Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1849-11-17


self, which arrested the attention of others
when Lawrence was secured by Capt. Ged-
ney, of the Navy, who clasped him in hi.
arms, and then pinon,d him. The cry
was instantly, skill him kill him, kill the
assassin" Gedney, however held the as
sassn fast, and demanded that law and JOS.
tice should take their course, hurried the
madman into carriage, and conveyed him
to prison. ..' Joy ''''
The excitement that Immediately ens,i-
ed, was terrific; the mass in attendance
swayed to and fro like the waves of the
ocean and hundreds not knowing what
was the actual cause Of alarm, attempted to
make preci pilate retreat, to avoid being
tramped on..Ha7#l ..,...-. idf
Unfortunately, as it afterwards proved,
the Hon. George Poindexter, Senator from
the State of Mississippi, was one among the
first TO make retreat. AS soon as the as
semblage evinced an intense excitement,
MIR. Poindexter, who had been crippled in
a duel, hobbled as fast as be possibly could
TO his carriage, and leaping into it, bade his
coachman drive with all possible CELEBRITY,
to Pennsylvania Avenue. This cxtraordi-
minds of many, the suspicion that very
speedily arose, that he had employed Law
renee 10 ssssssinate Gen. Jackson. ...
Between General Jackson and Mr. Poin-
dexter most acrimonious ieud had existed
for years. They had, at one time, been
on terms of the closest intimacy, personally
and politically. Mr.. PoindeXter had de-
Tended General Jackson with great ability
and success, in the matter of the Semino-
lean war, and the execution of the British
emissaries, Arbuthnot and Aimbrister, and
besides this, he had rendered him impor-
tant service in the canvass that had resulted
in his election. The contest over, and
General Jackson in office, Governor Poin-
dexter sought, and expected, it was said, a
diplomatic station, and being refused, OF
the gift being procastinated, feud ensued
which led TO the most objectionable bitter
ness on both sides. The parties, and the
friends of the parties, criminated and re-
criminated each other in a manner that led
to the most implacable hatred, and an un-
conquerabe thirst for vengeance.
To such length was this feud carried
that Governor PoindeXter, goaded perhaps
to madness by the taunts and snccrs of the
Globe newspaper, then the accredited orga'
: OF the government. despatched friend tc
: the White House with challenge, inviting
! General Jackson to mortal combat. The
: challenge, and The bearer of it, were treat.
, ed with corresponding indignity and CON
tempt and the latter was instructed to in
$ form his friend, Governor Pondexter, that
CAn,.o1 T., q
, blackguard, who was in the daily habit o
: horsewhpping his wife, This assertion
having been made public, Governor Poin'
dexter found it necessary TO appear before
! the public in Standardization. He denied
r ever having been guilty of any rudeness t(
the gentler sex; pronounced General Jack
, son slanderer, and as for the charge o
: horsewhpping his wife, he appealed tc
the lady herself to cantradict the calumnN
! or 10 sustain it.
D 1t was while this unfortunate state o
. things existed, that Richard Lawrence thu
: assassin, made his attack upon the life o
D General Jackson, and created the suspicion
, that Governor PoindeXter was his instiga
a tor.
d Governor Poindexter lived in Four-and
r a-half street, few doors north of Pennsyl
: vapia ayenue. Directly opposite stood ih
shop Of an Irishman, named Michael Foy
a blacksmith, and ''dootor of the diseases O
: horses" Pc.
;, Foy had been an applicant for work, il
: the way of his vocation, ON the publi
: buildings, and though often promised it, h
: had never been gratifed. He was a ma
= of rather immoral habits, and every thin
r, served to operate to his manifest disadvan
=, tagP.
n When the attempt Of Lawrence to ASA,
i snate Gen. Jackson was known throughor
the city, and the name of the assassin wa
v published, Michael recollected that he ha
n often seen Richard Lawrence 90 into an
st come out OF PoindeXter's residence. II
y forthwith communicated the fact to neigh
2. Dor, named Stewart, who, on comparp
y notes aud overhauling his memory, reco
a lected the sane thing. Foy and StewaI
vs. conferred several tunes on the subject, an
j. at last communicated all they knew 10
1 MIR. Louis Cotman, who was an Alderma
IN or councilman, representing one of tn
ID wards of the city OF Washington in its loc'
a Government. IS u
al Coltman was an active and warm polit
ID cal pattizan, devotedy attacked to,Generi
NJ Jackson, and ever ready to serve him.
,e Being aware that the General suspecte
Iv Poindexter, he called on him and state
10 what Foy and Stewart had declared. .Gel
N Jackson listened to him TO the end, and the
If told him he would have nothing 10 do wit
IN the matter as long as it presented an unal
thenticated aspect. &C.," said he, 90
al these men, and tell them if they know an,
of thing that will lead to the detection al
ad conviction of Poindexter, they must redut
n- it to the shape of sworn affidavit i
re them swear to what they profess to know
k and hand it to me, and ! will attend to It
rd Coltman, who was disposed to figo'
no somewhat largely in the business, did VIII
a Gen. Jackson suggested; and Foy and st
ed wart made affidavit of all they had see
ed and almost swore away the lie and reput
ed tion of George Poindexter. The old Gel
ny eral had the affidavits in his possession son