The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-11-17


final words escaping him being 'merci
Jesu." He 6ied without a struggle.
Not to exceed twenty persons were per-
mitted within the confines of the bar
racks to witness. the execution, and 1t
was certainly performed with decorum
and dispatch. His body was taken IN
charge Of by the coroner, and q verdict
usual 10 all State executions rendered.
MONTREAL November 16.-There was
considerable excitement among French
Canadian citizens here. When news Of
Riel's execution was received, French
Canadian students to the number OF 800
carrying the tricolor, marched through
several streets of the city, giving vent
to cheers for Riel and denouncing Sir
John Mcdonald. Flags are at half
mast in many places. There will likely
be a demonstration tonight.
QUEBEC, November 16-The excite
ment here over the execution of Riel is
intense.
The soaffold had been erected within
a contracted enclosure, Immediately in
the rear of the guard house, and the
only view of which was through the
window. Immediately under the rafters.
The last sacrament was taken by the
condemned within the guard house
proper, and near the opening which led
to the scaffold. He responded to the
Latin prayers with full. clear voice,
while on Bonded knees. When the mo-
ment came for him u rise and have his
hands and arms piniOned, he kept look
ing up and slowly repeating prayers.
He then walked through the contracted
opening and down the narrow stair
way with his face turned away from
the few civilians and soldiers who
stood about the opening. When
he was about TO take his place on
the trap. the deputy sheriff asked if he
had anything to say. He turned to his
confessor, Pere Andre, and inquired
"Shall l not say a few words ?"
No. quickly responded the priest;
Make this last sacrifice and you will be
rewarded"
Riel turned and remarked: 81 have
nothing more to 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 praying. During the
night Pere Andre urged upon him not
to attempt an address upon the scaffold
and suggested that the reprieve might
still be on the way, but this idea RIel
repealed. He said he knew his hour had
come and that he was not only pre-
pared, but that he could not have il any
other way; as nothing but the
alternative of prison for life
awaited him. death was preferable.
During the night he addressed letter
to his mother and sister which touched
upon his affection for them. He then
added a cOdicil to his viii. specifying
that he desired his body to be laid be
side his fathers, in st. BOniface, at
Winnipeg, with the request that it be
carried out, Pere Andre going there
with his remains in few days. His
body was inferred underneath the
scaffoId to-day. He PRAYED almost
continuously during the night, employ
ing the written prayers of the church,
and he again prayed extempore in both
French and English: He directed
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, speak
ing of their efforts in going to England
in his behalf. The attending Father
said it was his duty to pray
for enemies. He replied, THAT is So"
and at once began. praying in English
for the Premier Of Canada. But in his
he asked that the govern
ment might soon be relieved from his
rule. He partook of light repast at Ii
o clock and ate no breakfast, which
caused him to show at one time some
signs OF faintness, but he afterWard |
completely recovered from this and |
displayed no effect in mounting the |
ladder, which led TO the attic of the |
guard house on his way to the scaffold, |
There was barely culver as the drop |
fell and his death was pronounced an |
easy one.
During the early hours of the morn
ing he gatheredup all the papers which
covered his desk, embody ng the sup
posed visions he had seen and his pro
phecies, and asked privilege from the
officer of the guard to destroy them.
This was allowed and he carried
them to an open stove and threw
them in, watching until flames
devoured them He then returned
to his cell and his devotiOns. 1t would
be difficult, at this time, to guage pub
lie feeling clearly in the northwest, as
to Riel. The expressed views are almost
entirely unfavorable TO him and the
nalf-breeds are usually silent upon the
subject. A majority of resident popula-
ton believed he deserved death and
this is undoubtedly the case in Man
itoba. Here, where he was tried, there
were some expressions of sympathy for
him and at times a declaration that he
was right in his demands, as they have
nearly all since been granted by the
hanging of ten Indian chiefs for atrOc-
tiles committed during the recent re-
beIlion, and in each case for a murder
committed. This will close the book
of criminal proceedings growing out of
the Northwest rebellion, as the
other persons convicted were for
prison sentences, all of which
sre now being served out.
The executioner of Riel was a man
named Jack Henderson. who was a
captive of Riel in the rebellion of 1870.
OTTAwA, November 16.-The news of
Riel's fate was first received quietly
here. The Protestant Conservatives
we're considerably elafed, however. over
what they term their triumph. A large
number Of them waited on the Premier
and Hon. Mackenzie Bowel, Minister
Oh Customs, congratu ating them on
carving out the sentence OF the
court. Among the French Canadians.
who are in q large minority here,
there is q deep feeling Of 6ispleasure.
The excitement is almost beyond re-
straint. A flag was hoisted at hall
mast upon the Canadian Office, and
some EngIish-speaking citizens, who
felt aggrieved at this. came near to
being roughly handleds Flags are
decked with mourning emblems, and
- mr., bovo orano on their hats and