Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1882-07-06

er, though only for a moment. After the
hangman had finished the pinioning of Gui-
teau's legs DR.. Hicks handed the prisoner
piece of white paper which he held in his
right hand, hand that was as firm and steady
as the stauchions of the scaffold.
DR.. Hicks turned his back to the crowd,
and laying his hand on Guiteau's forehead
gave his final benedction and farewell, say
ing; ., :., .,, : .,oo
peace forever more"
moose.
'Don't pull it too tight" said Guiteau.
The black cap was pulled over his face, and,
shouting in a loud, clear and perfectly emo
| tionless voice:
"Glory! Ready Go !'-
Guiteau vigorously flung the bit of paper to
the right, as signal for the man concealed
below to spring the trap, the bolt was drawn,
and the drop fell.
THE FALL.
There was not slack enough to the rope,
the moose of which slowed around to the back
of Guiteau's neck, and the fall was hardly
deep enough. For moment the body swung
| to and fro, then rested and all was apparent
| ly over. Muscular tremors ran through the
! frame, the chest heaved quickly, spasmodic
jerks brought the knees far up and a sicken-
ing sight of commissions succeeding convul-
| sions greeted the undisturbed gaze of John
Guiteau. The noise of the fall was heard by
some of the prisoners in the Jail. Instantly
| they raised a mighty shout, which was taken
up by the multitude outside where for few
moments great excitement existed. After
the doctors had felt of the pulse, the heart,
the legs and the back ad nauseain, the body
was lowered until the feet nearly touched the
ground. 1t was there kept perhaps half an
hour during which time the sturdy hangman
watched it from the platform through the
| trap hole.
VIEWING THE REMAINS.
| When it was lowered into the coffin General
CrOcker renounted the scaffOld and announc-
ed that all who cared "to view the remains"
could do So The cap was withdrawn and the
features were precisely as they had been in
life. The crowd slowly moved around and
looked at the face which but half an hour before
was calm in prayer, distorted with vengeful
passion, utterly bathed in tears and full of
varied expression. 1t was suggestive pic
ture. as was that of John as he stood tanning
the flies from the features of his dead.
THE HANGMAN SATISFIED.
The hangman, a deputy warden of the pris-
on, whose name is Robert Strong, then de-
scended from his perch of observation, and
said in response to Il question
''This is the thirteenth hanging at which
have officiated and do not think ever saw
more perfect and satisfactory execution.
Guteau's neck was broken by the fall and his
death was instantaneous. In fact, he died
without so much as even struggle. 10 be
sure there was muscular contraction, but
there was no movement Of the body or limbs
indicative of conscious effort. There was
| o1a Il oF nj, on1n
AS was putting the rope around Guiteau's
neck Warden Crocker said to me LET the
knot 90 just back Of the ear"
oPHTHALMIC EXAMINATION.
The body was cut down at sixteen minutes
past one and put in the coffin. Itwas removed
to the chapel, and, being placed on a table,
DR.. Loring made an ophthalmic examination.
Both pupils were found slightly dlated, the
right eye being slightly congested. The inte-
riOr of the eye was so turbid that no detail
could be made out. An hour after the close
of the autopsy the pupils remained about the
same, but there appeared something like trans
verse fracture of both lenses. These symp-
toms are Of common occurrence after person
has been hanged. They are not indicative at
all of sanity or insanity, being merely the nat
ural effect produced by hanging.
THE AUTOPSY.
The examination at the jail extended to
all the organs of the body, the opening of the
head and removal of the brain. 1t was found
that the neck was not broken, but that death
was due to strangulatior. The organs were
in a healthy condition, the body weighing 145
pounds. The brain, which weighed 40 ounces,
was taken to the Art Medical Museum where
the examination was continued. 1t was first
photographed in it's different aspects, and the
examination of it's membrane and substance
was continued by the naked eye until eight
| O'Clock Specimens of the brain will be sent
| to different examiners throughout the country.
Dr. Macdonald, who had direction of the au-
topsy, on being asked at o'clock is to the re-
suit of the examination of the brain said
"It has been agreed among the physicians
that no detailed statement Of the examination
should be furnished the press or the public un-
til We had prepared our report. The micros-
copic examination is yet to be made. But
speaking for myself personally the results so
far have been to confirm my conviction that
Guiteau was sane and responsible, if indeed
any information were necessary. The skull
was found TO present no such abnormalties as
had been claimed by some parties. The sub
stance of the brain presented no evidence of
disease. think this is as much as | am at
| liberty to state"
AN UNHONORED GRAVE.
Guiteau's body was buried in the northeast
corner of the jail at o'clock p. NJ, Saturday.
The body was borne from the chapel upon the
shoulders of six of the jail prisoners and with
out any ceremony or service lowered into the
ground. The only persons present were John
w. Guteau, DR.. Hicks, Warden Crocker and
son, VIM. Wright, undertaken, Ward, engi-
neer of the Jail, Deputy Warden Russ, Capt.
Crocker, aud the six prisoners who acted as
pallbearers.