New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1885-11-18
!, 1rolRE rfE sHANGugG.

D
lna1KORE THE HANGNG.
~ IuesrestiaE Talkwith LouisIiel Walls
insRrison-What Rlel Has 70 Say Absut
Hinssll.
A csrrespondent Of the New York Herald
gAt Regina Gays: Riel was kept close pris-
onr in his little cell, which, by the way, is
the first on the right hand side when you
leave the guard room to enter the central
building on the south side of the barracks,
which is the Regina prison for the time be-
ing. The rebels cell is six and a hall feet
BY four sand half, lighted by the usual
prison grating. It contains the prisoners
bed, 1nade,up of three twelve-inch boards
in width. 1t is about six feet in length.
This bench is attached to the north side of
the little cell by hinges, so that in the day
time it is raised upward and fastened to the
wall by a hook. By this means SO much
/ space is saved for pacing purposes"
during daytime. The bedclothes are
folded together every morning and
thrown into a corner OF the cell
Rlels writing desk is hinged on to the
west side OF the little cell, the same as his
4
manuscript books filled with visions
! manifestations" and redomontade, to-
| gether with a bible presented to Riel by his
! mother, and a few Roman Catholic prayer
books, you have the cell of the rebel half
breed, Louis Riel. The scaffold is at the
extreme south end OF the prison, enclosed
by a board fence nine feet square. 1t was
on this scaffold that Connors the Moose
jaw murderer, was executed on Friday,
July II, for the brutal murder OF his chum,
Henry Molaski. 1t was O'Clock when
the iron wicket leading from the guard
room to the prison proper noiselessly
!. opened on its well-oiled hinges, and I
walked inside, quickly turned to the right,
and a dozen PAGES took me to the cell of
the condemned rebel. Riel exhibited little
surprise on beholdins his visitor. With
the cordiality OF "a hot blooded prisoner he
warmly shook mry hand.
! Now, Mr.. Riel, said I, Though you have
often been asked the question before, per-
haps you will tell me candidly your reason
Tor raising the late rebellion?'
/ eff / did not answer the question often
/ enough" answered Riel. II am sure some
| of my good friends outside did it for me.
But there is something yet to be gathered.
do not think raised the late war, but
/ | advised the starving half breeds to stand
up for their rights, shamefully denied them
by Sir John.
''You deny, then, that all this bloodshed
has been caused by you"
II do. Ihad never supposed that a drop
of blood need be she'd / thought it would
be cheaper for the government to come to
terms with me. The government did not
do SO, and my counsel-no matter what
they say now-expected good terms. Now
my counsel are wise, and am q fool in the
eyes OF idiots"
"On what conditions did you leave the
United States with the half-breed deputa-
ton to come to Batoche?"
"The deputation told me they were in
bad state and were sure they could get good
terms from the government if they only had
the right kind OF leader They offered me
friendship, a home and plenty of money
if l came back with them. Nolin, who
swore SO hard against me, was the loudest
trying to get me to Batoche. However, he
treated me we'll after got there''
1T is q wonder to me that you did not
: think and hesitate over coming back to
Canada for the purpose OF exciting the half
breeds again?"
II did think. I asked the spirit to ad.
wise me. He said, There is a fish under the
rock'and | was to haul it out. We all went
to confession and prayed. After that the
spirit told me to GO. couldn't refuse
What is the Spirit Mr.. Riel? Have you
seen it,"
Yes, frequently. It is man eight feet
high"
us it true you offered to leave your
people, the half-breeds OF Saskatchewan, to
fight out their own battles if you got a
| large sum OF money from thegovernment?"
ut is lie!'' cried Riel. 1.-THE govern
ment hunted me from friends and home
! like q wild beast. Sir John never paid me
su1,o ho ~
the treatment got. It is the duty of the
government to release me now and give me
100000. There was nothing to prevent
me going with Gabriel to the states after
we had lost Batoche. The Spirit told me
to have courage like King David, who sui
fered as did,"
us it true that you were assisted inrais-
ing this rebellion by the Hudson Bay COM
pany?"
II have told you did not aise the REBEL
Ion. We hated the Hudson Bay company
lians and robbers, but their day is short.
You will find some of their dirty tricks
there" pointing to q book OF manuscripts.
"In case you die you intend these manu-
scripts shall be published2"
eyes. may die, but will rise again af-
ter three days"
'"Then it is all the SANS to you whether
you die or not?"
Not altogether. I'll die God must raise
me from the dead and do not want to
put him to the. Inconvenience OF working a
miracle for me-"
you did not make a very good stand at
Batoche against Gen. Miadleton?''
Poor fellowsl They couldn't make a
stand against anything. They had neither
food, clothes, arms, ammunition, nor
the fear OF God"
"You told DR.. Willoughby at Batoche
last winter you would rule the Northwest
or perish in the attempt. 7"
| II may have said SO. I dom think did,
though. Willoughby and Welsh were fright.
ened as trapped coyotes
''Why did you allow your men to attack
Maj. Crozier at Duck Lake?'
II did not allow them. Neither did they
attack Crozier. Crozier is good man, but
he fired first. could have Prince Albert,
Carlton, Battleford, ETC., taken and whites
massacred if liked. What was to pre-.
vent me taking Saskatoon? l stopped
bloodshed in place OF shedding it. I hope
Sir John will repent though"
"What do you think OF the legal proceed.
ings in your case?'
II am very thankful to my Quebec