Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1835-02-09
ATTACK UPON THE PRESIDENT.
E.ramiaaiioa of Richard Laurence by Doctors
Causin and SERIAL.

che Marshal of The District of Columbia to visit
Richard Lawrence, now confined in the jail OF
the county of Washington, for an attempt to as
sassinate the President ofthe United States, with
a view to ascertain, as far as practicable, the
present condition Of his bodily health and state
ofmnd, and believing that detail ofthe exami-
nation will be more satisfactory than an al
stract opinion upon the subject, we therefore
give the following statement. On entering MS
room, we engaged in afree conversation With him,
in which he participated, apparently, in the most
artless and unreserved manner. Inc hrStln-
terrogatory propounded was, as tc his age
which question alone he Sportively declined
answering We then inquired into the condl-
ton of his health, for several years past-to
which he replied, that il had been uniformly
good. and that he had never labored under any
mental arrangement, nor did he admit the eX-
istence OF any of those symptoms OF physical
arrangement which usually attend mental allie
nation. He said he was born in England aud
came TO this country when twelve or thirteen
wears of age, and that his father died in this
District, about six or eight years since; that
his father Protestant and his mother d
Methodist, and that he was not professor OF
any religion, but sometimes read the bible, and
occasionally attended the church. he stated
that he was painter by trade, and had follow
ed that occupation to the present time; but, OF
late, could not find steady employment-which'
had caused much pecuniary embarrassment
with him: that he had been generally temperate
in his habits, using ardent spirits moderately
when at work; but tor the last three or tour
weeks, had not taken any; that he had never
gambled, and, in other respects, had led re-
gular, sober life.
Upon being interrogated as to the circumstan'
ces connected with the attempted ASSASSINATION,
he said that he had been celebrating on il for
some time past, aud that he had CALLED at the
Presidents house about week previous to
the attempt and being conducted TO the Presi
dents apartment by the porter, found him in
conversation with member ofCongress whom
he believed TO have been Mr. Sutherland, Of
Pennsylvania; that he stated to the President
that he wanted money to take him TO England.
and that he must give him check on the bank,
and the President remarked, that he was too
much engaged to attend To him-he must call
another time for MIR. Dbbe was in waiting for
an interview When asked about the pistols
which he had used, he stated that his father LETT
him pair, but not being alike, about four years
since he exchanged one for another, which eX-
actly matched the best OF the pair; these were
both flint locks which he recently had altered
to percussion locks, by Mr.. Boteler; that he
had been frequently in the habit OF loading and
firing those pistols al marks, and that he had
never known them to fail going off on any 9th
err occasion, and that, al the distance OF ten
wards the ball always passed through an inch
plank He also stated, that he had loaded those
pistols three or four days previous, with ordina-
~ care, for the purpose attempted; but that he
used pencil instead of ram rod, and that
during that period, they were at all times car
ried in his pocket; and when asked why they
failed TO explode, he replied, he knew no cause
When asked why he went to the Capitolon that
day he replied that he expected that the Presi-
dent would be there. He also stated, that he
was in the Rotundo when the President arrived,
and on being asked why he did not then at
tempt to shoot him. he replied that he did not
wish to interfere with the funeral ceremony,
and therefore waited till il was over He also
observed, that he did not enter the Hall, but
looked through window from the lobby, and
saw the President seated with members OF Con-
gress, and he then returned to the Rotundo, and
waited till the President again entered it, and
then passed though and took his position
in the east portico about two yards from the
door drew his pistols from his inside coat pocket,
cooked them, and held one in each hand. con- |
cealed by his coat, lest he should alarm the
spectators-and states, that as soon as the one
in the right hand missed FIRE, he Immediately
dropped or exchanged it, and attempted to hre
the second, before he was seized he lurther
stated that he aimed each pistol at the Presidents
heart and intended, if the first pistol had gone
off and the President had fallen, to have defend
ed himself with the second. if defence had been
necessary On being asked if he did not expect |
to have been killed on the spot ii he had killed
the President he replied he did not; and that he |
had no doubt but that he would have been pro-
tected by the spectators. He was frequently
sent from whom he expected protection
To this he replied, that he never had mentioned
his intention to any one, and that no one IN par
ticular knew his design; but that he presumed |
twas generally known that he intended to put
the President out OF the way He further stated, |
that when the President arrived at the door,
near which he stood, finding him supported on
the left by Mr. Woodbury., and those in the rear,
and being himself rather to the right ofthe Pre-
sident, in order to avoid wounding Mr.. Wood
bury, and those in the rear he stepped little TO
his own right, so that should the ball pass through
the body Of the President it would be received !
by the door-frame. or stone wall. On being !
asked ifhe felt no trepidaton during the attempt:
He replied, not the slightest until he found that
the second pistol had missed fire. Then observ- !
ing that the President was advancing upon him, !
with an untitled cane, he feared it contained a
sword, which might have been trhust through
him before he could have been protected by !
the crowd. And when interrogated as to the !
motive which induced him to attempt the asSas- ,
sination Of the President, he replied, that he had
been told that the President had caused his loss |