The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1882-07-06

Gulteau wss dangling beneath the platform,
while bis soul had paased into ths
great beyond. There wss scarcely distinct
movement Of tho limbs, only = slight shiycr.
The neck was broken, sud the msn died m
simultaneously ~ tho drop fell
The prisoners In the other part OF tho Jail
heard the sound, Of which they knew the I'M
port no well, and sent up shout of Joy. This
was taken up outside, and the multitude on tho
bills, and down tho road, and under tho naples
and elms, re-echoed back tho shouts Of glad
ness that at last the assassin VI James A. Gar
field was dead, dead, dead.
After the body had hung m0ti0nless for two
Or three minutes Il was lowered until the mans
toes came within two feet OF the door, and tho
physician felt Of the pulse and heartbeat.
The heart beat violently for few moments.
At the end OF two minutes tho pulse had
become quite weak. After fifteel min.
utes the heartbeat was scarcely percopt-
ible, and after seventeen minutes DR.. Lamb
pronounced the man dead. Twenty.eight
minutes after the man dropped tho body was
Warden CrOckcr gave all chance to view It.
John w. Guiteau, who had witnessed tho eN-
ecution, famed the face to keep away tho fiios,
and was apparently the coolest man In tho
crowd. Ho declared It fitting end to aworth-
less career. Mrs. Scoville, the sister, remained
outside the jail during the execution, and went
away without viewing the remains.
ity.
When the remains OF Guiteau had beeu
taken upstairs into tho room which Ia over tho
kitchen Of the Jail, the coffin-lid WAS taken on
and the body lifted out aud stretched upon \
table. The clothing was removed after con-
sultation as to how the operation should be
performed and what examination should be
made. DR.. Lamb held the knife and took the
initiative al through the autopsy.
Tho 6rst thing that was done was to make an
ncision from the chest down the medan limo, ani
mother ct riRht-angla to Il, and tho outer IN
sgument Of tho body WAS thrown back, ex-
posing the viscerA
Tho heart and lungs were especially exam.
ined, % well, indeed, ~ the other parts. with q
dence Of disease. The heart was OF nor
NAL size, and perfectly healthy IN cyory
particular. The lungs were OF normal proper
hons also, and healthy, with tho exception OF =
few small tuberces upon ono Of them Moth
ing Of serious character, however, was found:
carefully weighed. It weighed exactly
forty mine and . half ounces, which II
normal weight. There WAS not tho
slightest indication of physical disease in tho
brain, but 1t was entirely regular and normsi
in al it's parts and proportions, except that
the dura mata.s This, however, the physictans
agree did not indicate any disease such - would
alfect tho mind of tho individual, because It -
1 thing that Ii frequently found IN cases where
perfect health has been enjoyed up to tho very
time of the last illness Of the person, ana
where the mental status Of the individuM n
question has never been doubted. Indeed,
X il said that the head OF Daniel Webster
showed 3 quite remarkable thickening Of tho
dura mata, much more 30 than IN the care OF
Guiteau, which It was known resulted from
fall ho suffered in youth. At least, tins passed
BY way Of comment among the doctors when
making the examination.
The brain. after being removed, was CLOSELY
observed and examined, ~ far as could be
done with tho naked eye, and, having been
weighed Was placed in . square TIN box upon
bed OF soft curled hair. DR.. Godding and DIR.
Lamb were chosen BY the phyalclans present 70
take the brain to the Medical Museum and have
it photographed. The doctors remarked that
the skull was rather more than usually thick.
Otherwise there wAs nothing unusual IN any
part OF the head.
The autopsy revealed tho fact that the
stories to the effect that the culprit had eaten
heartily the last few hours preceding the exc
intestines were almost empty, showing that
he had partaken Of no food for 1t least twenty
four hours.
AademAa.
Il win b remembered that it was stated that
the assassin, on the day before his execution.
wept over bouquet Of roses brought by his
sister, and on Friday he ssnt guard to the
door for flowers. It il now charged that the
white roses in the center had been saturated
with poison to degree that would have given
Guiteau immunity from the gallows had Lo
known it, or dared to eat them.
The assassin Was hanged in effigy 1T hundreds
Of places throughout the country at about tho
same time the real stranshng was going on in
Washington.
John w. Guiteau u moro firmly convipscd
than ever OF his brothers insanity.
The hangman did . most artistic job, and
the execution, 20 far rs the mechanical part OF
It was concerned, was fanltless Death Was al
most instantaneous, there being no struggle.
Two hundred. people witnessed the af-
fair. The Jail officers secretcd tho gallows
rope ~ soon ~ the moose was removed from
the assassns neck.
Twenty-Five physicians. including the Sur
geon General OF The army, were present at the
autopsy.
Very soon after the hanging DR.. Hicks and
John w. Guiteau made thorough examination
Of the cells occupied by Gmteau. Dr. Hicks
took possession OF the books and other effects
Of the deceased. 4 great many OF those at tho
jail visited the coils to 500 the place where 0ni-
teau passed bis last hours. There was dlspo-
sition on the part Of somo present to get Ine-
mentoes Of the occasion at any cost.
The news Of the execution was received with
try. and there was almoat universal feeling OF
relief that the curtain had gone down upon the
last act and scene IN this great national tragedy.