The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1854-08-18
From Benton's Thirty Years View"
attempted Assassination Of General
jackson.

G,neral ceremonies oil Warren K. Davis, ESQ.,, III
The hall of the House OF Representatives, Of
,b;cb body Mr.. Davis had been a member from
The State OF South Carolina. The procession had
moved out with the body and IFS front had reached
the foo, OF the broad steps OF the eastern portico,
,ben the President, with Mr.. Woodbury., Secre-
,arv Of the Treasury, and MIR. Mahlon Dickerson,
Secretary Of the Navy, were issuing from the
door of the great rotun6a, which opens upon the
Dortico At that instant, a person stepped from
The crowd into the little open space in front of the
President, levelIed pistol at him, the distance
of about eight feet, and attempted to fire. Ii was
a percussion lock, and the cap exploded, without
firing the powder in the barrel. The explosion
of the cap loud that many persons thought
the pistol had fired | heard it at the foot of the
Steps Ear from the place, and great crowd be-
tween. Instantly the person dropped the pistol
which had missed fire, took another which he
held ready cooked in the left hand, concealed by
cloak-IeveIled it, and pulled the trigger. 1t
was also a percussion lock, and the cap exploded
with firing the powder in the barrel. The Presi-
dent instantly rushed upon him with his uplifted
cane; the shrunk back; Mr.. Woodbury.
aimed blow at him; Lieutenant Grdney Of the
Navy, knocked him down he secured by the
bysanders, who delivered him to the officers Of
justice for Judicial examination.
The examination took place before the CHIEF
Justice Of the District Of Columbia, Mr.. Cranch,
by whom he was committed, in default of bail.
HIS name ascertaned TO be Richard Law
renee, Englishman by birth and house painter
by trade at present cut OF employment, melan-
choIy and Irascble. The pistols examined
and found to be well loaded and fired, afterwards
without fail, carrying their bullets true, and dr-
wing them through inch boards at thirty feet dis
lance; could any reason be found for the two
failures at the door Of the rotunda. On his ex-
animation, The prisoner seemed 10 be at his ease
as if unconscious of having done wrong-relus
ing to cross -examine the witnesses W no testified
against him, to give any explanation of his
conduct. The idea of uDsound mind strongly
impressed itself upon the public opinion, the Mar
shall of the District invited two of the most re-
spectacle ply scians of the city DR. Caussin and
DIR. Thomas SeweIll to visit him and examine into
his mental condition. They did so, and the fol-
lowing is the report made upon the case:
1.-The Undersigned, having been requested by
the Marshal of the District of Columbia 10 visit
Richard Lawrence, now confined in the jail OF
tIEe county Of Washington. for attempt TO as
sassinate the President Of the United States, with
d view 10 ascertain, far practicable, the pre-
cent condition Of his bodily health and state of
mind, and believing TINT detail Of The examlna-
.IOp will he more satisfactory than an abstract OPT
Iion the subject, we therefore give the follow
ing statement % entering his room, engaged
in free conversation with him, in which he par
ticPated, apparently, in the most aress and I'M
pounded was as to his agG-whch question alone
h. sporti~eGg declined answering. We then in
qured into tale condition of his health for several
years pest--te which he replied that it had been
uniformly good, and that he had never Iabored
under any mental derangement; nor did he admit
the existence OF any al those symptoms of physi.
clI arrangement which Usually attend mental
alienation. He said he bora in Eng and,
and came this country when tweise thirteen
years of age, and that his father died iG tats Dis
triet, about eight years since that his ia
Their was a Protestant and his mother Methodist.
and that he was not professor of any religion,
bat sometimes read the Bible, and occasionally
attended church. He stated that ne was painter
by trade. and had followed 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 gen.
orally temperate in hIs habits, using ardent spirits
moderately when at work; but for the last three
or four weeks, had not taken any; that he had
never gambled, and, in other respects, had led
regular, sober life.
Upon being Intercepted as to the circum.
stances connected with The attempted dssassina.
ton, he said that he had been deiberating Oh it
Tor some time past, and that he had called at the
Presidents house about a week previous to the
attempt, and being conducted to the Presidents
apartment by the porter, found him in converse
ton with a member OF Congress, whom he be-
IeVed TO have been Mr.. sutherland, OF fennsyI' |
yana that he stated 10 the President that he |
wanted money TO take HIM to England, and that
he must give him a check on the bank and the |
President remarked, that he was too much eo |
gagged 10 attend to him-he must cal! another |
time, for Mr.. DibblG was in waiting for inter-
view. When asked about the pistols he had used,
he stated that his father had left him a pair, but
not being alike, about four years since he ex-
changed for another, hch exactly matched the
best Of the pair these were bot flint locks, which
he recently had altered to percussion locks, by a
Mr.. Boteer; that he had been frequently in the
habit of loading and firing those pistols at marks,
and that he had never known them 10 fail going
off on any other occasion, and that at the distance
Of ten yards the ball always passed through an
inch plank. He also stated that he had loaded
those pistols three four days previous with
ordinary care, for the purpose attempted; but
that he used pencil instead OF ramrod, and
that during that period, they were at all times
carried in his pocket; and when asked why they
failed to explode he replied he knew cause.
When asked why he went to the Capitol on that
day, he replied that he expected the President
would be there. He also stated that he was in
the rotunda when the President arrived; and on
being asked why he did not then attempt to shoot
him. he replied that he did not wish 10 interfere
with the funeral ceremony, and therefore waited
till It was over. He also observed that he did not
enter the hall but looked through q window from
lobby, and saw the President seated with mem.