TROOPER AND REDSKIN.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 470, 10 May 1890, Page 3

TROOPER AND REDSKIN.

The Last Days of Louis Riel. Our London correspondent draws attention to some interesting extracts from a new work published in Canada, called “ Trooper and Redskin,” in which an attractive picture is drawn of the famous half • caste Riel. Le Petit Napoleon of the Nortii-west. I don’t want to attempt a psychological analysis of this man’s character, though as will be seen subsequently —I had abundance of special opportunity to study him. I verily believe he imagined he was created to be the saviour of the hali-breeds and tho founder of a new nation that was to be established betweentheSaskatchewan and the Missouri. His visionary schemes had taken such a grasp upon his superstitious mind, that he had worked himself into a full belief of their feasibility. This terror of Red River and Saskatchewan notoriety was a man about sfb 7in in height, with a pale, flabby face, dark grey eyes closely set together, restless in their 'expression. His nose was slightly aquiline, his hair and beard were reddish in hub, his lips were thick, and his neck long. He spoke invariably in a low and gentle tone.

Riel in Gaol. My first experience of taking care ot the rebel leader was as follows 1 was marched into the corridor, and given my orders by the corporal. Then the provostsergeant, who is responsible for the discipline of the prison, came to me and impressed upon me that I was to keep a particular eye upon Riel, and see that under no circumstances did he communicate with or speak to any of the other prisoners. “He is sitting warming himself by the stove just now, and you can turn him into his cell after a little while.” The stove stood in the centre between two blocks of cells. The passages ran down the front of the cells from both sides of the guardroom. Every door could be fastened simultaneously by a lever worked from the latter place. Each of the latter apartments possessed an open grating in the centre of its wooden door, which was tho only space through which light could penetrate. There were windows along tho opposite walls, which at night were hung with lamps with powerful reflectors. I found Riel clad in a dark tweed suit, wearing a blue knitted tuque upon his head. There were a number of other prisoners, including a few troopers ‘ in ’ for breaches of discipline, standing around him. He was sitting on a wooden stool with his feet up against the stove. Ib was necessary for him to move that I might pass. * Excuse ms, Mr Riel, I wish to pass; sorry to trouble you.’ ‘Oh! no troobeil at all. If that, was all the troo-bell it would be well. This was said with a pleasant smile, French accent, and a soft tone of voice. He was most studiously polite, and painfully deferential. He occupied the cell next to the guard room on the left hand i side. Writing was his continual employ- ' ment when he was not praying or at exercise. A shelf formed his bed, and a small table stood alongside. In front of him was a metal statuette of St. Joseph, and when he was telling his beads he would carry this image in his hand, and hug it. His countenance usually displayed a calm composure, and his grey eyes were nearly always bent on the ground, as though he were wrapped in contemplation and study.

‘A Prophet on the Saskatchewan. 5 The literary work on which he was engaged was supposed to be a sort of Apologia pro Vita Sua. He commenced spouting French vigorouslyonenightwhenall wasstill, reading aloud from his manuscript. This brought the sergeant very briskly to the wicket. He ordered me to 4 tell Riel to stop that racket.’ I did so, and after lie had subsided into silence he came to his peephole and beckoned to me. 4 1 tell you ; bub for the others—No !’ he exclaimed in a hurried staccato. ‘I must read; the Spirit tells me I' must, I tell you for 15 years —it is since—that I have been a prophet on the Saskatchewan !’ This, of course, was a fable, and I knew it. I must say his conduct in prison was most exemplary, and he gave no trouble. Every request he made was most courteously worded. On the Sunday previous to his execution, I was on guard, and formed one of the escort when he was taken out for exercise. On this occasion we proceeded to the square patch of ground between the orderly room and the guardroom. The officer strolled about on the side-walk, while we stood at ease, one at each corner ; Riel walked between us in a diagonal direction. A covered-in platform had been put up in the yard, at the rear of the prison, with all the grim accessories of the coming ceremony, presently he asked me, pointing—

Ms that the scaffold ?’ I said it was. * Thank God !’ theatrically, * I do nob fear the scaffold. ’ Then he grew excited, and appealed to (!? the officer to send a telegram to his .wife, who was at St. Boniface, the French suburb of Winnipeg. I remember the scene well, the figure holding out the ball and the chain on one arm, and gesticulating wildly with the disengaged hand. The End. Mr Gibson, the deputy-sherifl, entered the condemned cell a few minutes before eight, and informed Riel that his hour had come. Tho latter turned ashy pale as soon as he realised his position, but braced himself together as well as he could. The hangman was Jack Henderson, who had been a former prisoner at Riel, at Fort Garry, in 1869. Verily the tables were turned with a vengeance. He was waiting on the platform. Before stepping out upon this, the priests and the prisoner knelt down in prayer, all except the guard removing their hats. Riel made tho responses in a firm voice. His whole demeanour betokened suppressed excitement ; his brow was covered with beads of perspiration, while he held a crucifix which had been lent to him by Madame Forget, the wife of the clerk to tho North-west Council. r The time went up. Pere Andre told R.iel that they mu.»t cease. They all rose, and Pere Andre asked the doomed .man if.ffie were in peace with all men. Riel answered in the affirmative. ‘ Do you forgive all your enemies ?’ ‘Yes.’ \ Riel then asked if he might speak, bub he was advised nob to do so. He then received the kiss of peace from both priests, and Father Andr6 exclaimed — ‘ Alors, allez au ciel !’ While the conversation was in progress, Henderson had been engaged in pinioning the prisoner’s arms. Or. Jukes, Colonel Irvino, with the two priests, and two of the newspaper men, wentout upon the platform. Riel was placed upon the drop, where his legs were pinioned and the rope adjusted. His last words were to say good-bye to Dr. Jukes and to thank him for his kindness, and just before the white cap was pulled over his face, he said — ‘Remerciez Madame Forget.’ While he was praying the trap was pulled. Death was instantaneous. His pulse ceased beating four minutes after tho trap-door fell. Thus ended the man who had inaugurated and carried out two rebellions. As for the wild outburst of political frenzy that swept over the Provence of Quebec after the execution, is it not written in the book of tho chronicles of the time ? _____