The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1894-01-31
OLD HICKORY's COURAGE.

OLD HIcKoRY's COURAGE.
They Could Shoot at Him, bat Couldn't
Make Him Play the Part OF Coward.
From the Washington Evening Star.
Ifever a man bore a charmed life
that man was sold Hickory" That
he should live to ripe old age and die s
natural death, despite his many dra-
matte, not to say tragic, experiences.
was remarkable. But of all Gen. Jack
sons narrow escapes there was one
which borders on the supernatural.
Two bulletloaded pistols of perfect
construction, which at no other time
were ever known to miss fire, snapped
in turn at President Jackson's breast,
the percussion caps exploding, but the
weapons refusing to shoot! That the
old hero met not the fate of two of his
illustrious successors was little short Of
a miracle. AS it was, the incident
caused an intense excitement all over
the country.
II am not afraid Let me go! They
can't kill me. I can take care Of N.Y.
selfw
So exclaimed President jackson one
memorable day in January, fifty-nine
years ago, as breaking away from his
friends he rushed upon his would-be
assassin. This attempt to murder Gen.
Jackson was made on the 3Gth Of jan
uary, 1885: the same month in which,
twenty years previously, he won his
highest renown by bis 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 fu-
neral Of Mr.. Warren r. Davis, of South
Carolina, one Richard Lawrence, a
painter, rssiding in Washington, tried
to shoot him. This Individual was
seen to enter the House of Representa-
tives during the delivery OF the funeral
sermon; before its close, however, he
had taken his stand on the eastern
portico near ore of the columns. The
President, with the Secretary Of the
Treasury on his left arm, on retiring
from the rotunda to reach his carriage
at the steps of the portico, advanced
toward the spot where Lawrence stood
who had his pistol coEcealed under
his coat-and when he approached
within two yards and half OF him,
the would-be assassin levelled the pis-
tol at the Presidents breast. The per-
cussion cap exploded with a noise 80
great that several witnesses supposed
the pistol had been fred. On tho in
slant Lawrence dropped the pistol
from bis right hand, and taking an
other ready cooked from his left, pre-
sented and snapped it at the President
who at the moment raised mis- cane
and made for the assailant with lion
like energy. He would have executed
vengeance, but Secretary Woodbury.
and Lieut.. Godney at the same time
laid hold of the man, who was knocked
down, the President pressing after him
until be was secured.
The Presidents friends then urged
him to so to the Capitol, which the old
hero did, with great fsmness and self
possession, though during the eventful
moment his commanding voice was
heard above all others, as, tearing him.
self from his friends and rushing for
the assassin, he uttered the words
quoted.
AS soon as the act was known to the
crowd they wished to kill the assassin
on the spot. But this was promptly
prevented. Lawrence was forthwith
carried to Jail, after brief preliminary
examination before Judge Cranch. At
this examination Mr.. Randolph, Ser
geant-at-Arms of the House Of Repre-
sentatives, who attended the Marshal
to conduct the prisoner to the City
Hall, testified that the prisoner, when
asked by the Marshal what motive he
had to make the attempt stated that
the President had killed his father.
This assertion was, however; untrue,
as, upon investigation, it was found
that his father, ap Englishman, had
died a natural death in Washington
some wears before. The son was ap-
prenticed afterward to Mr.. Clark,
with whom be lived three years. Mr..
Clark, when called upon, said he was
a man of excellent brains, sober and
industrious; that he had seen him very
frequently, and was we'll acquainted
with him since be had left his family,
and had heard nothing to his disad-
vantage until of late he was informed
of bis being quarrelsome among his
friends, and that ne had treated his
sister badly.
The entire absence of any personal
motive on the pant of the prisoner to
commit the deed he attempted sug-
gested the idea that be must be insane.
But his demeanor at the time be was
being examined, bore not The slightest
appearance of frenzy or arrangement
of any kind. Indeed, when asked by
the Court if be wished to cross-exam-
inc the witnesses or to make explana-
ton, be answered in the negative, and
said that those who had seen the act
could state the facts. At the conclu-
sion Of the trial, when asked if he had
anything to offer, he said that he could
not contradict what had been given in
evidence. In the midst Of the excite
meut and anxiety which prevailed