The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1854-09-16


ported on the left by Mr.. Woodbury., and
observing many persons in his rear, and bel
ing himself rather to the right Of the Presi.
dent, in order to avoid wounding Mr.. Wood.
bury and those in the rear, he stepped lit
tie to his own right, so that should the ball
pass through the body of the President, il
would be received by the door frame or stone
wall, On being asked if he felt no trepiaa.
ton during the attempt, he replied not the
slightest, until he found the second pistol
lad missed fire. Then observing that the
President was advancing upon him with an
upllited cane, he feared that it contained
sword, which might have been thrust
through him before lac could have been pro-
tectcd by the crowd. And when interroga.
ted as to the motive which induced him 10
attempt the assassination Of the President,
he replied that he had been told that the
President had caused his loss of occupation,
and the consequent want OF money, aid he
believed that to put him out Of the way was
the only remedy for this evil but to the in
terrogatory, Who told you this, he could
not identify any one, but remarked that his
brothcr-in-law, Mr.. Rcdicrn, told him that
lac would have no more business, because he
was opposed to the President, and he belle
we'd Mr. Redfcrn to be in league with the
President against him. Again being ones.
toned whether he had often attended the de-
bates in Congress during the present session,
and whether they influenced him in making
this attack on the person Of the President
he replied that he had frequently attended
. the discussion in both branches of Congress
but they had, III no degree, influenced his
action.
Upon being asked if hc expected t. be
come the President Of the United States, if
] General Jackson had fallen, he replied no.
/ "Whcn asked whom he wished 10 bc the
/ President, his answer was there were many
persons in the House Of Representatives. On
being asked if there were no persons in the
senate, rs several; and It was the Senate to
which alluded. Who, in your opi non, Of the
senate, would make good President: lie
answered, Mr. Clay, Mr., Webster, Mr. Cal
houn. What DO you think of Col. Benton,
Mr. Van Rurcn, or Judge White for lrcsi-
/ dent: lie thought they would do well, On
/ being asked ii he knew any member Of
+ either House Of Congress, he replied that he
did not-and never gpOke to one in his life,
or they to him. On being asked what ben.
/ eft hc expected himself from tile death OF
/ the President, he answered he could not
rise unless the President fell and that he
expected thereby t, recover his liberty. and
( that the mechanics would al be benefited
4 that the me hsnics would have rcnty Of
work, and that money would be more plenty.
ON being asked why IT would be more plen-
ly,hc rephcd, 1t would be more easily obtained
from the bank. Onboing asked %hat bank,
he replied the Bank Of the United States
On being asked if he knew u" President,
directors or any OF the officers Of the bank,
or had ever held any intercourse with them
or k"ew how he could g"t money out Of the
bank, he replied no, that lac Slightly knew
Mr.. smith only.
ION beng asked with respect To thC
and whether he was particularly pleased viii
those of Messrs. Calhoun, Clay and Web
ster, he replied that he was, because they
were on his side. lio was then asked II hl
was wei pleased with the speeches oi Col
Benton and Judge White: lie said he was
ana thought 'o!one Beuton highly talented
when asked II he was friendly to Gen
jackson, he replied, no. why not? li'
answered because he WAS tyrant. W he
tod You he was tyrant: liz answered, II
was a common tax with the people, and
that ne had read It IN all the papers. H'
was asked Il be could name any one who nae
tod hln 50; lie f'Ph,a, no. lie wa
-skcd II he ever threatened to shoot Mr.
Clay or Webster, or Calhoun, or whether h,
would shoot them if he had an opportunity
He replied no. When asked il hc woul,
shoot Mr. Van Buryn: lie replied, no, tha
he once met with Mr. Van Burcn in the 70
tunda, and told him he va, in want ofmon
ey, and must have it, and ii he did not &c
It, he (Mr. Van Buren, or General Jackson
present during the conversation? He re
piled, that there were several pres Mt, ans
when asked if he recollectcd one Of them, h'
replied. that he did not. VI hen asked ianl
one advised him to shoot General jackson
or say that it ought TO be done? be replied
! DO not like to say. On being pressed ol
this point, he said no enc in particular hat
advised him.
"lle further stated that, believing tn
President to be the source OF nll his ditlicul
tics, he was stil! fixed IN his purpose to Xii
him. and ifhis successor pursued the SAM
course, TO put hun out of the way also-an'
declared that no power in this country cou!'
punish him for having done so, because /
would be resisted by the powers o! Europ'
as well as Of this country. lie also state,
that he had been long in correspondence
with the powers Of Europe, and that his fam
lily had been wrongtully deprived of tn,
crown Of England, and that he should yt
live to rcgani,, and that he considered til,
President of the United States nothing NOR
than his clerk
"We now think proper to add that tht
young inan appeared perfectly Tranquil! an'
unconcernod AS to the final result, ant
seems to anticipate no punishment for wha
he has done. The above contains the lcadin;
and literally expressed facts Of the whole con
vcrsa,ion he had with him, which continue,
Mt leaSt two hours. The questions wer
frequently repeated at different stages of tn,
examination, and presented in various
forms
1t is clearly TO DC seen from this mcdica
examination of the man, that this attcmptc'
assassination Of the President was one o
those eases of which history presents man,