The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1885-11-20
8EFoRE rW HAltarxa.


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 b six and hall feet
BY four and . halt, lighted by the usual
prison grating. It eontains the prisoners
bed, made up Of three twelvs-inch boards
in width. Il is about six fset in length.
This bench is attached to the north side oi
the little cell by hinges, so that in the day.
time It 10 raised upward and fastened to the
vail BY hook; By this means so much
during daytime. The bedclothes are
folded together every morning and
thrown into . corner Of ths cell.
Riel's writing desk is hinged ON to the
west side OF the little cell, the same az his
bed, and when I show you three large
manuscript books filled with visions, !"
administrations" and redomontade, to.
gether with q bible presented to Ricl by his
mother, and few Roman Catholic prayer
books, you have the cell Of the rebel hall.
breed, Louis Riel. The scaffold is at the
extreme south end Of the prison, enclosed
by board lenee nine leet square. It was
on this scaifold that Connors, the Moose.
Jaw murderer, was executed on Friday,
July IL, for the brutal murder OF his chum,
Henry Molaski. It was 4 O'Clock wheq
the iron wicket leading from the guard
room to the prison proper noiselessly
opened on its well.oiled hinges, and
walked inside, quickly turned to the right,
and dozen PAGES took me to the cell oi
the condemned rebel. Riel exhibited little
surprise on behollins his visitor. With
the cordiality Of u hot-blooded prisoner he
warmly shook my hand.
uNnSr n. Qiol " .otrl Utko,,.L ,,u,, T. 4, -,
often been asked the question before, per.
haps you will tell me candidly your reason
for raising the late rebellion7"
III did not answer the question oite.,
enough" answered Riel, II am sure some
Of my good friends outside did It for me.
But there Is solnething,yet to be gathered.
do not think raised the late war, but
I advised the starving hali.breeds to stand
up for their rights, shameiully denied them
"You deny, then, that all this bloodshed
hos been caused by you."
II do. Ihad never supposed that drop
OF blood need be shed. / thought it would
be cheaper for the government to come ia
terms with me. The government did not
do SO, and my counsel-n0 matter what
they say nOw-expected good terms. Now
my counsel are wise, and am q fool in the
eyes Of idiots"
ION what conditions did you leave the
United States with the hak-brced deputa.
tion to come to Batoche?"
"The deputation told me they were in a
bad state and were sure they could get good
terms from the governmental Il they only had
the right kind Q! leader: They offered me
friendship, q home and plenty Of money
IL I 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"
ut il 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 10 a fish under the
rock'and I was to haul it out. We all went
to confession and prayed. After that the
spirit told me to 60. l couldn't refuse"
seen it?'
"Yes. frequently. It is a man eight feet
high"
us It true you offered to leave your
people, the half-breetis oiSaskatchewan, OF to
fight out their own battles il you got a
large sum Of money from the government
ut is lie!" cried Riel. 1.-THE govern.
ment hunted me from friends and home
like d wild beast. Sir John never paid me
what he promised, and did not deserve
the treatment got. It is the duty OF the
government to release me now and give me
500, 900. There was nothing to prevent
we had lost Batoche. The Spirit told me
to have courage like King David, who sui.
fered as did,"
lis 1t true that you were assisted in rails
ing this rebellion by the Hudson Bay com.
panyf"
II have told you did not aise the rebelI.
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 o book Of manuscripts.
In case you die you intend these manu-.
scripts shall be published?"
Eyes. may die, but will rise again az
ter three days"
"Then 1t is all the same to you whether
you die or n0t?"
Not altogether. II I die God must raise
me from the doad. and do not want to
put him to the Inconvenience Of working A
miracle for me-"
"You did not make very good stand at
Batoehe against Gen. Middleton"
poor fellows! They couldn't make a
stand against anything. They had neither
iood. clothes, arms. ammunition, nor
'You told Dr.. Willoughby at Batoche
last winter you would rule tho Northwest
or perish in the attempt"
II may have said so. don't think did.
though. Willoughby and Welsh were fright.
ened a. 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 a good man, but
he fred first. could have Prince Albert.
Carlton, Battleford, etc.. taken and whites
msssacred il l liked. What was to pre-.
vent mo taking Saskatoon? l stopped
Sir John viii III repent n1 + tAoash." ~ A'p'
What do you think of the Jeaal proceed.
inss In your csse?"
II am very thankful to my Qusbee
friends for thinking OF me. but they ara
fighting the devil on his own reserve. The
heretics want 'Riel's' blood"
whats your opinion Of the three advo.
cates they sent you up?"
"We)l, do not wish to say anything
against them, Poor fellows, they did their
best. They didn't understand my case at
mo he might be able to got along. Fitz.
..atrick thinks he Is a. tall az the Spirit,
but he is two feet less. Greenshields made
me sick. am glad he was put to one side.
However, thank them from my heart"
"What do you think about the decision
Of the privy council?"
II knew what would be the 70.
suit. The Spirit told me Sir John
was laughing at the English bulls all
the time they ~srs trying q poor half.
breed that never committed crime. Icould
not expect mercy from John Bull no more
than the Irish could. III could speak five
hours at my own trial or be allowed to de-
lend myself would not be here today"
"You spoke very hard against Arch.
bishop Tache, Judge Dubuc, Sir John A.
Macdonald and others on your trial. Would
you repeat what you said OF them again2"
No answer. Riel nodded mysteriously,
and became wrapped in thought. Sudden
" he jumped up in a very excited condition
and gesticulated wildly.
'They arc all knaves!" he cried. II did
not tell the whole truth about them. But
I will say nqthins. The archbishop sent
me Q cross. butt was not very lucky. for l
had it only two days Sksp e policeman
stole it," ~"
Here the spurred and belted guardian oi
the prophet" tapped me on the shoulder
and suggested would get move on" 80
! moved-out ef the cell. and, mounting
I,y broncho. cantersd till ! reached Oil.
Aspie's sta hles. In the csnter Of th0 Queen
SEv OF the Peairien " -