The south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1879-1883, 1882-07-11
South Kentuckian
ADVERTISING RATE.
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Washington, d. G., July 2, 1882.

Washington, ID. e, July ., 1857.
The last scene in the terrible trags
cdy OF year ago WAS enacted to-day.
The cowardiy assassin who laid in
wait for President Garfield and cold.
ly shot him down, without q pfetense
OF provocation, paid the penalty of
his crime upon the gallows. IL
seems tardy justice, but the country
Is 10 be congratulated that II has been
meted out decently and In order,
strictly according to law. The life OF
such a wretch as Guiteau seems 10 be
a small atonenent tor the suffering
and sorrow his deed has caused -bWt
a small atonemcnt Tor the loss to tho
worlu and 10 the country OF such, u
man as Garfield, II he had possessed
u thousand liycs, they would have
been but drOp in the bucket Of com
pensation. 1t il be truc that those dc.
parted from this world meet In tho
great unexplorcd beyoud,and II 1t be
true that the deeds done in the flesh
are punislicd or rewarded there. nc.
corduig 10 our deserts, certainly Car
iicldsand Guiteau are not at this mo-
ment OH an equal footing in eternity.
The assassin's last night on earth
was almost slcepless. lie was nerv-
ous aud restless, evidently apprecia.
ting for tho rst time that oil hupe
was gone, and showing signs OF
weakness. AT an carly hour in tho
morning he took his usual breakfast
and ordered dinner TO be brought at
III o'clock. When his spiritual ad-
wiser came at 8 O'Clock he showed
more feeling than ne has ever bceh
known 10 manifest before during all
his trial and confinement. lie read a
poem which he at, lea "Religiaiis Ba.
by Talk" and undertook TO sing II,
but broke down, saying: MY heart is
tender, and don't think / can go
through The ordeal without soiiie
emotion. presume l will werr
This, however, shows no weakness
on the great question that was in
apired." The final interview bel ween
Guiieau aud his sistcr, Mira. Scosille,
and brother John was also a nearer
approach to the pathetic than All,
thing previously occurring in con.
nection with the aflhir. 1t Ia stated
that a proposition was made BY some
OF the assassin's relatives TO Rev, Dr.
Hicks that on one of his visits 10 the
Jail he should smuggls In some poi.
son and thus cheat the gallows, but
the Rev. Doctor spurned the sugges.
tion Indignantly.
The scencIabout the jnil, inside and
out, was one long to be remembered.
From early morning the crowd began
10 gather, and outside especially the
appearance was like that of souie
great gala occasion. Lofnohade,cakes
and other refreshments wero dis
pensed from booths erected By soIno
cntcrprising colored men, and mount.
ed messengers we're hurrying to and
fro in every direction. The pressure
for admiitancc to the inside had beeii
very great, and something oyer two
hundred tickets had betn previously
issued, though the law only pre-
scribes that the Judge. jury, cUroner's
Jury and few Jail officials, ETC., shall
be admitted. As high as two and
three hundred dollars was oliered for
a ticket The office OF the Jail was
completely given up to newspaper
reporters aud correspondents, some
of whom remained all the hight be-
fore, bunking on settees and passing
the night as bss: they could. They
we've srribbling awav on every table
and window sill. and the special tel
egraph and telephone wires were
kept busy. Eight telegraph instru'
ments were clicking away from eight
o'clock In tho morning until long at
ter the drop fell.
| But little more than an hour before
the assassin walked to the gallows, n
hearty dinner was brought, ronsisf-
ing ofa pound OF broiled steak, a
dish OF fried potatoes. four slices OF
toast and quart of coffee, Of which
but a small part remained after he
had finished. Shortly after consider
able excitement was cfeaied by the
announcement that Guiterh had faint.
ed in his cell. Restoratises were
quickly applied and no soon recov-