The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1885-11-20
BEFORE THE
An Interesting Talk With LouisRiel While
in Prison-What Rel Has to Say About
Himself

at Regina says: Riel was kept aci0se pris
oner in his little cell, which, by TIE way, il
the first on the right hand side when you
leave the guard o to enter the centra,
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 hall feet
by Our and II half, 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 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.
Riel's writing desk is hinged on to the
west side OF the little cell, the same as his
bed, and when l show you three large
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 hall
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 4 o'clock when
the iron wicket leading from the guard
room to the prison proper noiselessly
opened on it's we'll oiled hinges, and 1
walked inside, quickly turned to the right,
and q dozen PAGES took me to the cell of
the condemned rebel. Riel exhibited little
surprise on behOlding his visitor. With
the cordiality OF IL hot-blooded prisoner he
warmly shook my hand.
"Now, Mr.. Riel " said ], Though youhave
often been asked the question before, per-
haps you will tell me candidly your reason
for raising the late rebellion?"
"If I 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 half breeds to stand
up for their rights, shamefully denied them
by Sir John"
"You deny, then, hat 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
= llo WIN tiiSs IiO iAiSAlO Niu Aiob
do so, and my counsel-no matter what
they say now-expocted good terms. Now
my counsel are wise, n | am a 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?"
1.-THE deputation told me they were in a
bad state and were sure they could get good
terms from the government il they only had
the right kind OF II leader. They offered me
friendship, a home and plenty OF money
if l ocme 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 is a wonder to me that you did not
think and hesitate over coming back to
Canada for the purpose OF exciting hehalf-
breeds a~gain2"
II did think. / asked the spirit to ad-
wise me. He said, There is a fish underline
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 it2"
Yes, frequently. It is a man eight feet
high"
rs it true you offered to leave your
people, the hali-breeds of Saskatchewan, to
ukuU Oub JlclT OWL DdUJlGS IL JOu gov ~
large sum OF money from the government"
ut is a liel" cried Riel. "The govern
ment hunted me from friends and home
like a wild beast. Sir John never paid me
what he promised, and did not deserve
the treatment i got. 1t is the duty of the
government to release me now and give me
500, 900. 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 suf-
Tered as l did,"
"Is it true that you were assisted inrais-
ing this rebellion by the Hudson Bay com
pany?"
II have told you'll did otraise the REBEL
ion. We hated the Hudson Bay compasSyr
more than the government. They are viii
lians and robbers, but their day is short.
You will find some of their dirty tricks
there" pointing to a book OF manuscripts.
I'm case you die you intend these manu-
scripts shall be published?"
Eyes. ! may die, but | will rise again al
ter three days"
"Then it is all the same to you whether
you die or not?n
"Not altogether. II I die God must raise
me from the dead, and / do not want to
put him to the inconvenience OF working a
miracle for me-"
lou ulu not make IL very gOOu obdnu Nv
Batoche against Gen. Middleton"
Poor fellows! They couldn't make q
stand against anythins. 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"
II may have said so. don't think Ibid,
though. Willoughby and Welsh wereiright-
ened as trapped coyotes"
why did you allow your men to attack
MAJ. Crozier at Duck Lake?n
II did not allow them. Neither did they
attack Crozier. Crozier is a good man, but
ne fired first. / could have Prince Albert,
Carlton, Battleford, etc. taken and whites
massacred II ! liked. What was to pre-
vent me taking Saskatoon? / stopped
bloodshed in place OF shedding it. ] hope
Sir John will repent though"
"Wbaf dn va, fbinL ~ iaoa1 nroaaa6-