The daily gazette., 1877-02-16
THIRD EDITION /!
ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION
STEPHEN b. PACKARD SHOT AND
SLIGHTLY WOUNDED IN THE
.. ST. LOUIS HOTEL.

HIS AssAILANT, A SUPPOSED LUNATIc:
SHOT AND ARREsTED-THE STORY
OF AN EYEWITNESS.
New ORLEANS, Feb. 1.-THE extra
Times has the following statement of an
eye witness of the occurrence:
Two men, one of them the wounded
man, who gave his name as Jos. Huttle,
but whose real name from papers found
in his possession is ascertained to be w.
III Weldon, and slim one-armed man,
who gave no name called at the door
of the State Capitol and asked to see Mr..
Packard, There was some demur about
admitting them, when one proclaimed
himself to be an ex-Federal officer and
the other discharged soldier. They
were brought to the head Of the stairs.
where Weldon represented tina. he was
correspondent of the Philadelphia Press
and desired to see Governor Packard
The name of Joseph Huttle was sent in,
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 chair ON his right
Weldon sat down in a vacant chair i'm
mediately on Mr., Packards left, and
| after an instant somewhat sharply asked
"When can see you?" Mr.. Packard
turned and found pistol aimed at his
head. He Immediately struck 1t down,
/ and the weapon was discharged, the
ball striking him in the right knee-cap
and inf1icting a slight wound. Mr.. Pack
ard Immediately dealt the man blow
with his fist, striking him between the
eyes and knocking him down.. Several
parties in the room drew their pistols
/ opI AroI tuoupdipnr the yUnnld-ha oQ-
sassin seriously but not fatally. A scene
/ of intense excitement Immediately fol
lowed. The one armed man was arrested
conveyed to the office of the Superinten-
dent of Police, and Weldon was kept a
| close prisoner in the Executive office.-
Mr.. Packard was conveyed to his private
apartment. ON the second floor OF the
building, where his wound was examined
by DIR. A. W. Smylhe. 1t is not OF
serious character. 1J uJl
The man who shot Packard says that
bis name is VIM. Henry Weldon, and
that he istbe son Of Lutheran min
| lister in Pennsylvania. On being asked
| his motive for the attempted assassina-
| ton, he replied, "Only patriotism" He
| had only been in New Orleans twentv-
| four hours. He also says that there were
four others with him who We're to have
assisted him in the undertaking but that
upon reaching the door of the State Houe
| they refused to 90 in, and left him to
carry out the intended plan of assassina'
| ton alone.
Weldon is not very seriously hurt. The
| ball struck him in the left arm, just be-
I low the shoulder, and seems to have come
| out at the elbow. 1t was thought at hrst
| that he was killed. -,,t
When Weldon was told that Governor
! Packard had saved his life he seemed TO
break down saying with a gulp, .!Did
Governor Packard save my life? should
like 10 see him; tell him 1 want to see
him." ....flrt. ..... ., ..l
The would-be assassin was nicely dress
ed, has an intelligent looking face darh
hair and brown mustache, cleanly shaver
face and wore large and evidently new
| Masonic badge. The man was evidently
a stranger.
man, who were present, say thatW eldonf
pistol snapped and Packard was shot ac
cidentaly by a pistol aimed at his assaii
| ant. III. 't- ...-.r. I- 81,