The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-01-13
y with him. .Iackson challanged Dickinson


fight May So 1906 at Harrison's mills, Logan
county, Kentucky. a long days ride from
Nashville. Dickinson was as certain or sue
cess he of sunrise. He gave the grim
occasion a gala air and invited some friends.
He saw TO IL, too, that he started before
jackson TO go 10 Harrisons mills On the
way he took occasional and accurate cracks
with his pistol at first this and then that
object. He displayed the skill OF fend:
And these exhibitions had a purpose and
a malevolent point part and parcel OF the
plot to murder Jackson, 1t was each time
arranged that Jackson should be Informed
of these marvellous shots: The hope was 60
break his nerve. IL would be rather a strain
on ones nerves TO travel all day TO be shot
at by an antagonist who every mile left one
proof that he could snuff candle or drive
a tack at ten PAGES.
Jacksons second was General Overton.
He was of serious. indomitable nature,
something like Jackson. with a slower pulse.
Overton. too, was equally convinced with
his principal that the whole affair was
blossoming conspiracy to murder Jackson,
and not simple duel between gentlemen
over the point Of honor. To Overton il was
as IL Dickinson and his fellows had set
a trap for the life of Jackson. and TO lure
him had baited il with the bleeding, stabbed
innocence of his wife.
Overton and Jackson considered and dis
cussed this meeting for months before II
occurred. They resolved TO take every ad-
vantage of the would-be murderer that
honor and the law Of duels permitted. II
was planned to garb Jackson in long
black coat. world too wide and big for
his meager form. 1t was so arranged that
once IL was donned Jacksons ramrod pro-
portions were well over in one side or the
coat. The garment buttoned to the chin,
so as to leave no white cravat or collar dis
played to attract fire. The buttons. only
one row mind you, were purp1sely placed
not. And Ii was a particular point, too,
to make these buttons shine and glitter
most alluringly. Any one who ever fired
a pistol will readily understand what a trap
to catch bullet those buttons would be.
The men were to fight at ten PAGES. Dick
inson had already told his friends which
button-''the one over Jacksons heart'-he
would hit Foolish Dickinson! The call was
| to be: Fire. One two, three; stop" and
they were ere to blaze away anywhere between
| mark their positions.
| Each man stood to his peg. and the crisis
quick to bring up his pistol and fire that
no one could equal him. IL was his ex-
pectation to KIN Jackson before the latter
| could even raise his pistol after the word
''firer' Overton and his principal had ar
gued this also. They had finally concluded
| that inasmuch as the lightning-like Dick
inson was bound to fire first, it was wiser
| for Jackson to stand and receive ii, trust
| ing to the buttons to lead Dickson's aim
| lieved he would last for minute or two
| at least-he could take his time and kill
| Dickinson like a dog.
Dickinson's pistol came up like flash and
| exploded with the first letter. of the first
Jackson ribs with the fattened bullet. Jack
popar He had fr not red %tS half cry
counting on the instant. Cooking a pistol
| with a frown like cloud, Overton COM
| manded him:
step back to your peg. sirr'
Dickinson did so with a shudder. He
his own trap overton began again to
| count. jackson, with. face of flint and
| death looking from his gray eyes. covered
his man as certainly and as surely as if
than shrinking human flesh and blood.
"Click"' Jackson's pistol caught at half
cock Overton paused in his count and
Jackson recocked his weapon. ''Bangr'
went Jackson's pistol, and Dickinson, shot
| through, died nine hours later
Il should have killed him If he had shot
| ward.
OTHER INCIDENTS.
Jan. 8, 1915, Jackson fought and won the
battle Of New Orleans. Jackson fought and
conquered at New Orleans. just as he did
everywhere else. His life was a clear rec
ord Of success. He was as lawless as a
bandit, too. He inva( u Florida-then
Spain's-without orders or national counte-
nance, captured st. Augustine and hanged
a couple Of Britons. He sent word to GER
tain Congressman who inveighed against
him for invading friendly power without
authority that he would be presently in
|
After the fight at New Orleans he put
the city under martial law. The French
| consul objected, and Jackson marched him
outside of the city and told him not to re-
turn. member of the Louisiana Legisla.
ture objected. and he put him under arrest
United States judge issued writ OF
haoeas corpus, to take the iaw-maker out
of custody; Jackson tore up the writ and
arrested the judge. No power ever con.
trolied Jackson for one moment, save his
own will, based on the right, as he saw it
| fnas
was by Jesse Benton, who shot him In q
street fight In Nashville; fight in which
got three Benton bullets in his shoulder al
at once. His arm was in sling through
the Creek war: Jackson and Tom Benton
were friends afterward of the closest sort =,
His greatest battle was with the Bank O,
the United States. one of the stronges
money powers of that day, with riches fhai
rose into millions-in q day, too when mil
lions were not so common as comets even
Senator Vance once said that all he knew
of national banks was that 1t took two
money oa of aae 80
knowledge was about like that of Senator
Vance; Yet alone and single-handed he at
His friends faltered and his organ desertef
him. He brought on Francis p. Blair ant
started the Globe, whose old building still
| stands on Pennsylvania avenue And lack
son overthrow the bank-utterly annihilatet
1T. He rode in from Tennessee with hardl,
enough of financial knowledge to get chang,
| III a Nv -uofdI piif, dHc yet ne Killed tn,
United States Bank with no more of painful
ado or doubt than If callea on to pick up :
CLUB and Kill garter snake.
When he was President he unhesitating,,
turned out OF office every friend OF CLAW n
John Quincy Adams. and put one of his owl
in his shoes. But X was not Jackson vh,
originated that famous and very prone
aphorisnl of politics, ITO the victor beIor, o.
the spells Of the enemy" That was Gov
| speech in the Senate on the motion to con
firm Martin Van Buren, TO the place nov
celebrated with Bayard. Said Marcy:
The politicians of New York boId
preach wnat they practise. When they ar
contending for victory hey avow their IN
tention to enjoy its fruits. If they are de
feated they expect to retire from office
, If they are successful they claim the ad
| vantaSes of success. They see no wron
in the rule that to the victor belongs tn
spoils of the enemy"
3 Marcy was very sound in all this. so Jack
I son thought, AMI he indorsed the state
5 ment.
CALHOUN'S FRIGHT
When John G. Calhoun found he coui
. | not be President he resolved to be traitor
e He invented nulllication. His inventio
L would have had a great run, too. were
not for Jackson. He resolved to hang Ca
: houn following the first overt act and n
i lay in wait for him like cat
Z. Jackson arranged to put 10000 armed so
: diers into South Carolina within sixty day.
: he worked with the accuracy OF a machin
y and the energy OF storm. Calhoun va
: simply frozen with fear when he final
!. realized the tremendous blow the resistles
nj loo ns< -