Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1880-04-30
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Kicked Him Down Stairs.

1T is 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 Summers life. The great
Massachusetts Senator had been calling
at Mr.. Wades, and had just left to 60
home. It was about 9 o'clock at night,
and MI. Sumner had just quilted Mr..
Wade's door, when pistol-shot was
heard in the street. Mrs. Wade, who
was sitting in TIE parlor with Mr.. Wade,
,sprang to !. her. feet and said to her
husband:
"My 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
a 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 fiattened out by its force.
No trace of the assassin could be found,
and nothing was ever heard Of him.
A few days after the above occur
renee, man called on Mr.. Wade about
8 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 petition. Mr.. Wade was alone
at the time, and something in the mans
face or manner aroused his suspicion.
Asking to be excused for a moment, the
old Senator went into an adjoining
room, where lie and his wife slept, and
took pistol from a drawer of abureau.
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 a 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:
DRAW that knife, or attempt to draw
it, and you are dead man!'
The assassin turned very pale, and, al
the command of Mr.. Wade, held up hi
hands.
"Now, about facet" roared Wade.
The assassin turned his back, anc
Wade, placing the muzzle of the pis
tol against the back of his head, said
Forward, march!"
In this way he marched the fellow on
of the room, down the stairs, along tn.
hall, and, opening the street door, biz
him depart. Those who remember Mrs
Barrett's house will recollect the from
door is reached by ascending a pair o
winding stairs. Just as the assassin Sc
his foot on the top stair, Wade CAV
him a kick and a push that sent hin
sprawling to the bottom, and he fel
headlong on the pavement. Then
closing the door with bang, the oh
man left the fellow to gather himsel
up and get away as best he could
Returning to his room, as coolly as j
nothing had happened, Wade put u
his pistol, and it was three or fou
days before the family learned any
thing about the occarrence.-Gen
] Rrjchi17