The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1885-11-27
THE LATE LOUIS RIEL.
A Priest Who Attended Riel During His
Last Hours Gives Out Interesting Facts.

Last Hours Gives OutInteresting Facts.
WINNIPEG, Man, Special Telegram, Nov.
I7-Father McWilliams, who spent Sunday
with Riel before his execution, gives some sn-
teresting details of the last hours of the great
chief of the half breeds Father McWilliams
was a classmate with Riel in college at Mon
treal. and talked much about old times with
the condemned man. He says he never
attended a condemned man who was so fully
nrenared to die as was Riel, though until the
last moment arrived he believed something
would happen to save his life. Father Nc
williams secured many Of Riel's papers,
among which was the following:
II have said anything ~peremptory in my
writings on religious subjects / wish to be par
Ioned and to DO received into the bosom OF the
Roman Catholic church, which ia the only true
church, and / acknowledge myself subordinate
10 It, and 1 believe in the infallible dogmas Of
the sovereign ponttn.
TSignedl LOUIS DAVID RIEL.
Dr. Dodds, coroner, who was standing be-
low the drop, says:
When the bolt was drawn Riel. who was stand
ing on one leaf only, shot downward and for
ward, his legs rising as the rope frightened. In
an instant the rope was stretched TO it's full ex-
tent. Riel's BODY came violently forward on the
chest, and we distinctly heard a crack as the
yertebrs were fractured.
Pere Andre, whose ministrations to the
condemned have been constant during his
confinement, was interviewed. He says it
was Riel's custom to read the Bible every
day, his mother having sent him q Bible.
THE MURDER OF SCOTT.
He detailed the conversation he had with
him a short time previous to The execution,
relative to the murder of Thomas Scott dur
ing the rebellion OF 1869. Riel said:
have been reproached for the death of Scott,
but at this day l think 1t was only a political
mistake, and by bringing the half-breeds to a
sense of what they were doing saved hundreds
Of other lives. l think / made n mistake, but
before God and my conscience l did not commit
q crime. Sir John Macdonald Is now committing
me to death for the same reason / committed
Scott-because IL IA necessary for the country's
good. / admit that SCOTS shooting was mis-
managed, but l commanded IL because i thought
1t necessary. He tried TO Kill his guards. They
came and said thew could do nothing with him.
Rebellion was on the eve OF breaking oct all over
the country, but as soon as Scott was killed 1t
subsidized.
Being asked to divulge SCOTS place of
burial, Riel said:
That's not my secret. I have been pardoned
for his death, but am going to die for it.
In esponse to a query OF Father McWil-
Jams, Riel said:
assure you that three weeks before the Duck
Lake fight i had no idea OF rebellion, but IL was
forced on me by Gabriel Dumont and others,
who came and said the people would abandon
me IL l did not do something to bring the gov
eminent to terms, / had been six months in
the country and done nothing.
RieI, when asked why, when the rebellion
was first started, he did not act decisively by
attacking Prince Albert and Carlton, said:
Il WIS afraid. for IL / went there with the
Indians there would inevitably have been a
massacre" l asked why he left all his papers
to be captured, thereby discriminating many.
kiel replied:
During the last three day at Batoche I con-
Tess / lost my head. / told Pierre Paranteau to
destroy them all. but in the hurry and confusion
no did not do so.
At 3 a. m. Riel wrote a letter TO the law
yers who defended him, saying he was thank.
full for all they had dom They had lone
everything in their power, and if they had
failed it was not their fault He also wrote
letter rs to his wife, mother and relatives
Then, ~kneeling, he prayed extempore for an
hour and q half, using the most beautiful
language. He asked that God would give
Sir John wisdom but take him very quickly
to himself. Riel laughed as he said this, and
Capt White Fraser, who was watching, said
that was bad Riel replied that he could not
do better than wish Sir job in heaven.
Then, rising, smiling, he said in a reflective
manner that 1t was very strange TO see q
poor man like himself with all the power OF
Canada arrayed against him ut is not be-
cause / am a prophet, for they know that
cannot help me in the present position"
Requiem mass was said at 3 o'clock by Pere
Andre and Father MoWhliaIns, Riel then
receiving the sacrament After mass the
TWO priests urged him not to speak on the
scaffold, as it would excite him :Riel was
very reluctant to forego the privilege, say
ing he wanted to let the people know he was a
prophet and had a mission here. Andr said:
You have q mission, anu IL is to die as becomes
Aman end a Christian. / have been preparing
you to die worthily for the last three months.
and now you win not cause my efforts TO be in
vain.
After further conversation. Riel said:
Father, I am in your hands and will yield to
-FOUR advice. / feel happy and ready to die. Do
not be afraid that / will break down. / may
De nervous, but for the last two months I have
pesn making ready for death. and my courage
will not fail.