Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1882-07-05

vender took her station in the midst o
them.
To pass toto the jail an examination
of documents equal 10 that imposed up
on a committee on credentials in con
vention was required. Oae man was
admitted at time. The door was Their
closed and locked, then reopened
another person was admitted, and lh
door again closed. So open, shut. loo
and reopen swung the door on its hin
ges from early morn until on1ay.
| Within the waitiug-room few off
Gals strolled, talked, or looked out o
the Windows, score Of reporters sa
writing at a table, while others, depriv'
I'd Of that convenience, had prOppe'
their knees against a window facing ant
made double desk Of their knee.caps
The room was seldom crowded. A
intervals the door would be oren an(
the waitlng-room would hastily empty
itself out INTO the rotunda. This was
$50 o'clock.
The IOtunda, winch las stairways
inclosed in ratings at three of the octa'
son sides, was filled wilhlgroups msving
to aud fro as lcisurely and unconcern ed
as one may see any business day al
the Capitol roiunda. At one OF the
doors opening into a cell corridor under
one of the siairways a crowd talked &c
Guiteau's guard, half score Of note
books being ont and half score OF
pencils busy. At one corner door open
ing INTO the northeast corridor, looking
through a grated door at the gallows,
which intercepted the light Of north
window 10 front of winch it stood, one
or two artist reporters were at the graft
lng making pencil pictures for illustra
ted journals. a throng Of second artil-
, lery men in unGress uniform occupied
the top Of the porch that comes into
the rotunda from the east, and hung
over the rail gazing upon the crowd
| below. Soon a guard Of twenty men,
all OF batteryC, second artillery, march
ed with muskets from their guard-room
down the steps OF the eastern porch in
to The rotunda, and formed d line ex
tending from the doorway OF the gal
lows. corridor north across the room
They are nnder the command Of Lieut.
Crawford. Halt Left Face Right
Dress Front Order Arms come
the commands, and with one claug tie
the muskets touch the floor aud the
guards stood at rest,
1t was low H. As, and the doctors be-
gan TO group together. Many went up
the north stairway to take position in
the cells overlooking the gallows CORR
dor and 10 view tie execution from It's
cell windows. 1t was now noon. The
crowd outside had somewhat thickened
and there were about 800 visitors in the
building.
General Crocker came frcm his office
and entered Gmteau's cell. He was
received By Guiteau with Tie invitation
L expected you, General, as soon as
heard Tie aeon whistle blow. Sit down.
Gen. Croker declined the invitation.
saying, MIR. Guiteau. have duty to
preiorm to which | desire your atlen-
tion.' He then read the death-warr0nt.
Guiteau listened 10 the few lines atteD-
lively, but soon tired of it, saying,
You have read it, l suppose. l saw a
copy of It in the papers, Gen. Crocker
then discovered that be had left his
cane in his Office. II is a large and
heavy ebony stick with a gold head. He
has carried i. at all the executions,
twelve ia all, before the work OF Today
and wanted TO carry it on this impor-
tant occasion. As he started to 20 TO
his Office Robert Strong, oue Of lbe
guards, entered he cell with piete OF
sash.cord, five feet in length Mr..
Strong said Gen: Croker, will ar
range the small rope about your arms.
Strong did so. Gen. Croker was back
in an instant, cane in hand. Before
hls arms were pinioued Guleau shook
hands 18th the warden, DR.. Hicks,
Strong. and the two men who were or
the death watch, and now sat just out
side Of tie cell. The arms were then
securely lied behind him. One or two
minutes passed without any thing spec
ial appenins. Noticing bis watch Gen.
Croker left the cell and ordered the
military detachment 10 fall in Inc in
the rotur da, on the exact line which
Guiteau took going from his cell to the
scaf'old. All Tie prcliminaries being
arranged. the start was made at 1926.
In Lwo minutes and forty seconds alter
wards Guiteau was on The scalfold.
OF course no one in the rOtunda knew
anything Of the condition ofthe ASSASSIN
uniil lie made his appearance. They
we're considerably surprised, therefore,
see lim walk with as decided a step as
those who accompanied him. Gen.
Croker led tile procession. TIE guards
that were afterwards on tie scahold
walked on either side OF him, Marshal
Henry bringing up the rear. Guitea u
was evidently surpri. ed at seeing as
many as he did in the rOtunda. lie
looked ABOUT did rot recognize any
one. lie was dressed in a plain dark
suit. NTH lurn down collar and black
butterfly neck tie. Ga bis shoulders he
wore thrown carelessly large white
handk rchlef. As lie passed along,
the pace beng more rapid than ordinary