The Irish standard., 1899-08-12
Accusation Against His Honesty
Enraged Virginian.
HE WAS NEVER BROUGHT TO TRIAL
Attack was Entirely Unexpected
By the President.

One OF the most dramatic incidents in
the career of President Andrew Jackson.
says the Philadelphia Record, took place
while old Hickory" was en- route from
Fredericksburg, Va, to attend the cor
ner stone laying of the monument erect
ed to Mary Washington, the mother OF
the father of his country. Although this
monument was not finished and ded-
Gated until 1894, It's corner s.one was
laid in May, 1883, by President Jackson,
who began his journey to Fredericks-
burg on the steamer Sidney.
The steamer made brief stop at
Alexandria to take ON military COM
pany from that city. The Sidney, like
all river steamers OF that day, was a
very primitive concern, compared with
the splendid modern palaces tnat ply our
principal rivers. The president was
seated between the dinner table and the
berths, his spectacles on, pipe in his
mouth and newspaper in his hand.
The pipe was no doubt OF the corncob
variety, to which Old Hickory was SO
much attached that he hablually used it,
even in the white house. Several gen.
tlemen OF the presidents party were
Standing near the door OF the saloon
or, rather, cabin, for such it was. A
well-dressed gentleman entered, coolly
shook hands with one OF the gentlemen
and courteousiy passed on. He ap-
preached the president and commenced
to withdraw his grove from his rlgnt
hand. Supposing that it was some per-
son who desired to meet him tine pres
ident took the pipe from his mouth and
remarked: Never mind the glove,
SIR" The stranger in an inaudible tone
muttered something about an injustice
and all ignominy put upon him, and,
seizing the presidents nose, gave it a
violent wrench. The bystanders, friends
OF the president, instantly rushed to the
rescue, one OF them dealing the assail-
ant several blows with an umbrella.
Garland, in his Life OF Andrew jack
son, says that the friends of the assail-
ant gathered around him and hurried
him from the boat. This is not the fact;
tile contemporaneous accounts published
at great length in the Richmond Whig
and Enquirer and the Fredericksburg
Arena show that the bold intruder had
not apprised his friends of his purpose
Inc passengers crowded into the cabin
to learn if the president had sustained
serious injury.
There was some blood on his face
No., said he, Il am not much hurt, but
in endeavoring to rise have wounded
my side, which now pains me more
than it did," This wound in his side
was received twenty-five years before in
his duel with Dickinson. 1t gave him
constant trouble and eventually short
ened his days. The redoubtable old
belllgerent carried on his person
through most OF his life distressing me-
morlals of his many desperate encount-
ers. In 1882 DIR. Harris made deep
incision in Jacksons left arm, gave a
hard press and out came bullet which
he had received IN the bloody affray
with the Bentons more than twenty
years before.
The presidents assailant was quickly
known to be Lieutenant Robert bever-
ley Randolph, a member OF the Virginia
family of that name, for twenty-five
years in the navy and who mad only
eighteen days before this assault been by
order of the president dismissed from
the service for some irregularity in his
accounts as purser. A citizen OF Alex
andria excitedly addressed the president
and said: "Sir, if you will pardon me in
case l am tried and convicted l will in
fifteen minutes kill Randolph tor this in
suit to you.' mo, SIR responded
Jackson, Il cannot do that. l want no
man to stand between me and my assail-
ants. Had l known that kandolpn
stood before me should have been pre-
pared for him. No villain has ever es-
capped me before and he would not had
it not been for my confined situation"
This Lieutenant Randolph had ex-
perienced a most honorable service in
the navy, having been midsllipman and
lieutenant under Commodore Decatur
in the notable career OF that commander
in the war of 1812-14 He was no non