Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-08
UNJUST KILL JACKSON!"
Old Hickory's Miraculous Escape From an
Assassin.
An Incident Years Ago Over Which
the Entire Country Was Excited
Why the Deed Was Attempted.
Written for The Evening Star.

despite his many dramatic, not to say
tragic, experiences, was remarkable.
But of all of Gen. Jackson's narrow es-
capes there was one which borders ON the
supernatural. Two bullet-loaded pistols OF
perfect construction, which at no other
time were ever known to miss fire, snapped
in turn at President Jacksons breast, the
percussion caps exploding, but the weapons
refusing to shoot! That the old hero met
not the fate of two of his illustrious sue
cessors was little short of a miracle.
As it was, the incident caused an intense
excitement all over the country.
Il am not afraid! Let me go, gentlemen.
They can't kill me- 1 can take care OF
myself!'
So exclaimed President jackson one mem
orable day in January, fifty-nine years ago,
as breaking away from his friends he
rushed upon his would-be assassin.
The Attempt ON His Life.
This attempt to murder Gen. jackson was
made on the Both of January, 1885; the
same month in which, twenty years pre-
viously. he won his highest renown by his
defeat of the British army at New Orleans
On the afternoon of the day named, while
President jackson was at the Capitol, in
attendance upon the funeral of Mr.. Warren
r. Davis of South Carolina, one Richard
Lawrence, painter, residing in Washing
ton, attempted to shoot him.
This individual was seen to enter the hall
OF the House of Represen tatives during the
uelVery OF the funeral sermon; before it's
close, however, he had taken his stand OIL.
the eastern portico, near one of the col.
umns. The President, with the Secretary
OF the Treasury on his left arm on retir-
ing from the rotunda to reach his carriage
at the steps of the portico advanced to-
ward the spot where Lawrence stood-who
mad his pistol concealed under his coat
and when he approached within two yards
ana nall or him. the Woud-be ASA ssin
leveled the pistol at the Presidents breast
The percussion cap exploded with a noise
50 great that several witnesses supposed the
pistol had been fired. On the instant Law
renee dropped the pistol from his right
hand, aid taking another ready cocked
from his left, presented and snapped it at
the President, who at the moment raised
his cane and made for the assalant with
lion-like energy. He would have executed
summary vengeance. but Secretary Wood
bury and Lieut. Godney at the same time
Laid hold of the man, who was knocked
| til he was secured.
The RESIDENTS friends then urged him
to so to the Capitol, which the old hero
ala, with great firmness and self-posses-
sion, though during the eyentful moment
his commanding voice was heard above
all others, as, tearing himself from his
| friends and rushing for the assassin, he
utteIeu the WOruS quoted
AS soon as the act was known to the
| crowd they wished to kill the ASA ssin ON
| the spot But this was promptly prevented
Who the AssaiIant Was.
Lawrence was forthwith carried to jail.
| after brief preliminary examination be-
| rore Judge Cranch. At this examination Mr.
| Randolph, sergeant of the House of Repre-
| sentatives, who attended the marshal to
| conduct the prisoner to the city hall, testf-
| ned that the prisoner when asked by the
marshal what motive he had to make the
attempt, stated that the President had kill
| ed his father
| This assertion was. however, untrue. as
upon investigation. it was found that his
Iatner' an Englishman, had died natural
| deatn In washington some years before
| The son was apprenticed afterward to a.
Mr.. Clark, with whom he lived three years
| Mr.. Clark. when called upon. said he was
| a man or excellent habits. sober and in
dustrious; that he had seen him very fire.
| quently and was well acquainted with him
| since he had left his family and had heard
nothing to his disadvantage until of late he
| was informed of his being uuarrelsome
| among his friends, and that he had eated
one Of his sisters badly
| The entire absence of any personal motive
on the part of the prisoner to commit the
deed he attempted suggested the idea that
| he must be insane. But his demeanor at
| the time, as when he was being examined
| bore not the slightest appearance of frenzy
| or arrangement of any kind.
| His Natural Demeanor.
Indeed, when asked by the court IL he
wished TO cross-examine the witnesses or
to make explanation, he answered in the
negative. and said that those who had
| seen the act could state the facts. At the
! conclusion of the trial, when asked il he
| had anything to offer. he said that he could
nj nnN freasl tafx hat lxs,xl
| dence. In the midst of the excitement and
| anxiety which prevailed around him Law
| renee appeared perfectly calm and col
| lected. 'H
| Before the Attack.
| The president in speaking of the event
| remarked that Lawrences manner from
| the moment his eye caught his was firm
and resolved until after the failure of his
last pistol, when he seemed to shrink rath-
er than resist. Lawrence was a handsome
young man of about 30 years, small in
| stature, with pale complexion, black hair
dark eyes and genteel department and was
| well dressed.
The keeper of the rotunda stated that he
| had frequently observed the man about the
Capitol, so often that he had tried to draw
| him into conversation, but had found him
| taciturn and unwilling to talk. On the
day in question he kept providing about
| but did not come within the railing near
| the members seats; his hand was held in
side his vest, as II grasping something and
| his lips were pale and quivering
| On his pistols being taken from him after
| the affair they were found to be a very
| elegant pair, in excellent order and loaded
| with powder and bail almost to the muzzle
| the barrels being about six inches long
| 1t was most astonishing circumstance
| almost reaching to the miraculous that
| loaded as they were and of such perfect
mechanism, both pistols missed fire. 1t
was dual lottery of life and death, and
! the hero of New Orleans, with his usual
| good luck, drew prize each time.
There was probably in our native his
| tory no more interesting test Of firearms
| than that made Immediately after the af-
| fair by District Attorney Key and Gen.
| Hunter, the marshal of the District, on
| Lawrence's pistols. This was done with
| some of the remaining powder balls and
1 caps of the prisoner, and the result show
| ed that loaded in the ordinary manner the
| discharge of the weapons took place every
| time and their power was such that the
! bullet would pass through an inch board
1 at a distance of nine yards and nearly bury
| itself in the second board at a further dis
| lance of about as many yards.
So great was the excitement produced
| by the affair that some of the most eminent
| opponents of the President, including such
| men as Clay, Calhoun, Poindexter and
| White, were. in the frenzy of the moment
| suspected of having conspired in a plot to
get rid of the President
| The Real Cause.
But i'm this affair there was a woman In
| the case il appearS