The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-07-04

/ ANle AAAN AAIAN -
Jackson ia 1888, nTd the Killing u
President Lincoln ~ 05-lh ktcOEd
OF denominations la the Gid HOTld.
AsRmatter OF ia.srest to the read ers o
the INTELLlGENcER, and as appropriate to
the dlstresaiul occurrence at Washington
on Saturday laet, We give to-day the io!'
loving accounts a the attempt 10 assGasi.
nate President Jackson in 1885, and the
circumstances attending the murder oil
President Lincoln in 1865.
rHE ATTEMPT TO AssAssINATE OLD HICKORY.
Like wildire on the flowing prairie did
the announcement of he attempted assss'
sira,ion Of President Jackson, on the Sob
OF Jaanary, 1885, spread ever the country
to lie Furthermore limits. Consideration
Oiled the public mind ut the th~oughtthat
the ~;vesical mode q dealing with the
Crowapd heads Of kirRd9us aGd empires,
had nj last been tried though fortunately
with atn,'ive rciulw-uron the person OF
the peculiarly e!gG,ed ruler U. . Tree IT,
public!
Ga the aEernGou al the dpy above
raned, while President jackson waG IL
this Capitol, in attendance Oh the funeral
Of Hon. Warren Il. Davis, OF South Caro-
lima, Richard Lawrence, . painter, resid.
iug IL WRshingl0nr attempted to shoot
him. THIS individual was e Q 10 enter
he ball Of the House Of Representatives
during the delivery Of the funeral sermon;
before ii3 ClpGe, however he had taken biz
stand N the eastern portiCp, nG1r one u
tuu columns. Tbs president, with the
Secretary OF the Treasury on his left arm,
on retiring iTOm the ro'unda to reach his
GsrFiAge ~ tie steps Of the pOIliCo, i'd
vsnCed toward the spot where Lawrence
stOOd-lle had his pistol concealed under
his coAt-and when he approached within
two yards and half Uf him, the assassin
extended hiA arm aud leveIed the pistol at
tue Presidents breast, The percussion
cap exploded with II nOiEB 80 great that
several witnesses supposed the pistol hsd
tired, On tho instant, the assassin drop.
ped the piB,Ol from his right hand, and
taking another, Tesdy cooked, from his
LEFT, presented md snapped II at the
President, who Ut thU moment raised hiP
GlHG and made Tor the eETaiIRnt with lion
ike energy, aud would have executed
summary vengeance; but Secretary Wood.
bury and Lieutenant Quincy at The same
instant laid hold OF the man, who gave
way through the crowd ard was Of list
knocked down, the President preaainp
alter him until hG saw he was secured.
The Presidents friends then urged him to
90 to the Capitol, which the brave hearted
man did, with great iImneSs and self.
possession, though during tho eventual
GUment the Presidents commanding
voice was beard above all Others, az, tear.
ing himself from his friends and rushing
upon the assassin, hG said: "LRt me ~
gent)emen--l am not afraid-ihey cant
kill me | can protect myself" As snon
"a the act WAS known 10 the crowd, they
wished to Kill the assassin on the spot.
Lawrence was forthwith carried to Jail,
alter a brieI preliminary examination ba.
Mr. Ran 4olph, Sergeant OF the lIouss Of
Representatives, who attended the Mar.
hal to conduct The prisoner to the City
Hall, gave In testimony that the prisoner,
when tsktd by lhB Marshal what motive
he had to make his horlid attempt, stated
that the Pfesidont had Killed his father,
His father ~as al Euglishman who died
many years ago In Washington. The son
himself waa apprentiCed afterwards to a
DR. CLARK, with whom he lived three years
MIR. Clark, when called upon, said tina, no
way a young man OF excellent habits.
sober and industrious that he had aeen
him very frequently, and was well Rc.
quainted with him since he had left his
FAMILY and had heard nothing to his dead.
vantage, until, oil late, no was informed Of
Ills beirg Qusrrelsome among his friends,
and had treated one OF his sisters badly.
Tue total absence OF any personal motive
on the part OF tho prisoner to commit the
deed he attempted suggested the idea that
ue must be inaane. But his demeannr
when committing the act, and on being
sCized, As well as when examined, bore
not the ElightGst appearance Of irerzy, or
dPrar cement OF any sort. When aRked
~ the court II no wished To CroBs exam
ice the witness, or to make an expla.
ion, he answered In the negative; said
hat those present could state the facts, and
1t the conclusion, when asked II lie had
anything to offer, said that he could not
contradict what hsd been given 10 owl.
lpnCe. In the midst OF the excitement
ard anxiety which prevailed around
him, Lawrence appeared perfectly calm
ird collected and the president, In speak.
ing Of tue event, remarked that LaWTenCe's
manner from The moment his eye caught
uia, WAS Grm aud resolved, until the fail.
are OF his last pistn!, Yhen he attempted
10 shrink, rather than resist. Lawrence
WINS 4 handsome young man Of about
hittv five yeSIg, small In stature, pale
complexion, black hair, daIk eyes, geuteel
department and well dressed. The keeper
# the rUtunda etetgl that he had ice.
Qien,ly observed the man about tho Cap
IOl, 10 frequently that he had endesvored
o draw him into conversation but found
him t"aCituin and unwilling to talk. On
the day in question, be kept prowling
About, but did not come within the rail-
ny near the membeTs' seate; bis hand
was held inside biz vest, as II graphing
something, and his lips were pale and
luiyetinq On his Uiatola baing taken
from him, after thP affair, they we're found
to be a very elegant pair, In most elegant
order, and loaded With powder aud ball
almost 10 the muSzle, the barrels being
about six inches long. Ga examining
the load In Ons .! the pistols, a ball wsB
Drawn out by means oil u sGreW, about
sixty Of which balls would have nate q
pound; It WAS veil packed and forged
down tight on q full charge Of excellent
9lpSed powder. II was a most astonishing
circumstance, loaded es they were and
with percussion cape, that the pistols
missed fire. In view Of this latter last,
Mr. Key, the District Attorney, and Gen.
eral Hunter, the marshal OF the district
lost no tinp In testing the actual con,
dition OF the yEApOns, ibp pistol still
loaded beipg itst tried by pdltthR on
another cap. The tubs Of this pistol
showed the powderRt i's summit. General
Hunter, by inCliniug the pistol, threw out
A few grains OF THO powder 10 his hand.
They took from c boz OF Capp iolud In
LawreuCe's shop without selecting ii, ore,
which wOs placed upon the tube. On
| VEior DOnelEOu firing It, the ball passed