St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1877-02-23
Another Wilkes Booth.

ATTEMPT TO AssASSINATE GOV.
An attempt was made last Thursday
to assassinate S. B. Packard, the Re-
publican Governor of Louisiana, at the
state house in New Orleans, but he re-
ceived only a wound in the knee, while
the woaldbe assassin was shot in the
arm, and he and a confederate are in
custody. Two men, one the wounded
man, who gave his name as Joseph
Huttle, but whose real name from the
papers found in his possession is ascer-
tanned to be w. HI. 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 an ex-
federal officer, and the other dis
charged soldier. They were brought
to the head of the stairs, where Weldon
represented that he was correspond
ent of the Philadelphia Press, and de-
sired TO see Gov. Packard. The name
of Joseph Huttle was sent in, but the
Onearmed man declined to enter. We'll
don reached the executive office, where
he found Packard seated at desk talk
ing to Judge BOreman of CaddO, who
occupied a chair on his right Weldon
sat down in vacant chair Immediately
on Packard's left, and after an instant,
somewhat sharply asked, ''When can |
see you?" Packard turned and saw pis-
tol aimed at his head. He immediately
struck it down, and the weapon was
discharged, the ball striking him in the
right knee-cap, and inflicting a slight
WnnnH Packard doolt
the man blow with his fist, striking
him between the eyes, and knocking
him down. Several persons in the room
drew pistols and fired, wounding the
would-be assassin seriously, but not
fatally.
scene of intense excitement follow
ed. The one armed man was arrested
and conveyed to the office of the su-
perintendent of police, and Weldon
was kept close prisoner. Packard
was conveyed to his private apartment
on the second floor of the capitol, where
his wound was found to be not OF a Sc
rious character, but might prove so if
not carefully tended, and it will lame
him for several days.
The motive of the crime does not
appear. The man who fired the shot,
after being arrested, gave his true
name, and said that four others were to
assist him i'll the undertaking, but, upon
reaching the door of the state house,
they refused to go in, and left him to
carry out the plan of assassination
alone. He was nicely dressed, had a
good, intelligent looking face, dark hair
and brown moustache, his face other
wise clearly shaved. He wore large,
and evidently new, Masonic badge. On
WeldOn's person was found a letter from
Charles A. Schwartz of Bethlehem, Pa,
September %, 1868 recommending Will
liam Weldon as having been a pupil in
his school, another dated ut the same
place, February Is, 1867, recommend
ing Weldon as an energetic business
man of good moral character. Another
dated Cincinnati, o., April 20, 1872,
recommending w. II. Weldon as an
honest, careful business man, and signed
6. M. Brown, formerly Brown g. Cole
man, Springfield, Ill. Packard might
have killed him easily, after he fired
his pistol, but he spared him, and when
he was Informed at the station house
that Gov. Packard had saved his life.
he seemed to break down and said with
a gulp: did Gov. Packard save nv
life | should like to see him. Tell |
him | want to see him." His wound is |
not serious.