The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1900-07-31

! The article in The Post last Sunday on
| the precautions taken Of late years to pro-
/ tec- the President recalls the attempt
made upon the life Of President Jackson
! Up to that time TO thought OF an assas-
sination OF a President had seemed 10
enter the brain of even the most hopeless
crank
on the 30th Of March. 1S35, Gen. Jackson
was attending the funeral Of Warren t.
Davis, member OF Congress from South
Carolina, at the Capitol, and while walk
ING In procession 10 take a carriage on
the east front Of the Capitol he was ap-
preached by man named Richard Law
renee. who presented a pistol within a
! Few feet Of him. The cap exploded but
dli not ignite the charge. Lawrence threw
the pistol away and drew another. which
also missed fire. Gen. Jackson was on The
arm OF Mr. Woodbury., Secretary Of the
Treasury, but pursued the assassin with
raised cane. Lieut.. Gedney, of the navy
Knocked Lawrence down, ana the friends
Of the President tried 10 restrain him.
but ne said: Let me 90, gentlemen; / am
not afraid They can't kill me- | can
protect myself"
Lawrence was arrested and arraigned
before Judge Cranch and committed. At
The trial he behaved pretty much as Gut
tfau did, interrupting the proceedings and
slking all the time. until the Judge or
dered him To be removed from the court
room. A commission was appointed 10
examine into his condition of mind. and
Dr. Causin and Dr. Seweu reported him
Of unsOund mind He was committed 10
an insane asylum, where he lived for
many years. There was an attempt made
to involve some political adversaries o.
Gen. jackson in this attempt on his life.
but the examination and trial revealed
nothing but that it Was the act Of a mai
man.
Narrow Escape from Death.
Gen Jackson's escape from death was
prOvidential. The pistols We're loaded yer,
heavily and after the arrest of I.aWreac-
were fired, the caps exploding and .gni.-
ing the powder readily in The pistol and
sending the balls through several inches
of plank. 1t was stated that Gen. Jackson
said at the time that he knew WHERE the
attempt originated.
In May. 1893, when jackson was on his
way to Fredericksburg, 10 lay the corner
stone ol the monument to the mother II
Washington, he was seated in the cabin
OF the steamboat behind a table with Mrs.
AiAN4 >'olI' 'Hc VIE OF Judge Ihur>tOn,
MS private secretary. MAJ. Donaldson.
and Capt Broome, Of the Marine Corps.
The general was reading and smoking
MS faVorite pipe. When the boat reached
Alexandria large number Of citizens
came aboard TO pay their respects to the
President, and with them was Randolph.
VINO had been an officer in the navy. from
winch, Tor some reason he had been dis
missed, and was seeking restoration.
He advanced toward the President as n
to address him. when he suddenly put out
his hand toward the face of the President
as though he intended slapping him in
the face. Capt. Broome seized him and
drew him away, when Raniolph's friends
hurried him out Of the cabin. The Pres
ldent was so confined in the seat behind
the table that he could not rise. When II
became known on the boat that an at
tempt had been made to pull the Presi-
dents nose, for that was the intention of
Randolph, the excitement was intense.
and many Of the crowd started in pursuit
OF Randolph. He was caught some dis
lance from the boat, but was rescued by
his friends. Randolph had made threats
against the President, and the old general
said that if he had known it was Ran
dolpr he would have been prepared to de- |
fend himself