Sharp County record., 1881-03-17
The Attempt to ASSasSinate President
jackson.

President JacksOn's life, owing to the
nature of some of the political measures
uroed by him, and the depressing effect
they for the time had upon the business
interests of the country, was often
threatened. He was twice attacked,
but once only with murderous intent.
This occurred January 50, 1885. The
President was attending, at the Capitol,
the funeral of the Hon. Warren R. Davis,
n late Representative in Congress from
South Carolina. While stepping out
upon the portico, holding the arm OF
MIR. Woodbury., the Secretary of the
Navy, he was confronted by a stranger
who, at the distance OF eight feet, de-
liberately leveled a pistol at him and
pulled the trigger The weapon missed
fire. He dropped it and instantly drew
another, which also missed fire. The
President, discovering his desperate de-
SIGN. released his hold of Mr.. Wood
brlrv's arm and advanced toward him
furiously with uplifted cane, but before
he could reach him Lieutenant Gedney,
of the navy, had knocked the assassin
down and disarmed him. He was taken
to iail, and proved to be crazy En-
cliShman named Lawrence, a house
banter by occupation, but long out of
employment, and, like Bellingham, who
slew Mr.. Perciyal, the British Prime
Minister, in 1911, attributed his business
misfortunes to the Government, and
held its head responsible for them.
With greater humanity than was shown
I-Bellingham, Lawrence was sent to
lunatc asylum, where, after several
years confinement, he died.
The President for some time believed
that this attempt on his life was the re-
suit of conspiracy, and the person he
most suspected was the Hon. George
Poindexter, Senator from Mississippi.
There are preserved with his papers
two af1idavits, which probably furnished
the foundation of such au impression.
"David Stewart having made an oath
on the Holy Evangels, deposeth and
saith that about the last day Of Decem-
Der. 1884, or the 1st day of January last
1885, he, the Geponent, saw Richard
Lawrence 90 into Senator PoindeXter'
dwelling house, on Four-and-a-half
Street, on the Tuesday before the at
tempt to assassinate the President OF
the United States; he, this deponent,
saw Senator Poindexter and Lawrence
in Senator Poindexter passage-way in
conversation.
"Mordecai Foy, under the. same
solemnities, testified that his shop is
opposite to the dwelling-house of Sena-
tor Poindexter, and that he had seen
Richard Lawrence 90 into Senator Poin-
dexter's house and return out again
at different times; and particularly on
the Tuesday previous to Lawrence's at
tempt to assassinate the President OF
the United States did he see the said
Lawrence 60 into Senator Poindexter s
house and return"
Upon the back of these documents is
indorsed in the Presidents handwriting:
"David Stewart and Mordecai Foy-
affidavits- said Lawrence frequently
going in Mr.. Poindexter's lodgings and
coming out. Tuesday before attempt to
assassinate President. He and Poin-
dexter seen in conversation on Tuesday
before the attempt on the President,
February 4, 1885,"
General Jackson and Governor Poin-
dexter had once been friends. The lat
ter was his ablest and most eloquent
defender when the Generals conduct in
the Seminole war was arraigned in Con-
gress in 1919. While their quarrel had
its origin in politics, there was also a
considerable admiXture OF personal mis-
understanding and repulsion. SO pref
udiced was Jackson's mind toward his
former friend that he could have be-
lieved almost anything of him. Law
rence's visits to Governor PoindeXter' S
house were satisfactorily explained. He
had called there to solicit work.