The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-02

jealous disposition, but of fine character.
and as drunkard and a wife-beater. Ken
lucky was torn up with suits over land titles
and to the vicinity where the Robards lived
came Andrew Jackson, a young lawyer, He
became an inmate for the time of the Ro-
bards household, and it was not noticed that
he showed any especial interest in the
young wife of Lewis Richards. Shortly af-
forwards, however, Captain Robards sent
his wife to the home of her mother, who
had moved to Nashville, because he was
dissatisfied with her conduct toward another
man; and it was while she was in Nashville
that Jackson saw a great deal of her. Later
her husband sent for her, and she returned
to his house, from which, not long after, she
eloped with young Jackson and went with
him to Tennessee. There they were married
acting, it was claimed, on the report that
Robards had obtained divorce; but jack
son was too good a lawyer to believe that
Robards could have got divorce in so short
a time Oklahoma methods did not prevail
then, and it was necessary for Robards to
go to the Legislature of Virginia to obtain
permission by special statute before he could
sue his wife for divorce. He went 10 the
Legislature in the winter of 179O-91 and in
his petition named Andrew Jackson as CO.
respondent. The act passed by the Legisla-
ture on this petition declared that it should
be lawful for Richards to sue out writ
against Rachel Robards, which should be
placed for eight weeks in the Kentucky Ga
zette; whereupon the plaintiff was to have
leave to file his declaration and the de-
PENDANT was to have two months within
which to make answer. At the end of that
time there was to be jury trial, and If the
jury found that the defendant hath de-
serted the plaintiff, and if she had lived in
adultery with another man since that de-
sertion, the said verdict shall be recorded
and thereupon the marriage between the
said Lewis Robards and Rachel shall be to-
tally dissolved"
MARRIED AT LAST.
In the April term of the Mercer Circuit
Court the case was called for trial. The
court records said that Mrs. Robards eloped
from her husband in 1880. The hearing went
over till the September term of the court
and Rachel Robards was not represented.
The jury, on the evidence, brought in
verdict that the defendant, Rachel Roo-
ards, hath deserted the plaintiff, her hus-
band, Lewis Richards, and hath and doth
still live in adultery with another man.
Thereupon the decree Of divorce was grant
ed to Robards, and Rachel Richards was for
the first time eligible to become the wife
of Andrew Jackson Immediately after the
transmission of this news to Jackson pub
lie marriage ceremony between the woman
and him was celebrated
jackson lived up to the injunction of the
man who told his bachelor friend to take
a wife," to which the friend replied, But
whose wife shall l take?" 1t was his way
to take what he wanted.
He was always headstrong and passionate
and self-wiled. For that reason he was
usually in a quarrel but he did not seek
trouble as a story told of him by the late
Captain Bell of Knoxville, witnesses. When
jackson was first made President he trav-
eled the main road of East Tennessee on
his way to Washington. On the journey he
sent word ahead 10 Captain Bells father,
who kept a well-known hotel to have din
ner prepared for him. The elder Bell and
his son went out to meet the distinguished
visitor when he arrived; but as jackson
was about to leave his coach he saw on the
veranda North Carolina man with whom
he had a feud of long standing. He would
not so far lose his new dignity as to risk
a quarrel with the man, so he babe Mr..
Bell apologize to Mrs. Bell for him, and he
drove on hungry.
A story of Jackson's GOODNESS concerns an
attack made on a 1rlenu ana nelSnDOI VI
his, Patton Anderson, by a mob. Anderson
took refuge in Jackson's house. jackson
took his spectacle case from his hip pocket
and opening it with snap swore he would
kill the first man who advanced. The mob,
believing they heard the sound of a pistol,
retreated in disorder.
When Jackson hanged two Englishmen in
Florida, Clay offered in Congress resolutions
censuring him. The news reached Jackson
as he lay at Tuscumba suffering from
hemorrhage of the lungs and not expected
to live TO the amazement of his physician
his temperature went up and his pulse
quickened. Two days later he got up and
mounted his horse to ride to Washington.
One of the first to call on him was Clay.
The meeting was awkward, and when Mr..
Clay departing, invited the general to call
on him. he replied: ''If 1 am murderer, as
you insist, am not fit to visit any gentle
man" Clay's resolutions were not adopted
and Jackson's visit to Washington no doubt
was responsible for their defeat.
GEORGE GRANTHAM Balm.