The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1889-06-27
Old Times In Tennessee.

On the record of the court of Sumner
county, Tenne ssee, for the year 1895, there
is this entry;
"The court thanks Andrew Jackson for
his brave conduct"
There is no information concerning
what Mr.. Jackson did to deserve thanks
in this form, at least at the court in
in question. "Old Joe Guild" q promi.
nens lawyer and State character, who
died a few years ago, removed from that
county to Nashville. He used to relate
that when he grew up and became
Jackson man there we're still magistrates
living of the 1895 period. OF them he
inquired concerning this entry. Itseems
that the county court had the trial of
misdemeanors. A gang Of bullies defed
the court, juries and sheriff, and persisted
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 govern.
ed the conduct Of gentlemen and protect
ed them from such undigniGed prosecu-
ton. By the next term Of court Jackson
had been chosen district attorney. On his
arrival he hitched bis horse, carried his
saddlebags into court and placed them
beside him while he perused the docket.
The first thing he did, to the amazement
of every one, was to call tho cases of the
bullies. The entire gang came into court
and declined to be tried, repeating their
accustomed argument. Mr.. Jackson re-
monstrated and assured them that there
was no way to avoid a trial; that the
law must be obeyed, no matter whom it
hurt, that it was no respector of persons.
The bullies became boisterous and threa.
tening. Instantly Jackson pulled his
pistols from his saddlebags and free
fight began in the court room, 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 statute. That was the last of the
bullies and the occasion of the upex.
planned entry on the records of the court
ofSumner county or1795.
sanael E. hiorga1, 360 6uilithe State
capitol of Tennessee, died son1s ten years
ago, had in his possession a merchants
book of accounts. In these we're the
purchases 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
we're powder, lead and whisky.
Mr.. Morgan used to relate that he
once witnesseda a cock fight 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 uneasy, 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 Was originally o backwoods
specimen ofthe rarest type, but he at
once evolved into perhaps the grandest
man that ever lived, having no equal in
the ballroom, no peer in polteness,
courtesy and admiration for women. The
same is largely true of the Tennessean of
to-day. Take him from the farm, array
him in fashionable clothes, put him in
the ballroom or in society and his thor.
oughbred blood instantly manifests
itself, exhibiting in him only the refined
man of the world. Jackson's letters
which remain are in many respects more
interesting than Washington's They
exhibita man absolutely devoted to his
family, from whom not tte smallest
thing concerning them escaped and
whose every interest WAS his. No man
ever wrote in the same spirit and his
social letters are models from which
Chesterfield might have learned much in
politeness. Nothing escaped him. To
show how the men of his time worshiped
him the incident related by Wiloughby
Williams, "Old Man Wiloughby," OF
years ago, will suffice. When Lafay
ette visited Jackson in 1926 he rode in n
carriage with General Hall while Jack
son was on horseback. Great a man as