St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-11-17
The Leader of the Northwestern Rebellion
Pays the Penalty Of His Crime on
the Gallows.
he Passed His Last Night in Wakefulness
and Meets His Execution I'm
finohingly.
a Codicil Added to His Will Requesting
That His Body be Inferred at
Winnipeg.
How the News of the Execution was
Received by Residents OF the
Dominion.
Letters Made Public With a View of
Showing That the Victim
Was Insane.
Finally Executed.

REGINA \. w. L. Nov. 16.-Rlel Is
dead. The hero of the rebellions OF the
Red river in 1869 and the Saskatchewan Of
1855. and. as he loved to call himself, the
prophet of the Northwest, paid the extreme
penalty of the crime of high treason, OF
which he was convicted. by dying upon the
seafold this morning. His last days have
been a queer combination OF smiles and
tears. one day buoyed up with the inteIlE-
gence of another respite, and next cast
down by regal rebuff or doubt as to the
governments intention. Not until within
day or two. and it is even said within
some hours Of the actual execution, was the
government decided as TO the rebels fate,
so strong was the pressure brought TO bear
on it from different quarters, but
Sir John finally, pressed by his
English political supporters and by the
Orangemen. screwed his courage TO the
sticking point and sent the edict forth, IN
consequence of which the poor rebel and
ex-chieftain surrendered his life by hanging
this morning. So uncertain was the gov
ernment as to the course it would take, and
so firmly were the officials at Regina OF the
opinion Riel would be ultimately pardoned,
that. had it not been for the existence OF
the gaIlows at the mounted police barracks,
upon which the convict COnnors
DIED \ FEW WEEKS AGO,
il Is not likely the execution could have
been carried out. For some time past the
prisoner had been much alarmed. He lost
much of his old air of assurance, and
though still protesting belief in the commu-
ta1ion Of his sentence, increased attention
al his devotionS and a more cOncllIatory
attitude toward the priest indicated his
consciousness that there was little hope
for him. He kept up fairly good appe-
tite. however, TO the end. His great Idea
was that he was man who should rule the
country. He was always anxious to find
out from the priest and guard what was
thought of him, and perhaps his greatest
trial was that he was not allowed to read
the newspapers. Most of his writings are
in French. Some lately written are utterly
nonsensical, but others, written before the
trial. indicate considerable intelligence and
suggest. despite some absurd ideas, that to
some extent at least the prophet has Of late
been playing part. The visit Of the med
ical commission was an entire surprise to
him. All day Sunday Riel was very un-
easy, feeling that his fate was sealed.
Father Andre remained with him most Of
the day. seeking 10 prepare RieFs mind for
the great change which he was convinced
was so close at hand. 1t was not until the
special train arrived with the warrant that
it was
ACTUALLY KNOWN
the execution would take place this morn
ing, and Sheriff Chapleau. in the presence
Of several newspaper correspondents, con-
veyed the intelligence to the doomed man
in his cell. and after the first shock natur-
ally given by the receipt of the actual news
that he was TO hang in the morning, Rel
soon appeared calm and was much more
cheerful than he had been for some time.
1t seemed a relief to his mind to know that
suspense was away, to know that in few
hours he would be out of his troubles. and
he was calm and satisfied accordingly
Father Andre remained with him all night,
busy with devotional exercises and prepar-
ations to meet death. About il o'clock he
partook of supper, consisting of bread and
milk and three raw eggs. He never slept
wink during the night. but remained
praying very earnestlywith FatherAndre. He
was not the slightest excited. but maintained
a calm. devotional demeanOr. At a. m.
Pere Andre assisted by Father McWiIliams,
celebrated mass. and at : o'clock admin
istered the last sacrament of the church to
Rel. Riel prayed in his cell until five
minutes before Deputy Sheriff Gibson noti-
fed him that his time had come. Supported
by the priests, Riel walked
WITH STEADY STEP
from his cell. which is first on the top of
the corridore through the guard room to
the ladder. which he mounted without a
sign of weakness. He ascended it in a
sprightly manner and not tremor was OBJ
served in his legs as he climbed rung after
rung Preceded by the deputy sheriffs and
supported by the two priests,
Riel walked slowly down the
length of the loft situated over
the guard room leading to the scaffold.
which is reached through an opening in the
gable end of the prison. Through this
opening or door could be seen the scaffold.
with the terrible moose dangling from
stout beam above. The poor man at the
end of the mournful procession down the
loft looked furtively through the opening
and saw the awful moose. He shuddered,
slightly turned his eyes upward. muttered,
My God" and was again calm. He ap-
peared at this juncture pale, but calm.
Not muscle appeared to move and there
was a total absence of that nervous twitch-
ing about the mouth and other parts of the
face which characteriZeS most conYicts as
they are being
LED TO THE GALLONS
Nhen he was about to take his place on
the drop the deputy sheriff asked if he had
anything TO say He turned to his con-
fessor, Pere Andre and inquired:
shall not say q few words?''
No" quickly replied the priest in French
MAKE this your last sacrifice and you will be
rewarded
Riel turned and remarked in English: II
have nothing more 10 say
There was some delay in adjusting the
moose, but Riel did not remark upon it. and
as the white cap closed over him he was to
be heard distinctly repeating his prayers.
During the night Pere Andre urged upon
Riel not to attempt an address upon the
scafold. and suggested that a reprieve
might still be on its way, but this idea Riel
strenuously repelled. He said he knew his
hour had come, and that he was not only
prepared. but that he would not have it any
other way. as nothing but the alternative of
prison for life awaited him. and TO him
DEATH WAS PREFERABLE
70 that during the night he addressed
letter TO his mother and to his sister. which
touched upon the affection he bore them.
He added a codcil to his will specifying
that he desired his body to be laid beside
that of his father in St. Boniface cemetery
st Winnipeg. which request will be carried
out Pere Andre will 60 there with Riers
remains within few days. His body was
inferred to-day underneath the scafold He
nraVed almost continuously during the
night. employing the written PRAYER of the
church and then again praying extempore in