Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-07-15

men and then spring chairs and desk towards him into
aise leading from the main entrance where You
heard no word from you until you arrested your
towards Mr. Churchwell When you first from
seat saw Mr. Churchwe suddenly put his hand the
direction Of his desk then step from you into the ne aisle
and turn round when he surrounded by many gentlemen
VINO rose instantly to prevent collision. When Mr. Church
turned in his hand as high as his breast
which, from its brightness took to be dag
ger very large knife gentleman caught him by the
hand and the weapon disappeared. more of it that
i Iknow Of.
After order restored and Mr. Churchwe had resumed
his seat Isaw him touch gentleman in front him on the
shoulder and apparently address him. when the gentleman
took something from his pocket and handed Mr. Church
tough might easily Be mistaken 4. ali events s
| il had net ~ glitter Of the frat instrument
HxTytr nly, yours, cHAs. JAMES.
~~<<-e=saS 80 Il yyAsu,seros J6Lr g. 1854. q
DEAR SIR In reply your note of to-day requesting
TO state what relative the which occurred
between yourself and dr. Churchwel the 13th ultmo
On tho 18th ultimo few after the House of Rep
resentatves convened in the gallery of the House directly
IL ana M
Mr. Chuhwe rise to speak, after several attempts to
get the aoor hen he put his hand in his coat pocket and i'm
medatey took and carried under the desk where he
was standing He then commenced speaking At that time
you reatng newspaper and did rise from your
seat until MrChurchwen used the word colleague" when
You arose from your seat and remained sanding till Mr.
Churchwe usd the words alse, iaanaously false = when
put his hand under the desk and took thcreom pistol
occupied. At this instant you placed your foot upon
and gave spring, bounding to the main aisle Of the
House. within o q M hea was
YOU which prevented you from making further attempt
to reach Mr.. Curchwell. You did not speak make
mark until tie Sergeant Arms had reached the Of
disturbance and when Mr.. Churchwe surrounded by
large numb the members Of the House, when heard you
pronounce linn ga liar and assassin perfectly
fLen hait was pistol which Mr.. Churchwel exhibited.
Hon. WIKI cuLiox. CHAs. P. COLE.
WASHINGTON, July s, 1854
DEAR fin In reply to your Of to-day, state that
the occasion of the difficulty alluded to in your my
cnoI vss directed to Mr.. Churchwe Isaw him in the act
Of drawing pistol. At the time the pistol Mr. Church
well hadno succeeded in freeing his person though the
pistol w clearly visible. he was seized immediately hyper
him. who seemed to be endeayoring to prevent the
exhibition or the use of it.
Your obedient servant,
Hon. VIZ. CULLoH. w. P. HARRIS.
HOUSE or REPRESENTATIVES, july 5, 1854
DEAR SIR Your of this date referring the difficulty
between Churchell and yourself the 9th uimo and
nquirng whether found pistol part thereof
gave to Mr.. is before In answer to note
have to say that after order had been restored in the hail.
the occasion referred discovered and picked detaeh
ed portion pistol lying within three four feet of the
| seat occupied by Mr.. G and handed it to him.
Very respectfully, yours,
Hon. WIZ. CuLLoA. z. KlDWELL. ~
HOUSE REPRESENTATIVES, july 5, 1854
did admit in congregation with me that he wai
armed the time Of his unhappy affair with yourself 1t il
he himself for the occasion referred but tina
he had been in the habit of carrying for many years.
j Respectfully; your friend,
Con. CULLoM. GERRIT SMITH.
leave the statements of the gentlemen who corrobo
rate my assertion, that my colleague had deadly
weapon in his hand at the time sprung from my seat
into the AISLE to make their just and natural impression
without any particular comment from me- submit that
there is no greater discrepancy in their testimony to
the facts of this than would be likely to exist among
equal number of witnesses Of equal intelligence and
Responsibility in any other case of similar nature
Their testimony is all positive in its character Each
states the facts the transaction they appeared to
him. without any concert correction of his own i'm
and recolectons BY comparing them with those
Of others
what is the position in which the denial and positive
proof now laid before the public places my colleague
In bis card he states that the which had
been made in various quarters that he had armed himself
for the occasion, and that he had exhibited deadly
weapon during his remarks in the House,
every particular" He further states that he did not
draw weapon at ALL In the closing sentence Of his
card he declares that his only motive I'm publishing it.
suppose he means to vndcate the truth and place
the facts fairly before the public" No human being
could know all the facts connected with the transaction
go well himself He knew when he published his card
whether he went into the House the morning of the
occurrence question armed and determined to attack
me in manner which he expected would provoke in
4 slant assault by upon him. He knows whether he
had not informed Of his friends that such his
intention and whether he had not requested them to
stand by him. He knows whether he did not deliberately
take from his pocket from his bosom some weapon
either bowie knife pistol and place it, under
of loose paper in the drawer Of his desk, under
upon his DESK before he commenced his attack upon
he knows whether he did not take up the weapon thus
deposited before sprang from my seat He knows whe
ther that weapon bowie-knife or pistol. He
knows what became Of that weapon and if pistol
whether any part Of became detached in his attempt to
cock it, and what became Of it. If it was bowie knife,
he knows what was done with it If it really the
motive of my colleague, in publishing his card to place
the facts Of the fully before the public why did he
not tell oil that he knew about thems
My colleague admits, implicitly, in his card that il was
his habit to carry wherever he goes; and have
since learned from those better informed than myself
that he habtually carries both and pistol
about his person. But the singular and important
fact to my knowledge since the Of the
10Th instant in the House that my colleague had actually
notified Of his friends of his intention to attack
that day. and requested them to stand him. Learned
this from of them. So much rs to the motive
ed by my colleague in publishing his card to wit, to
place the facts fairly before the public"
As to the it stands upon the proof now exhibit
both Sides cannot suppose that reasonable doubt
can exist in the mind Of any the main points in
issue. Messrs Wright and Morgan both of whom state
that they the pistol other weapon exhibited by
colleague when sprang sitting OF the time in po-
sons from which 1t is almost certain that they could not
have any thing in the hands Of my colleague after
sprang from my seat into the main isle They could only
have the pistol before left my seat for the moment
alighted in the aisle surrounded by crowd on