The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-02-16
GOVERNOR PACKARD SHOT.
an ATTEMPT TO tssissINtTE HIN IN
THE STfTE UOUsE
The wcrs of n runatic a shot Intended for
the Covenants Heart striking Him In tbc
kuec Statements of the Spectators.


Ruec Statements of the Spectators.
NEW ORLEANS. Fob. 15-About noon to-
day. In an alteration In hs oalc with m an
who Ia unknown ~ tho police on duty in the
State House. Gov Packard was aho, in the knoc-
cap. The man who did tho shooting was fired
upon by hy-tan lcr and wounlo.l Ia the arms
Tho extra Tunes haa tho following:
At half paet II o'clock this morning the
vicinity OF tho Governors room, in 81. Louis
strrct stat" House rang with tho sharp reports
of two pistol shots. frcd almost simultan soualy
and in nm instant there was intense excitement
abroad and rapid hurrying OF - crowd toward
the gubornatornl apartment Here II trans
prcd that Mr. Packard. while seated in his
chair. surrounded by a half dozen callcrs had
bscn suddenly approached by ona of tho parties
who. drawing n pistol and lcvcllng II at Mr..
Parkard'a hcart at almost point blank range
pulled the trigger At that worry instant Mr..
Packard struck the weapon down. and stimuli
tanoously with that movement the weapon ex-
plodod and tho shot struck Mr. Packard In the
knce. At that instant Mr. Packard closed with
the man md throw him to The floor. Diligcnt
ANYTHING about him, or anything about tho
causn oi tho attack. Report has II that he was
"A correspondent for u Northern paper.
The following is the statement OF eyewitness
Two mon. ono OF them the wounded man. who
as"crtainrd to ~ ". H. Weldon. and a slim ono
door Of tho state Capitol aud askcd to see Mr..
Packard. There was some d'mur about admit
ting them. when one proclaimed himself 20 be- nm
eN-f'd'ral oni'nr. and the other discharged
soldier They wcre brought to tho head OF the
stairs where Weldon rcpr,-entcd that h. was
aud desired to see Gov Packard. Tho
name nan Of Jeecph Hai'lo was sent in. but
Weldon rca 'hcd the Executive oflirc. WHORE he
found Mr. Packard seat ed at his desk talking to
Judgr Doreman 9f Caddo, VINO occupied chair
chair Immediately on Mr Packari's len. and
ai,.,r an instant somewhlt sharply, asked,
and saw a y stol at his head. H. immcdiat ,ly
struck it down., and the weapon was dis
knoc-'ap. ma king slight wound. Mr., Packard
Immediately dealt the man blow with his llSt.
strlklng nm between the Dyes and knocking
him down several persons IN tho room drew
their pistols and iired. wound ng the would-bc
n--nssin seriously. but not fatally. or course a
enc oi intense Mcit.inrnt immediately fol;
lowed. Tho one-armcd man was arrested and
ukrn to the ON ~ of the Superintendent of
Police. and Weldon was kept a close prisoner in
the Executive oir'c Mr. Packard was taken TO
his private apartment on the second floor of the
buildings where his wound was examined by
pr. A. W. Smythc. II IL not of u serious char
''.r.hut might prove 80 " not carefully tended
ami VIII lame him for several DAYS.
l. " liam Henry Weldon. and that his homo is
in Philad"lphia, He says. further that he has
" UlfllfI anu NlNtftf HNllE iilfrt. WIN Regard
e. his attempt to Kill Packard. hc says that there
wrin four others with him who woro to hnvc ns-
sisted him IN the undertHking but that upon
rcarling the door uf the STATE House they re-
fused to 70 in and left him t. carry ont the in
tended plan Of hs-nS- -inuiiun alone. Weldon IL
not very seriously hurt. The ball struck him in
the left arm Just below the shoulder. and seems
t. have come out at the elbow. 1t was thought
at first that he WIS Killed. but IL seems he was
only stunned and faint from los, Of blood. At
hhli. past tWcN" he wn~ 80 much revived as to
b. ahl" Ia converse with those about him.
An oNtrn R'pubiicdn says the woud-bc nssas-
! sin WIS nicely dressed. has an int'igcnt-look
/ iug fac, dark hair. and brown moustachc.
! clcanly-shay.h face nnl wore large and evil
IDENTITY Now Masonic badg" The man was cvi-
IDENTITY a stranger. MARKS on his clothing indi-
eat the truth of his statement concerning his
name. ~ did also papers in his pocket and a
Mas me- diploma. The a-~Assin gained admi--
| siuh to the Governors parlor 10y representing
hini~rli To- b" a cOrr"-l pnd"nt ot the philadcl-
nhia PfesS \ cumrade WAS arrested, and is
nvN in clos" custody Another succeeded in
making his c-rap" On tn" person of the as
sus-in W. found n letter from Charles
hwNrtl. dgt'd Bethlchom. Pa. sept. % 1865
ommeniins William Weldon ~ having been
pupll IN his school; another dated NJ the same
plh' f"N. H.. 1851. recommending Weldon ~
AN energetic hu-in man of good moral hah-
T.; another dnt9d Cinc,gnMi Ohio. April 20.
lN'2. recon mm"ndng ". II. Weldon ~ an hon
,-l, CAREFUL business man, signed q. NJ. Brown.
iprmcriy Brown ~ Coleman Of Springfield, Iii.