Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1885-11-20
BEFORE THE HANGING.
An Interesting Talk With LonlsRiel WhilA
In Prison--What Rlel Has to Say About
g Him self. %#r*iS, s8E.5 Is

An interesting TalkW1th LonlsRiel whilA
In Prison-What Rael Has to say About
n Himself. 55s 5.s 81
Acorrespondent Of the New York Herald
at Regina says: Riel was kept a close priis-
oner in his little cell, which, BY the I 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 q halt feet
by four and hall, lighted by the usual
prison grating. 1t contains the prisoners
bed, made 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 tho day.
wall by hook. By this means SO much
space is saved for pacing purposes y
during daytime. The bedclothes are
! folded together every morning and
thrown into a corner OF the cell.
Rel's writing desk is hinged on to the
west side Of the little cell, the same as his
bed, and when / show you three large
manuscript books filled with "visions, :"
manifestations" and redomontade, to-
gether with a bible presented to Riel by his
mother, and 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
ny q board fence nine feet square. It was
on this scaffold that Connors, the Moose
Jaw murderer, was executed on Friday,
July IL, for the brutal murder of his chum.
Henry Molaski. It was o'clock when
the iron wicket leading from the guard
room to the prison proper noiselessly
opened on it's well-oiled hinges, and I
walked inside, quickly turned to the right,
and,a dozen PAGES took me to, the cell of
surprise on beholding his visitor. With
the cordially OF Il hot-blooded prisoner he
warmly shook my hand.
Now, MIR. Riel, said I, though you have
often been asked the question before, per-
haps you will tell me candidly your reason
for raising the late rebellion?''
III 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
l advised the starving hall breeds to stand
up Tor their rights, shamefully denied them
by Sir john
you deny, then, that all this bloodshed
has been caused by ycu.'
II do. lhad never supposed that drop
OF blood need be shed. l thought it would
be cheaper for the government to come to
terms with me. The government did not
DO so, and my counsel--no matte what
they say now-expected good terms. Now
my counsel are wise, and am O. fool in the
eyes Of idiots"
ION what conditions did you leave the
United States with the half.brecd deputa-
ton to come to Batoche?''
The deputation told me they were in q
bad state and were sure they could get good
terms from the government il they only had
the right kind OF a leader. They offered me
friendship, d 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 well after got there
1T is wonder to me that you did not
think and hesitate over coming back to
Canada Tor the purpose OF exciting the hail.
breeds again?"
II did think. asked the spirit to adj
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,"
Eyes, frequently. It is man eight feet
high"
us it true you offered to leave your
people, the half-breeds ofSaskatchewan, to
fight out their own battles ii you got q
large sum OF me ney from the government"
1T is a lie!' cried Riel. 'Vhe govern
ment hunted me from friends and home
Ike {. wild beast. Sir ohm never paid mo
the treatment got. 1t 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 stat es after
we had lost Batoche. The Spirit told me
to have courage like King David, who SUI
fered as did,
lis it true that you were assisted in ais
ing this rebellion by the Hudson Bay COM
pany?"
Il have told you + did not aise the REBEL
ion. We hated the Hudson Bay company
more than the government: They are vii
lians and robbers, but their day is short
You will find some of their dirty tricks
there" pointing to book OF manuscripts.
In case you die you intend these manu-
scripts shall be publishcd?''
Eyes. I may die, but I will rise again al
ter three days."
"Then it is oil the same to you whether
you die or not?"
"Not altogether. If 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 very good stand at
Batoche against Gen. Middleton?"
Poor fellows They couldn't make q
stand against anything. They had neither
food, clothes, arms, ammunition, nor
the fear OF Cod"
''You told DR.. Willoughby at Batoche
last winter you would rule the Northwest
or perish in the. attempt"
'I may have said so. I don t 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 agood 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 I 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
friends for thinking Of me, but they ere
fighting the devil ON his own reserve. The
heretics want 'Riel's' blood"
whats your opinion OF the three advo-
Gates they sent you up?"
"Well, do not wish to say anything
against them. Poor fellows, they did their
best. They didn't understand my case at
all. II Lemieux could speak English like
me he might be able to get along Fitz-
patrick thinks he is as tall as the Spirit,
but he is two feet less. Greenshields made
me sick. lam glad he was put to one side.
However, thank them from my heart"
what do you think about the decision
Of the privy council?"
Il knew what would be the re-
suit. The Spirit told me Sir John
was laughing at the English bulls all
the time they were trying q poor half
breed thatnever ommitted crime. Icould
not expect mercy from John Bull no more
than the Irish could. Ill could speak five
hours at my own trial or be allowed to de-