The Bossier banner., 1881-03-03
The, Attempt to Assassinate President
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President Jackson's life, owing to the
nature of'some of the political measures
urged 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,
.butonee only with; mlrderous intent.
This occurred January 80, 1885, The
President was attending. atthe Capitol,
the. funeral ofth 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 distanceo OF eight feet, de-
/ liberately leveled "a pistol at him and
1 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
bury's arm and advanced toward him
| furiously with uplifted cane, but before
he could reach him Lieutenant Gedney,
of the nayys had knocked the, assassin
down, and disarmed him. He was taken
to jail, and proved to be a crazy En-.
glishnian named Lawrence. a houses
painter by occupation, but long out of
| employment, and, like 'Bealinghanl, who
slew Mr. lPercivaL the British Prime
Minister, in 1911, attributed his business
misfortunes to the Governments, and
held its head ), responsible for. them.
| With greater humanity than was shown
Bellingham, Lawrence was sent to
lunatic asylum, where, after several
years confinement. he died GGl5eail5
The President for sometime believed
that this attempt on his life was the .re7
suit ola conspiracy and the person he
most suspected was the Hon. George
Poindexter, Senator from Mississippi.
There are preserved with his papers
1.-TWO affidavits, which probably furnished
the foundation of such an impression. Il
t'David Stewart having made an oath
on1ithes Holy Evangels, etleposeth and
saith that about the last day Of Decem-
Der. 1854, on the. 1st day of January last
| QS35, he, the Geponent, saw, Richard
Lawrence 60 into Senator Poindexters s
dwelling house, on Four-and-a.half
Street, on the Tuesday before the at
tempt to assassinate the President of
| the United fStates;l he, this deponent,
| saw Senator Poindexter and Lawrence
iniSenator Poindexter's ssage-way1 in
conversation y -, ifi-t F...ts.--g..s
Mordecai Foy, under, the same
solemnities,s testified that his shop is
opposite to the dwelling house Of Seia-
tor Poindexter, and that he had seen
Richard Lawrence go into Senator Poin-
dexter's house and return out again
at different times;i 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 go into Senator Poindexter's 8
house and return ~ 1881 HoI u9AW
Upon the backSof these documents is
indorsed in the Presidents handwritino:.
lfsDayid 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 A ! 1901 oaaYsa Yaya ylg,1e
General Jackson and Governor, Poin-
dexter had once been friends The lat
terFwas his ablest and, most. eloquent
defenderawhen the Generals 5 conduct in
the Seminole war was arraigned in Con-
gress in 1919. While their quarrel had
its origin in politics, there was also
considerable admixture OF personal mis-
understanding and repulsion. So pref
udiced was jackson 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. .,,.