The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-02-16
Attempted AssassinattOn OF Gov
Packard.


CINCINNATI, February ia New
Orleans operator Just reports that Gov.
| Packard has been asssssinated.
New ORLEANS, February l5--About
noon to-day in an alteration in bis office
with a man who is unknown to the
police on duty in the State house, Gov.
Packard was shot in the knee cap.
The party who did the shooting was
fred on by bystsnder and wounded in
the arm.
The statement of an eye witness:
Shortly after the occurrence two men,
one of them the wounded msn, who
gave his name as Jos. Huttle, but whose
real name is w. II. Weldon, and slim
one armed man, who gave no name,
called at the door of the State capital
and asked TO see Mr. Packard. They were
brought to the head of the stairs, when
Weldon represented that he was cor
respondent of the Philadelphia Press,
and desired to see Governor Packard.
Weldon reached the executive office,
where he found Mr.. Packard seated at
his desk talking to Judge Bosrdmsn.
Weldon sat down in chair, and after an
instant somewhat sharply asked, When
can l see you?' Mr. Packard turn
ed and found pi.tol aimed at his head.
He Immediately struck it down and the
weapon was discharged the bsll striking
him in the right knee cap and inficting
u slight wound. Mr.. Packard dealt him
blow with his fist. knocking him
| down. Several parties IN the room drew
pistols and fired, wounding the would-be
assassin seriously but not fatally. One
OF the armed men was arrested snd con-
veyed to the office OF the Superb tendent
OF Police. Weldon was kept close
prisoner in the executive office.
The man who tried TO Kill Packard
SAYS his name is William Henry Wei
don, and his home is IN Philadelphia.
He says further that he has q
mother and sisters living there. With
regard to his attempt to kill Packard,
he says there We're tour others with him
who were to assist, bu. when reaching the
door of the State House they re used to
20 10, and left HIM ~ cary out the plan
OF assassination alone. Weldon is not
very seriously hurt. The ball hit bIm in
the lett arm just below the shoulder, and
| seems to have come out at the elbow.
2:20 p. NJ. Packard's wound is very
slight, only flesh wound.
NEW ORLEANS, February l5-The
Republican, says: In addition ID the sc
count Of the affair at the State House
this morning, which agrees substantially
with that heretofore sent, Weldon, when
told that Gov. Packard had saved his
life, seemed to break down, saying, Did
Governor Packard save my life? /
should ike to zee him. Tell hIm | want
10 see him. lie was nicely dressed,
good intelligent tacn, dark hair and
brown mustsche, face clean. He wore n
large and evidently new Masonic badge.
The man was evidently q stranger. The
marks on his clothing indicated the truth
of his story concerning his name, rs did
also the papers in his pocket,
and Masonic diploma. The assassin
gained admission u the Governor g
psrlor by representing himself to be n
correspondent OF the Philadelphia Press.
| A comraGe WAS arrested and Is now in
custody, and another succeeded in escsp-
| ing. On the person of the assassin was
found letter from Charles Schwartz,
Bethlehem, Pa, dated september 18th,
1863, recommending William II. Weldon
as having been pupil N his school,
and another dated from the same place,
February l6th. 1867 recommending
Weldon as al energetic business man OF
good morals, and another dated Cincln-
natl, o., April 20, 1872. recommending
w. II Weldon as an honest, careful
business man, and sIgned I. NJ. Brown,
formerly of Brown X Coleman, SprIr e
field, Illinois.
PHILADELPHIA, February l5.--lrqu!-
ries made at the office Of the PhIIadel-
phia Press disclose the fact that VIM. II
Weldon, the person who gained sdmis-
sion to the Executive Mansion 81 New
| Orleans to-day, upon the pref nee that
he was a correspondent Of that journal,
| and then sho. Governor Packard, has no
connection whatever with the Press, and
nothing is known OF aim at the Office OF
that paper.
NEW ORLEANS, February l5.-There
was no blood drawn by the bullet said
70 have been fired 1t Packard. The re.
suit was only slight bruise. Weldon
| claims 10 be the sou OF Lutheran MN
ister in PcnnsylvanIa. Being asked
his motive, he replied only patriotism.
He had only been in New Orleans TWEEN
ty tour hours.
Dispatches from GOV. Nichols.
WAsHINGToS, February l5.-The fol.
| lowing dispatches have been received TO.
night from Gov Nichols relative " the
attempt 10 murder Governor Packard At
| New Orleans this morning:
NEW ORLEANS, February -.
To E. A. Burke, Washington:
"In answer ~ your di.PstCh have
taken steps to acquire full Information.
Boylon reports the entrance to the -.
LoIis hotel denied 70 our police. Have
not ascertarned who he il. Report SAYS
a correspondent Of s Phrlsdelp phia paper.
| Circumstances, time, place, &c, point TO
! the act OF lunatlc. NIH telegraph
fully as soon as get definite informa-
| tion. r. L NfcH9LI.
NJ XIV OELEAhs, EcptGaIN ID.
! To T.. A. B,rk.. r. B,rts and W. VI
| Lery, Washington:
Everything Is perfectly qliet and
peaceable here. A Republican extra this
evening. says the man who attempted %
shoot Governor Packard WA evidently
q stranger here-ihst he stated that be
had only been in the city twenty four
hours-that Packard wss slightly grszed
by ball but the would-be assassin Sa'
shot in the arm. Our police attempted
| 10 obtain acc,ss for the purpose Of OBJ
tanning evidence on which 70 sr'
rest the man casrged with the AZ
tempted crime but were refused
nd 7 ission into the St Louis Hoysj
By tnoss in charge = The man /
now 10 the custody Of Psckard's police
Men re now engaged in trylr & 70 sscer'
tain the facts. ! can conceive Of nc
l --..-. g. the -. QhaYgad unles he