The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1889-06-08
JACKSON AND CLAY.
Some New Stories About Two Dis
tinguished Americans.

Some New Stories About Two Dis
tinguished Americans
On the records of the court OF
Sumner county, Tenn, for the year
1895, there is this entry:
"The Court thanks Andrew Jack
son for his brave conduct"
There is no information concern
ing what Mr.. Jackson had done to
deserve thanks in this form, at least
at the court in question. "Old Joe
Guild" a prominent lawyer and
State character, who died a few
years ago, removed from that coun-
ty to Nashville. He used to relate
that when he grew up and became a
Jackson man there were still mag
istrates living of the 1895 period.
OF them he inquired concerning
this entry. 1t seems that the county
court had the trial of misdemean-
ors. A gang of bullies defed the
court, juries and sheriff and per-
sisted in terrifying the surrounding
country. They were indicted by the
grand jury, but came into court
and declared that they would not
be tried; that it was against the
laws of nature which governed the
conduct of gentlemen and protected
them from such undignjfed prose-
cution. Ay the next term of court
Jackson had been chosen district
attorney. On his arrival he hitched
his horse, carried his saddle-bags
into court and placed them beside
him while he perused the docket.
The first thing he did, to the amaze
ment of every one, was to call the
case Of the bullies. The entire gang
came into court and declined to be
tried, repeating their accustomed
argument. Mr.. Jackson remon-
strated and assured them there was
no way to avoid trial; that the
law must be obeyed no matter whom
it hurt; that it was no respector of
persons. The bullies became bois-
ferrous and threatening. Instantly
Jackson pulled his pistols from his
saddlebags and a free fight began
in the courtroom. The leadership
of the young lawyer inspired the
people present who were in favor
of the enforcement of the law, and
they joined with Jackson, whipped
the entire crowd of bullies, took
them into court, where they were
tried, convicted and sentenced to
the full penalty prescribed by the
statute. That was the last of the
bullies and the occasion of the unex-
planned entry on the records of the
court of Sumner county for 1875.
Samuel B. Morgan, who built the
State Capitol of Tennessee, died
some ten years ago. He had in his
possession merchants books of
account. In these were the pur-
chases of Andrew Jackson for five
years after 1890. An examination
of the books shows that the only
purchases made by Old Hickory Of
this merchant were powder, lead
and whisky.
Mr.. Morgan used to relate that he
once witnessed a flight shortly
after the battle of New Orleans.
Jackson was present, sitting on his
horse, while some fellow down in
the pit awkwardly tried to heel the
chicken. Jackson became first un-
easy, then mad. He leaped from
his horse into the pit, brushed the
fellow aside and heeled the chicken
after the most approved fashion.
Then he returned to the saddle and
witnessed the fight.
JACKSON A NATURAL GENTLEMAN
Jackson was originally q back
wood specimen Of the rawest type,
but he at once evolved into perhaps
the grandest man that ever lived,
having no equal in the ballroom,
no peer in his politeness, courtesy
and admiration for women. The
same is largely true of the Tennes-
seean of to-day. Take him from
the farm, array him in fashionable
clothes, put him in the ballroom
or in society and his thoroughbred
blood instantly manifests itself, ex-
hibiting in him only the refined man
of the world. Jackson's letters,
which remain, are in many respects
more interesting than W ashington g.
They exhibit a man absolutely de-
voted to his family, from whom not
the smallest thing concerning them
escaped, and whose every interest
was his. No man ever wrote in the
same spirit, and from his social let.
ters Chesterfield might have learned
much in politeness. Nothing es-
capped him. To show how the men
of his time worshipped him, the in
cident related by Willoughby Will
liams, "Old Man Willoughby," of
years ago, will suffice. When La
fayette visited Jackson in 1925, he
rode in a carriage with Gen. Hall,
while Jackson was on horseback.
Great a man as Lafayette was. the
people all looked at Jackson and
confined their expressions Of ad-
mirafi0n tn him.