The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1882-06-09
"oLD moasIDEs."


Samuel Worthington Dewey was a
somewhat eccentric Cape Cod captain,
1t times one of the Lords ~unaccOunta.
bles, and Just the man for q reckless act
or q daring exploit. He had lately re-
turned from the West Indies with q car
60 Of sugar, and his employers, the firm
Of Henry q William Lincoln, having dis
posed Of both ship and cargo, our cap
tain was entirely at leisure at the partic-
ular period Of our story, and the old
adage was proved that Satan finds
mischief STILL" etc. One day, while sit
ing in the c~ounting-room of this firm, on
Central wharf, the conversation turned
upon the subject of the Dissertation of
the old ship, as the indignant Wings at
that time of great political excitement
deemed it, when Dewey remarked, II
have a great mind to 60 over there some
night and cut off that head;'' to which
the junior partner of that firm replied,
rather in a bantering way, dewey, if
you will do that, I'll give you a hundred
dollars" ''Done!' said Dewey; II will
take that"
But at the moment his challenger did
not dream it would be done, and thought
no more of it. In the course of a week,
or Whereabouts, Dewey informed these
friends that he had ''been over to the
n~avy-yard accommodating, andhad made
up his mind that he could do it." Still,
as the captain was a little erratic and
uncertain, the matter was not seriously
considered by these merchants. f
A few mornings afterwards, as these
gentlemen were coming down town to
business, they observed, as they neared
Change and the State Street sidewalks,
that many were chatting on the broad
grin, and that evidently there was news
in town, when some mutual friends
stopped them with the startling intelli-
| gence that the Jackson f%igurehead on the
old Constitution" had last night been
decapitated. l was then a lad i'll n New
Hampshire town where there was q
"Jacksonite'' majority, and l distinctly
remember the warmth and indeed rage
of the discussions ''of those J~acksonites''
upon the streets, on the one side, and
the glee and enjoyment of the "Adams-
ites," on the other. Political rancor in
these days is nothing in comparison
The specific dates are of no consequence
here; but, the occasion soon offering it.
self, dark and stormy night, amid
thunder and lightning, Captain Dewey,
provided with a gimlet and n saw, let
himself down into a little flat bottomed
skiff from Battery Wharf, and padded
away for Charlestown and the ship in
question, which at the time was anchor
ed in the stream, about ready for sea,
and off the ~navy-yard. He had recent
IL nnfinA1 IN email YNon1nnt Yonn Il , o1,,,or
over her side, within reach; this, when
alongside, he made fast to, and Chamber
ing up her great walls, entered q port
hole upon the gun-deck, and creeping
forward to the bride port, went out of
that, and upwards, till he reached the
spar or upper deck. He could hear the
steps of the marine guard on duty, and
amid the flashes of the lightning he could
distinctly see him pacing to and fro,
and was obliged to govern his move
ments accordingly, for at times he came
within four feet of him. At length u
adventurer perched himself under the
bowsprit, and obtaining q standing-place
in the foot-ropes, bored the gimlet for a
handle into the presidential head, and
worked away with his saw at the throat.
Here he soOn found resistance in q stout
copper bolt, which was q perpendicular
obstruction running up into the head of
the figure. He therefore made another
essay, beginning at the chin, and thus
accomplished his object; but before the
final stroke he took the ~precaution to at
tach one end of his handkerchief to the
gimlet, and the other he made fast in q
buttonhole of his coat. Now, to secure
the weighty prize and safely retrace his
course to his boat, was as may be mag
ined, a difficult task. 1t was % bowling
night, and the rain poured in torrents.
With many lodges of the l~ightning's
glare and sentinel's eyes, which at times
he could distinctly see, he at length
dropped into his little craft, to find it
full of water, for he had made it fast
Just under the outlet of the deck SOUP
pers, and a copious waterfall had done
the work. Not at o loss in this emerg-
ency, however, the captain, as noiseless-
ly as possible, bailed out his boat with
his hat, and, cutting loose, let her drift
out into the darkness at her own sweet
will, till he was far enough out of harms
way to take his paddles.
Returning to the city with this head
in a bag, he first deposited il in the
wood-shed attached to his mothers res
idence, then on School Street. The
furore became so intense, however, and
the rage of the Jacksonites SO universal
and alarming, he again removed his de-
post, and this time to the residence of
the senior member of the firm above al
tuded to, then on a street at the West
End, and there bestowed it in a cham
pagnc basket, under O bed. Anew trusty
members of the Wing party were let in
to the secret, and soon, at adinner-party
arranged by Parker Pierce, at Concert
Hall, this counterfeit ~presentment of the
peppery old generals caput occupied
a central place in a dish upon the table.
Subsequently it figured in New York,
where l think Daniel Webster presided,
and in Philadelphia under the custodian
ship of Nicholas Biddle, whose enjoy
ment OF the incident can easily be mag
ined by those familiar with the political
events of those days. AL those concern
QH WALL Eonf fhas~ roo-.t x,.tl c GI~l.k. |