New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-02-16
DETAILED REPORTS.


day the city was thrown into intense excitement by
areport which spread like wildtire. that Gov Pack
ard had been assassnated in his office in the State
House At first rumor had it that he had been
titled but soon il became known that-though the
nistol with which his life had been attempted was
fr,d when the would-be assassin was within arms
zach of him-Goy. Packard was only slightly
xounded in the knee. Various versions of the mat
.er were circulated among the crowds who thronged
The streets and the most exaggerated reports gained
,o,dv credence Soon after noon extra edition of
The Ne,r-Orledns Times was issued, and circulated
rapidly throughout the city. 1t contained the fol
lowing account of the shooting:
Al halfpast IL o'clock this morning the vicinity or the
Governors ROOM in Louis Street State House rang
with the sharp reports Of two pstoshots, fired almost
simultaneously, and in instant there was intense ex
ctsment abroad and rapid hurryme OF crowd toward
the GubernaOral apartment Here 1t transpred that
M Packard while seated in his chair surrounded by
hafdozen callers had been suddenly approached by one
~ the men whO drawing pistol and levemg it at Mr.
pcsards heart at almost poinblank pulled the
trigger At that very instant Mr. Packard struck the
weapon down. and simultaneously with that movement
the weapon exploded, and the shot struck Mr. Packard
IN the knee At instant Mr. Packard closed with the
man and threw him the floor Diligent inquiry failed
70 dyuge the name of the anything about him. or
ANYTHING about the of the attack Report has 1t
that he a correspondent for Northern paper but
now al information is vague.
From the gentlemen who were present 1t soon be-
came generally known that Gov Packard was not
wounded so seriously the report In The lines
seemed TO indicate but that the bone uninjured
and he was suffering only from slight flesh wound
. ACCOUNT BY AN EYE WITNESS.
Following is the statement of an eye witness of
the occurrence " Two men, one of them the wounded
man. who gave his name as Joseph Huttle, but
sion is aseertained 10 be W. Fl. Weldon. and slim
one-armed man who gave name, called at the
door of the State Capitol and asked to see Mr.. Pack
ard There was some demur about admitting them,
when one proclaimed himself TO be an ex-tederal
officer and the other a discharged soldier. They
we're brought to the head of the stairs, where
Weldon represented that he correspondent OF
The Philadelphia Press, and desired to see Gov,
Packard. The name of Joseph Huttle was sent H.
but the One-armed man declined to enter.
Weldon reached the Executive office, where he
found Mr.. Packard seated at his desk talking to
Judge Boreman of CaddO, who occupied a chair on
his right. Weldon sat down IN a vacant chair mme-
djateIy on Mr. Packard's left and after an instant
somewhat sharply asked, When can | see you
Mr. Packard turned and found a pistol aimed
At his head He Immediately struck II
down and the weapon was discharged, the
ball striking him in the right knee-cap
and infcting . slight wound Mr.. Packard
Immediately dealt the blow with his inst,
striking him between the eyes and knocking him
down Several gentlemen in the room drew their
pistols and fred, wOunding the would-be assassin
seriously but not fatally. OF course scene OF IN
tense excitement Immediately followed. The one
armed man was arrested and conveyed TO the Office
OF the Superintendent of Police, and Weldon was
kept close prisoner in the Executive Office. Mr..
L. Il % his iyaf4
the second floor of the building where his wound
was examined by Or. A. w. Smythe. 1t is not of
serious character but might prove so if not care
fully tended and will lame bin for several days"
An ORGANIZED CONSPIRACY.
The man who shot Packard now says that his
name is William Henry Weldon and that his home
is in Philadelphia. He says further that he has
mother and sister living there With regard to his
attempt TO kill Packard, he says that there were
four others with him who were to have assisted him
in the undertaking but that upon reaching the door
Of the State House they refused TO go in. and left
him to carry out the intended plan of assassination
alone. Weldon is not very seriously hurt. The ball
struck him in the left just below the shoulder,
and seems to have come ont at the elbow. 1t was
thought at first that be was killed, but it seems be
was only stunned and faint from loss of blood At
1890 he was so much revived as to be able 10 con-
THE AssAssIN's BEMORsE.
An extra Republican, in addition to the account OF
the affair at the State House this morning, which
agrees substantially with that heretofore tele-
graphed. says that when Weldon told that Gov.
Packard had saved his life he seemed TO break down,
saying with a gulp. Did Governor Packard save
my life should like TO see him. tell him | want 10
Bee him. The would-be assassin was nicely dressed,
has an intelligent looking face. dark hair, and brown
mustache, clearly shaven face, and wore large and
apparently new Masonic badge. The man was evil
IDENTIFY stranger. Marks his clothing Indicate
the truth Of his statement concerning his name, as
0id al papers in his pocket and Masonic diploma
Inc ASSASSIN gained admission 10 the Governors
par0r by representing himself 20 be a correspondent
Of The Philadelphia Press A comrade arrested,
ana Is now in close custody. Another succeeded IN
making bis escape. On the person Of the assassin
was found letter from Charles H. Schwartz dated
bethlehem, Penn. Sept. 20. 1868, recommending
william Weldon as having been pupil III his school.
another, dated at the same place Feb. It, 1867,
recommending Weldon a. an energetic business man
o. good moral habits Another dated Cincinnati,
OHIO April 90 1872, recommending w. Ii. Weldon
a an honest, careful business man, signed q. NJ.
bfo"n formerly Brown 81 Coleman of Spring
bed. ILL.,
Weldon claims TO be the son of Lutheran min
kte IN Pennsy vania. On being asked his motive
ir the attempted assassination, he replied, only
patriotism lie had only been in New-Orleans -
hours.