The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-04-28
Kicked Him Down Stairs.

II ID not generally known that an at
tempt was made to assassinate Mr.. Wade
in Washington during the war, about
the same time that an attack was made
on Mr.. Charles Sumner life. The great
Massachusetts Senator had been calling
at Mr.. Wade's, and had just left to 20
home. It was about 9 O CLOCK at night,
and Mr.. Sumner had just quilted Mr..
Wade's door, when q pistol-shot was
heard in the street. Mrs. Wade, who
was sitting in the parlor with Mr.. Wade,
sprang to her feet and said to her
husband:
Ny Godl Frank, I fear they have
killed Mr.. Sumner"
Wade, with the people of the house,
hurried to the spot and found Mr.. Sum
ner calm, but very pale and weak. He
said man standing on the outer edge
OF the pavement had fred at him with
pistol, the ball passing close to his
face and apparently hitting the wall.
The assassin then ran up an alley and
disappeared. The wall Of the adjoining
house was examined, and the ball was
found sticking between two bricks and
completely fattened out by it's force.
NO trace OF the assassin could be found,
and nothing was ever heard Of him.
A few days after the above occur
renee, a man called on Mr.. Wade about
o'clock in the evening, and pretended
he had important business with the
Senator and some papers to show him.
Mr.. Wade, at this time. lived on Four
and-a-half street in house owned by
Mrs. Barrett. Mr.. Colfax lived in the
house with Mr.. Wade, and both occu-
pied rooms on the second floor. The
man pushed his way into Mr.. Wade's
sitting-room and asked him if he would
read a petition. Mr.. Wade was alone
at the time, and something in the mans
face or manner aroused his suspicion.
Asking to be excused for moment, the
old Senator went into an adjoining
room, where lie and his wife slept, and
took pistol from drawer of a bureau.
Holding the pistol under his dressing
gown, Wade returned to the sitting
room, and, confronting the assassin,
said:
Now, sir, I am ready for you.
Where are the papers you wished me to
read?" ..
Drawing package from his breast
the man handed it to Mr.. Wade, with
one hand, while with the other he
grasped the handle of large knife
Quick as thought Wade saw it, and,
cooking the pistol, placed it under the
mans nose and said: s.-
Draw that knife, or attempt to draw
it, and you are dead mani"
The assassin turned very pale. and. at
the command of Mr.. Wade, held up his
hands. -.
Now, about facet" roared Wade.
The assassin turned his back, and
Wade, placing the muzzle of the pis-
toll against the back of his head, said:
Forward, march,"
In this way he marched the fellow out
Of the room, down the stairs, along the
hall, and, opening the street door, bid
him depart. Those who remember Mrs.
Barretts house will recollect the front
door is reached by ascending pair OF
winding stairs. just as the assassin set
his foot on the top stair, Wade gave
him q kick and q push that sent him
sprawling to the bottom, and he fell
headlong on the pavement. Then,
closing the door with bang, the old
man left the fellow to gather himself
up and get away as best he could.
Returning to his room, as coolly as if
nothing had happened, Wade put up
his pistol, and it was three or four
days before the family learned any
thing about the Gen.
Brlsbiqo.