with the warden to
have the trap sprung as soon after Il
O'CLOCK IS possible. He also expressed
considerable anxiety lest some accident
should occur, and insisted that Hicks
should see that the scsfold and its sp-
purtenances were all IN proper cOndi-
| ton. After Guiteau had disposed of
these matters he read q poem, composed
| By himself, which he calls simplicity,
or Religious Baby Talk After reading
1t alone he attempted to sing It, but
| broke down 10 the effort. Guitesu then
| talked for some time about the future,
BE remarked that his heart was tender.
II don't think" he said, Il can get
through this ordeal without weeping, not
because OF any great weakness, for prin-
ciple ID me is strong; but because an
| nearer the other world. I mold TO the
| idea that COG Inspired me-" Guitesu
| subsequently asked that in his books sll
| complimentary remarks about President
| Arthur and his administration be
eliminated. Then he presented Rieks
the books that have been the com esnions
OF his lonely hours. He told HiekG
that he wanted him to offer the first
prayGr on the scafold, saying he (GVi-
teau) would then read bk favorite
serlPtural passage, the tenth chapter Of
John, and offer prayer on his own &C.
count. Then he intended, be said, to
read his poem simplicity" He desired
to have 1t so arranged that just Is be
uttered the last word the drop should be
| sprung.
John W. Guiteau arrived at the Jail st
y O'Clock and was followed in 8 few
minutes BY Warden sCrocker. These
two gentlemen with Hicks had q consul
tation as 10 the disposition of the body.
S.16.-Ihe prisoner came out in the
corridor and exercised for fifteen minutes.
he walked very briskiy making it rather
difficult for his guar1s to keep pace with
hlfn. The scene about the jail his morn
ing Is unique. The Office Of the jail hss
been given up completely to reporters.
Ihe reporters remained all night, the
private Office of the warden has been
transferred temporarily into o telegraph
Office. At 8 o'clock there was a constant
stream Of persons coming into the jail.
The scene outside was like that of
some great gala occasion. aEnterprising
colored men had erected boaths from
which TO sell refreshments to weary and
thirsty people Mounted messengers
were speeding TO and from the city, and
| carriages bringing visitors to the Jail.
At 10 o'clock Guiteau expressed O
eesire to take bath. No one but the
4 death watch" was with him, II was
] quite apparent that his object in bathing
was simply to distract his thoughts from
MS approaching death. BE evinced in
creased nervousness and his uncertain
movements, distracted manner and
marked tremor in his tones when he IS.
tempted TO speak, impressed the guard
With the beliefthat he Is rapidly wesking.
1O.45 q. m.-The rotunda Was thrown
open at 10 O'Clock and newspaper men at
once hOcked IN. There were few other
people there except the guard and squad
OF eight artillery men, who locked down
on the scene from high step leading to
the scafold. Early this morning the
prisoners II the part Of the jail looking