The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-09-08
GOLD HICKORY'S NOSE"
Lieutenant Randoiph's Attack III prcsi
dent jackson.


ant Randolph's attack on President Jack
son in 1888
Lieutenant Robert Is. Randolph, Of the
navy, on board the f-iga;c Constitution,
was appointed by captain Patterson, in
in the year 1928, to assume the duties. of
acting purser, in the place of John Is.
Timbcrlake, the purser, who, i'm a fit of
drunken delirium, had committed suicide.
Timberlakc was the first husband of the
future Mrs. General John III. Eaton, nee.
Peggy O'Neal, who enjoys the dubious
honor OF having caused the dissolution of
General Jackson's first Cabinet. Ran
dolph took charge of the office of duties
cf pur.er, and, i'll his statement of the case
he complains that the survey and inven-
tory required by the regulations or the
law were not made, and that lie was
which were not on hand After some
years he was found to he defaulter, ON
what he insisted was III assumed state of
facts, when he took charge Of the purscr.
ship. ~ court of inquiry was appointed
cxonerated him from all intentional mis-
!, use OF the pubiic property, but not from
the default. They reported him to be
orable. Otherwise lie was an efficient
officer, who had rendered The country
valuable service. On this report Gener.
Jackson dismissed him from the service.
In spite of the strenuous efforts of influen.
tial friends in his behalf. TWAS to avenpe
himself for his injustice, as he regarded
it, that he made the violent ASSAULT upon
the President. The friends of General
,.s1 IL
fact but his opponents insisted that Ran
dolph pulled the old hero's nose. That
seems to have been the purpose of the
r,ufiian, at any rate; and the blood upon
the generals face would seem to prove
that the attempt was successful
The opportunity for this outrage was
portion of his Cabinet, his private secre-
tary, and other friends, down the Poto-
mac to Fredericksburg in Virginia, to wit
ness the ceremony of laying the corner.
stone of the monument to the memory of
the mother Of Washington. The boat
stopped at Alexandria for few moments,
and while there are numper of persons
came on board, and among them Mr..
Randolph, the late lieutenant in The navy
who had recently been dismissed from
the President was seated and engaged in
reading newspaper. Ho advanced to-
ward the President rs il to address him,
and seemed to be in the act Of drawing his
glove. "The President" says the account
in the Globe, mot knowing him, and sup
posing, it was some person about to salute
him, and seeing him at some difficulty
in getting off his glove, stretched out his
hand toward him saying, Never mind
your glove, sir Randolph having then
disengaged himself from his gloves.
thrust one hand violently into the P1esi-
dents face, and before he could make use
of the other received blow from a gen.
tleman standing near by him with an
umbrella Almost at the same time
two other gentlemen in the cabin sprang
upon him and he was dragged back and
thrown down.
"'rhe moment he was assaulted the
President seized his cane which was lying
near him on the table, and was forcing
his way through the gentlemen who had
crowded round Randolph, insisting that
no man should stand between him and
the villain who had insulted him T.; that
he would chastise him himself Ran
dolph by this time had been borne to-
ward the door of the cabin, and pushed
through it to the deck He made l,is way
through the crowd on deck and the
wharf, being assisted, as is believed, by
some rutfian confederates, and made his
escape. He stopped for q few moments
at tavern in Alexandria. and passed on
beyond the district line. The grand Jury,
then in session, in Il few minutes found
a prcsentment against him, and the court
issued bench warrant. A magistrate
had just previously issued a warrant, but
before the officers could arrest him he
was gone"
An eyewitness, writing to the Rich
mond Enquirer, gives some additional
particulars, rs follows: "When the
President said, Never mind your glove
sir Randolph said in low tone that he
came to, take his revenge by pulling his
nose suiting the action to the word.
The President exclaimed in astonishment
What, sir! What, sirr Randolp on the
instant was struck by Mr.. Potter with an
umbrella vety severe blow, which
knocked him against the berth. Captain
Brown seized him and dragged him with
violence from the President, and Major
Donaldson rushed toward the table in his
anxiety to protect the President. 1t was
the work of an instant The President
exclaimed, scizing his stick, Let no man
interfere between me and this personal as
sault am an old man, but perfectly
capable of defending myself against, and
furnishing dozen cowardly assassins.
1t is said that person named Thomas ap-
preached the President, and, rendering
his hand, observed that if he would
promise to pardon him he would murder
the bastard The President put by
his hand, saying: NO, sir ; l do not
wish the majesty of the laws insultcd 70,
me- am capable Of defending myself
against insult"
One OTHER FACr.-"Are you &C
quainted with this lady?" asked Little
Rock lawyer Of witness in Court.
| eyes, used to know her pretty well
but I've lost track of her for several
years"
"Wcrc you intimately acquainted with
her?''
"Can't say that was so powerful in
innate. Bout rs intimate rs two people
out to be-"
"You visited her at one time, didn
you ~ and the lawyer, who in sly way
was trying to impeach the character O
the woman, looked at the jury and wink
cd.
"Well, she used TO come 10 my house
occasionally"
"Will you allom: TIC 10 ask" and he
looked at the jury, "whethcr or not this
woman visited you in the day time or a,
night"
time and stay all night"
| "Would there be any one else i'm the