River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-11-19

he was calm aud satisfied accordingly.
Father Andre remained with him all night
busy with devotional exercises and prepar-
atoms To meet death. About II O'Clock he
partook ofsupper, consisting of bread and
milk and three raw eggs He never slept
a wink during the night, but remained
praying very earnestly with Father Andre.
He was not the slightest excited, but main
tanned a calm devotional demeanor
At ; a. m. Pere Andre, assisted by Father
McWilliams, celebrated mass, and at :
O'Clock administered the last sacrament Of
the church TO Riel Riel prayed in bis cell
until five minutes before Deputy Sheriff
Gibson notified 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 colridore through the guard
room to the ladder which he mounted
without a sign of weakness. He assembled
it in a sprightly manner and not tremor
was observed in his legs as he climbed rung
after rung. Preceded by the deputy sher-
ifs and supported by the two priests,
Riel walked slowly down the
length of the loft situated over the guard
reached through an opening in the gable
end of the prison. Through this opening or
door could be seen the scaifold, 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 Cod and
was again calm. He appeared at this
iuncture pale but calm. Not muscle APP
peared to move and there was total alb
sence of that nervous twitching about the
mouth and other parts of the face which
characterizes most convicts as they are be
ing led to the gallows.
When he was about to take his place on
the drop the deputy sheriff asked if he had
anything to say. He turEed to his con
fessor, Pere Andre, and inquired;
'Shau not say few words''
No" quickly replied She priest in
French, make this your last sacrifice and
You will be rewarded
Riel turned and remarked in English; Il
have nothing more to say
Fathers Andre and McWilliams stood
DN HAiiA anu ~ tilCAi S[Aiie't tNNAN
to stand firm, Riel said he was not afraid
to die, Il believe in God to the last" he
said, ives, to the very last, DIR. Jukes
shook hands with him, when he thanked
the physician for al he had ever done for
him. The rope was now adjusted by the
demonstrating hangman, who also drew
the white cap over RierS face. Then
Father McWilliams was asked to repeat
the Lords prayer. He commenced in
slow and measured tones The suspense
vas terrible. aud could not last much
longer When the words, 'dead-sus not
into TEN ptation' were reached Deputy
Sheriff Gibson nodded to the hangmsn,
who kept his eyes fixed on him. With
a sledge hammer he struck the bolt, which
shot back into its socket, and as conse-
quence shot Louis Riel, the leader of the
half-breeds and whose name will ever live
in Canadian history.
The drop was nine feet, aud the victim
fell with terrible force so that his neck was
broken instantly. The trap door, when the
bolt shot back, changed and startled all
who stood near. For an instant the body
remained still, but suddenly the nerves
LNlLGuGtl anu bic hHGtS W GAb NiAAff VI ~
the abdomen This was repeated three
times and the last time the legs slowly
Strengthened out and remained rigid. In
two minutes the heart ceased to beat and
two minutes later circulation stopped. DR..
Jukes felt the pulse and pronounced Riel
dead The knot had been placed under his
left ear but with the jerk it moved up to
the base of the skull. After remaining half
an hour suspended the body was cut down
and post norton performed by Df Jukes.
Pere Andre urged upon Riel not to at
tempt an address upon the scatfold. and
suggested that a reprieve might still be on
its way, but this idea Riel strenuously re
PEELED He said he knew his hour had come,
aud that he was not only prepared, but he
would not have it any other way, as moth
ing but the alternative of prison for life
awaited him, and to him death was prefer
able to that. During the night he addressed
a letter to his mother and to his sister, which
touched upon the affection he bore them.
He added codicil to his will specifying
that he desired his body TO be laid beside
that OF his father in ST. Boniface cemetery
at Winnipeg, which request will be carried
out. Pere Andre will go there with Riel's
remains within few days. His body was
inferred to-day underneath the scafold
He PRAYED almost continuously during the
night, employing the written prayer of the
church and then again praying extempore
in both French and English
There is a divided sentiment in the
Dominion relative to the justice of the
execution but the Englishmen and Orange
men pretty generally endorse it. The
French Catholics are very bitter in de-
nouncing the hanging as a crime and a
murder good many who are entirely
dispassionate, opposed the execution on
the ground that he was insane, and that
belief is quite prevalent.