The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1882-03-16
Former Attempts on victoria's Life.

Queen Victoria seems to bear charmed
life: She has oftentimes been fred upon.
In June, 1910, rs she and Prince Albert.
&c "hcu; she had been married only few
months, were driving up Constitution
Hill in low carriage, she was twice fred
a. % d young man named Oxford
Neither shot took effect. He was pro.
nounced insane by the jury before whom
ne was tried, and committed to an asy.
ium Tor life. 1t was apparent, however,
that he knew what he was about, and
TWO year. later, when hearing in the
asylum OF similar attempts of Francis
ana Dean, ne declared That ii he had
been hanged there would be "no more
shooting at the Queen" "Mv chief
anxiety, wrote Prince Albert, "was lest
the fright should have been injurious to
the Queen in her present state" No
tack brought cut fervent demonstrations M
of popular loyalty.
made to kill. On MAY 20. as she and
the Prince were riding out in I,ondon hma
the Prince saw bad looking man point
d pistol aud heard it snap. as If Il had
missed fire. The Queen was looking the
other way and did not notice Il. Nh
arrest was made, as the action was uu.
observed by the officials aud bystanders.
Next day boy told one of the royal
attendants that he saw q man Level q
pistol and lower it again, exclaiminp.
Fool that was rot to iirein These
things caused good deal OF uneasinesa
but the royal couple concluded TO drive
out as usual. AS they were drawing near
their London palace, on their rei5rn ns n
shot was fred from the short distance Of
hye PAGES. II vaa badly nimad. and the
ball, If fired. probably passed under the
carriage. The man was arrested and
identified by the boy. He did not an.
lear insane, but was coarse and wittv
trying to make fun of the Judges. His
name was John Francis, tWenty.two
years old, and the son Of joincr. He
was condemned to death for high treason.
when his courage deserted him and he
tainted away. His senteaco was after.
ward commuted to transportation for life.
as there was doubt rs to whether tha
pistol was loaded.
The trial OF Francis took place on the
18th of June, and on the Sd of Julv
following hunchback named Beaf,
pointed pistol at the carriage in which
the Queen. her husband, and her uncle,
the King of Belgium, were sitting. The
pistol missed fire, and the would be as.
sassin was seized by q boy of sixteen
named Dassell. The pistol was found
to contain powder, paper tightly rammed
down and a clay pipe. The Queen had
not noticed the movement, and was not
told of her peril until after she had
reached the palace. A measure. which
it was thought would prevent future ut.
tempts, was carried through Parliament
with all possible haste. Beams weapon
was so harmless that it wonld have seemed
like judicial murder :. hang him for his
act, though no was technically guilty of
treason. He was therefore tried under
the new law, which provided for trans.
portation for seven years, or imprison-
nient with or without hard labor for a
term not exceeding three years. the cul.
prit to be publicly or privately whipped,
as the Court should direct, not exceeding
three times. Bean was sentenced to
eighteen months imprisonment.
1t was believed that this whipping
penalty would be a powerful preventive
of the assaults of semi.maniacs, and 40
it long proved. A few years ago how
ever, half crazy young Irishman point
ed an unloaded pistol at her Majesty.
He was imprisoned aud birched as il he
had been q schoolboy. This drove all
the tragic romance out of him, and ON
his liberation he emigrated to Ausfrai-
asia, We believe. He had ia the mean.
time conceived sincere respect for the
woman he had threatened, and addressed
poems to her. These the Queen kindly
accepted, and she is said to have taken n
real interest in his welfare.
OF the last attack our readers arc fully,
informed.