Maumee City express. [volume] (Maumee City, Ohio) 1838-184?, 1840-01-18
THE FIGURE HEAD.

THE FIGURE HEAD.
The decaptation of the figure head of
General jackson from the frigute Constitu-
ton, has always been regarded as a most
bold, eccentric and remarkable occurrence.
That it was extremely mortfying to our
citizens to see the PROV of our favorite ship
put to such use, is natural enough: but
that any individual should have dared to
board the ship and cut off the head, is
scarcely credible, Nevertheless, it was
done, and not only was no effort made to
substitute another, but the daring individual
makes no secret of it, nor has the Govern
ment thought fit to prosecute. The fol-
lowing letter, copied from the N. Y. Des-
patch, under the signature of the perpet'a-
tor, tells how it was DONE. The letter is in
all respects a curiosity.
New YORK, Dec. 18th, 1889.
STR:-In your paper of the lth inst an
peared an article, taken from Burton's
Magazine, purportng to give all erpose Of
circumstances connected with the "decupi !
tation of the Figure Head of Old Iron |
sides," during the twenty-four hours pre-
ceding the 4th of July, 1910, at the U. s.
Navy Yard at Charestown. The state
ment is incorrect in every particular SO far
as the " Decapitation" is concerned, except
one, viz: that the deed vas done by a
Cape Cod Seaman"
In cutting offthe figure head, I concev-
ed was only "foiow ing in the footsteps
of ma illustrious predecessor" He took
the responsibility to certain things;
aud as some things may be done as well as
others, 81 took the responsibility to do
what did, like them, stand ready to an
swer for my deeds. Whether they were
good or evil" remains to be shown by the
test stone of time. | will now proceed to
point out few OF the most bare faced mis-
representations made by the writer. He
sta tes that was exceedingly alarmed after
having perpetrated the act; that divisions
of the U. S. marshal, and district attor-
nies," SC. &c., were constantly floating
before my eyes, whether sleep or awake.
To this grossly false assertion, | have only
to state, that early on the morning after the
cutting off of the figure head, called at
the U. S. Mdrshalls office, and, in com
mon with those present, expressed much
astonishment at the sad catastrophe which
had befallcn the figure. bewailcd with
them the loss of the darling head" but
then could not fully sympathize with those
who considered it as "national calam
ity."
The writer also states that | mounted
the bows to the bowsprt of the Constitu-
ton, and then sawed away. The truth is
this: went up the ships side where all
!, gentlemen visitors 90, and entered the re-
gular gangway. There was no "climbing"
work entirely clear, and the very elements
seemed to favor the enterprise. There was
no traces of saw dust left; all were wash
F ed away by the rain that fell in such tor
rents as to lead me to suppose for the time,
that the "flood gates of heaven had burst
asunder for the express purpose OF driving
the sentinel from his place of duty. He
went "for shelter" under the caves oil
the house that covered the Columbus
, line of battle ship, which lay directly
! along sde-thus leaving the way entirely
clear for the operator to perform head
! work." unmolested. / was on board hard
at work from IL midnight till 8 A. M, and
= at no moment of the night did the rain
r ceaseto fall IN torrents, the lightning to
hiss, and the thunder to roar-it was one
constant flash, constant peal, and constant
. :, pouring of water from above; and in fact,
if Espy, the "Storm King, 'had been master
of ceremonies on the occasion, thingscoud
not have been done up in better style than
"Dame Nature" served them up herself
I frequently caught sight of the sentinel as
he tried to dodge the fashes-he snapped
his eyes much after the manner Of a toat
: under currant bush watching lightning
| have been thus particular with regard tc
II the sentinel, as the commander of the sta
: ton, on the following morning, accused the
e poor fellow of" winking at the act"
1t is true he did wink at the operation
but he did it innocently; and should thi'
y paragraph ever meet the eye of The Commo
dore of the station at that time, l hope hi
: will wink at the poor sentiners fault, and for
give him for ignorantly suffering me 10 Dc
m that which caused him so much pain ant
l. chaerin, that fear he will never entirell
is recover from it. Perchance may pop il
l. upon the Commodore some future time
y and further enlighten him on this Head
= Should he ever visit this city, he wiii nm
h, me at II South street, where am doing
$. cent per cent general commission busl
t. ness" and where shall be happy to Sc
g all who may be disposed to throw any bu
,e siness in my way. 1t IS further stated b.
/ the writer of the article on "Los'ng tn
e. Frigate's Figure Head" that on the morn
al ing after having cut off the head, "calle
of in fellow lodger, made known the mid
III night undertaking to him, left the head
r his charge, and then repaired to Ne'
W York" The truth is as follows: The ger
Mt tleman who was my room mate at:the tim
ly alluded to, now resides in this city, and WI
" testify that he did not know who was tn
"Decapitator' till more than year ate
the deed was done. As to myself, instea
Of repairing Immediately to New York.