St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-11-17

both French and English. He directed a
PRAYER TO his friends in the United States,
where he declared most of them were,
and again for his friends in Que
bee. He prayed for his lawyers.
speaking of their efforts in his behalf
and at their going to England for him.
The attending father told him it was his duty
to pray for his enemies. He replied: That
is So" and at once began to pray in Eng
lSh for the premier of Canada, but in his
ablation he asked that the government
might be soon relieved from his rule. He
partook of a light repast at II o'clock and
eat no breakfast, which caused him to show
at one time this morning some signs of
faintness, but he afterwards completely
recovered and displayed no effort in mount
ing the ladder which led to the attic of the
guard house on his way to the scatfold.
There was
SCARCELY A QUIVER
as the drop fell at S:23 and his death was
pronounced an easy one. During the early
hours of the morning he gathered up all his
papers, which covered his desk. and asked
the privilege from the officer of the guard
to destroy them. This was allowed him
and he carried them to an open stove fire
and thrust them in. watching them until
the flames had devOured them. 1t would
be difficult at this time to gauge the senti-
ment clearly in the \ northwest as to Riel.
The expressed views are almost entirely
unfavorable to him and the half-breedS are
unusually silent upon the topic. A major
ity of the resident population believe
he deserved death, and this is undoubtedly
specially true in Manitoba. Here, where
he was tried, there was some expression OF
sympathy for him, and at times the decla-
ration that he was right in his demands, as
they had nearly all since been granted TO
the half-breeds. The execution of Rel is
to be followed at Battleford by the hanging
of ten Indian chiefs. for atrocities COM
mitted during the recent rebellion, and in
each instance for murders committed. This
will close the book of criminal procedure,
growing out of the Northwest war. as other
persons convicted were for prison sentences,
all of which are now being served out. The
executioner OF Riel was Jack Henderson,
who was
A CAPTIVE OF RIEL'S
in the rebellion of 1870. Rev. G. 81. Nc
Williams, who assisted Father Andre in his
attendance upon Riel during his last hours
and who was a claSsmate of the rebel at
Montreal college in 1860, is firm in the be-
lief that Riel was insane, and so expressed
himself to representative of the Associ-
ated Press to-day. In this belief he ad-
dressed letter last Monday to the governor
general of Canada citing his firm conviction
and saying that, while he deemed Riel
dangerous person and one who should be
confined for life, according to his belief if
the sentence of death was carried out his
blood would be upon the head of his
excellency, Lord LansdOwne, and his
immediate advisers. He addressed
similar document to Sir John A.
Macdonald, prime minister of Canada.
Rev. Mr.. McWilliams has in his possession
a series of letters written by Riel within the
past ten days, which serve as partial in
deX to his character and his claim to being
patriot and likewise a prophet. Riel,s
handwriting is bold and moderately regular.
He handed Father McWilliams the follow
ing Nov. 9, four hours before he heard Of
his respite:
Regina Jail, N. W. T, Nov. 9.-On the 4th
of November, 1885, it was revealed to me:
Your death is reprieved. There are ten law
yers. On the 9Th, in the morning. it was said
to me from above: The council will meet
Tuesday on your indictment.
LOUIS DAVID R1EL.
These happenings transpired as he indi-
Gated in the paper All letters are signed
Louis David" Riel. The word David in
varia-bly he quoted. The following letter
was written, the reverend gentleman said,
while Riel was Iaboring under excitement:
Regina Jail, Nov. 9, 1851 am most ac-
knowledging towards you, my God, for having
fulfilled the promises which you never made
to me, through your beloved servant, Ignace
Bourgelko. that you would not abandon me
on account of the mission which you have
goodly given me to fulfill in all points.
LOUIS DAVID REL.
The following was written the same day:
Regina Jail n. W. T.. Nov. 9, 16S5.-For
assisting to alleviate the wrongs of my coun-
trymen, l am to be -, but will not say it,
for having done all 1 could to better the con-
dition of the people at large as an aboriginee,
as an American, as q prophet, will lose my
temporal life? LOUIS DAVID REL.
About 7:3O o'clock this morning he wrote
the following:
To Rev. C. n. Williams: My good thanks
for assisting me in different ways, principally
by your prayers. LOUIS DAVID RIEL.
Nov. Ii, 1885
Twenty minutes before he went to the
scaffold he wrote the following in French,
of which a close translation was given
This was his final miSsive, and is in clear,
bold hand:
What there is too presumptuous in my
writings must say that by these presents,
subordinate it entirely to the good pleasure OF
my God, to the doctrine of the church, and
to the iniallible decisions Of the supreme
pontif. l die Catholic, and in the only true
faith. LOUIS DAVID REL.
10th Nov, 1855, Regina Jail.
Father McWillams declares he never
witnessed a more resigned feeling than was
shown in the case of Riel during his last
hours. The members of the Northwest
council are now in session here, but as a
rule are not willing to prognosticate the
probable effect of the death of Riel npon
the half-breeds or the country generally.
One of the half-breed members says that
his countrymen undoubtedly sympathized
with their leader, and doubtless would do
SO doubly, now that he was dead. 1t is de-
clared this afternoon that the government
will probably not allow his body to be re-
moved to Winnipeg, through fear of DEM
onstration which might be made by the half
breeds at his funeral.
THE FEELING IN QUEBEC.
QUEBEC, Que, Nov. 16.-The excite
ment is almost beyond all restraint A flag
was hoisted at half-mast upon the Canadian
office, and some English-speaking citizens,
who felt aggrieved at this, came near to be-
ing roughly handled. Flags Gecked with
mourning emblems are also displayed and
many men have Grape on their hats and
around their sleeves. 1t would be hard to
tell what the result will be. Tonight two
hundred or three hundred students with
friends have been marching through the
streets shouting GLORY to Riel," and ours
ing the Orangemen. Crowds are gathered
near Sir Hector Langevin's house. in st.
Louis street, and it is feared that they in
tend mischief in that quarter. The police,
however. are patrolling in large numbers
Handbills have been distributed to all
calling on them to meet to-
night. These bills are headed in large
letters and read as follows: