The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1882-07-06
Detail Of the Scenes in the Jail and
the March to the Gallows,
- -. !
Guiteau, Amidst Tears and Sobs,
Chants a Hastily Com
,t.'" posed Poem.
A Wicked Prayer The Fatal Sig.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Death---
Disposition Of the Body.
Friday Morning.:


of the night, not sleeping more than twenty
| minutes at time. Towards morning he
fell into sounder sleep from sheer exhaus-
ton. He rose a few minutes alters and
breakfasted heartily at $50. When the cook
took his breakfast into the cell Guiteau told
him to bring his dinner at II o'clock
promptly. DR.. Hicks, who remained at the
Jail all night, was called into the prisoners
cell as soon as he rose and held conyersa-
ton on religious subjects with him.
Ats o'clock DR.. Hicks saw the prisoner
again, when he made request to have a
bath and asked Hicks to 60 out and see the
scaffold. Guiteau desired him to arrange
with the warden to have the ira p sprung as
soon after ~ o'clock as possible. He also
expressed considerable anxiety lest some &C.
cident should occur and insisted that Hicks
should see that the scaffold and its appur-
tenances were all in proper condition. AZ
ter Guiteau had disposed of these matters he
read q poem composed by himself, which he
After reading it aloud he attempted to sing
it, but broke down in the effort. Guiteall
then talked some time about the
future He remarked that his heart was ten
der. I don't think" he said, II can 20
through the great ordeal without weeping,
not because of any great weakness, for prin-
ciple in me is strong, but because I am near
ing the other world. hold to the idea that
God inspired me-" Gu;teau subsequently
asked that in his books all ,complim entary
remarks about President Arthur and his adj
ministration be eliminated. Then he pre-
sented to Hicks the books. that have been
companions of his lonely hours. He told
Hicks that he wanted to offer the first pray
er on the scaffold, saying he (Guiteau)
would then read his favorite Scriptural pass
age, the tenth chapter of John, and offer
prayer on his own &C cunt. Then be in
tended, he said, to read his poem, 'Simplici-
ty" He desired to have the execution so
arranged that just as he uttered the last
John w. Guiteau arrived at the Jail at 8
o'clock, and was followed in few minutes
by Warden Croker. These two gentlemen,
with Hicks, had consultation as to the dis
position of the body. At 9:15 the prisoner
came out into the corridor and exercised for
Is minutes. &C walked very briskly, max
ing it rather difficult for his guards to keep
| pace with him.
At 10 o'clock Guiteau expressed desire to
take a bath, and large tub was taken into
his cell. At this hour no one but the Death
watch" was with him.
Guitcau nervously dressed and bathed.
1t was quite apparent to the guard, who
was closely watching his every movement,
that. his object in asking for bath was
simply to obtain some employment which
might distract his thoughts from the dread
contemplation of his approaching death. lie
eyinced increased nervousness and his I'M
certain movements distract manner and the
marked tremor in his toneslwhen he ATTEMPT
ted to speak, impressed the guard with a
belief that he is rapidly weakesjng:
"A battery of artillery and 20 mounted men
| were detailed from the arsenal, and have
! taken position as an extra guard. Every
possible precaution has been taken against
| interruption ofthe ceremony: The mounted
! men patrol the vicinity and press the crowd
Ling troops back from the building No
trouble was ANTICIPATED, but the authorities
| deemed best to take every precaution.
THE HOUR APPROACHING.
10:45 a. m.-The rotunda was thrown
open at 10 o'clock and the newspaper men
| at once focked in. There were
few other people there except the Jail
guards, and a. squad of artillery men who
looked down upon the scene from the higher
steps leading to the scafold. Early this
| morning the prisoners in the part Of the jail
! overlooking the court where the gallows
| stands were all removed to other quarters
| sort of rehearsal of the part they are to play
in the execution was had for the purpose
chiefly of testing the appliances of the gal.
| lows. A baesof aand weighing 100 pounds
| was attached to the moose, the trap was
| sprung by means ofa trigger rope which was
passed into one of the cells of the north
wing. The rope on the sca1fold stood the
test we'll.
At 10 o'clock Mr.. Hicks and John W
fold, together with number of the guards
John w. Guitean assembled the steps and ex
a,nined the structure handling the rope
and carefully inspecting all the fixtures
both above and below the platform.
HIS GREAT DESIRE
seems to be that there shall be no scene, and
his programme shall be carried out without
any intervention or incident to detract from
the heroic picture which he believes he j.
about to present @
| At 10 o'clock there was large crowd o
newspaper correspondents crowding abou
the gate leading into Guiteau's corridor, bu
they could see nothing except the woder
door which screens Gu1teau'S cell from visit
0rs.
Now and then the guard appeared at inc
! door and sent some message to the warden
the table and chair on which the deatl
watch sat.
After Guiteau had finished copying hi
"prayer upon the scaffold" he began to ar
range his dress, putting on PAIR of navy
blue trousers.
At 1880 the guard came out of the door
and said: HE is ready for DR.. Hicks now
and wants the flowers to come" = Another
guard who took the message, hurried off,
and soon he returned with Hicks, who
went into the cell. Guiteau was then, very
composed.
Guiteau's message about flowers referred
to his expectation that Mrs. Scoville would
send some flowers to him; but none had ar
rived at the time he asked for them.
After short conference with Warde1
Crocker, John w. Guiteau went outside tn,
iail to see his sister, and he found her il
great excitement. bordering upon hysteria
but after short time he succeeded in calm
ing her and dlssuading her from any at
edged the good propr1ety of such course
but said she could not possibly re
main in the city during all the wretched hour
of the morning. She brought with her tn
flowers which Guiteau asked for, and the,
were taken to the prisoner. Mrs. Scovili
also brought two handsome flower pieces
cross and an anchor, which she will plac
upon her brothers coffin with her ow,
hands.
11:35 a. m.-W'hile Mr.. Hicks was in tn
prisoners cell at II o'clock Guiteau mad
the same requests as to the execution, an
having made copies of his 'last prayer,
poem and other writings, tore up the origi
mails. -
Hessent for the Jail boot black end CAV
him his shoes to be shined. His dinner wa
brought to him as the doctor was leavn
and lie ate with mnch relish. His Dime
consisted Of pound of broiled steak, dis
Of fried potatoes, four slices of toast and
quart of coffee.
DIR. Hicks, when he came out of the cell
said theprisoner had not the slightest feal
1--WE have had a pleasant religious talk. H
feels now his preparation and he is ready 70
the last formally. Hescornmits himself t.
God with the utmost confidence I thin
he will show some emotion tecausethe ner,
Gus strain is SO great. Nobody" Dr.. Hick
said, =" hadiseen the prisoner up to that tim
except himself and the Jail officers. At 1
o'clock DR.. A. B. Macdonald of New Yor
and Dr. Francis Loring Of this city, expe1
witnesses at the trial of Guiteau, arrived 9
] the Jail. DR.. Mcdonald said a. he unde]