Evening star., 1901-09-19
ASSAULT UPON JACKSON
THE ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION OF
OLD HICKORY.
Crazy Man Attacks Him With Pistol
Subsequent Trial and It's
Results.

Il was about fifteen years DID," said an
old citizen Of Washington. when the at
tempt was made to kill Andrew Jackson.
but l was not at the Capitol at the time.
The man who attempted to shoot him /
had seen before. and l saw him afterward
at the Jail, which then stood right back of
the court house about the line of Z street.
He was rather looking man, named
Richard Lawrence, who was of English
birth and closely connected with one Of
the first families of the west end. He had
been regarded as a crazy man, at least at
times, by those who knew him. The family
lived first on Capitol Hill. where his father
died several years before, and he had learn
ed the painters trade, which he followed
at times.
There had been a funeral at the Capt.
tol-that of a representative from South
Carolina named Davis-which President
Jackson and several members Of the cabi-
net attended, and as the President and
others walked out of the east door on to
the portico the attempt was made to shoot
him. Lawrence approached to within six
or eight feet of him with brass pistol
and pulled the trigger. The cap snapped.
Lieut.. Gedney struck him and Secretary
Woodbury. got In a blow while the Prest-
dent made toward him with uplifted cane.
telling the people who were raining blows
on him that he could settle him. BY some
means Lawrence was enabled to draw q
The crowd seized and beat him, and he was
literally trounced from the top of the steps
to the bottom, hustled into carriage and
driven to the jail. Here all violators Of
the law and insane people were confined,
and he was placed in a cell with one of the
latter unfortunates. who came near saving
the expense of trial by violently assault
ing him.
sThe news of the assault spread rapidly.
and the hack In which the culprft was
driven to Jail was followed by a large
crowd.
The Wings Accused.
, THE act was first put down having
been the work of the wings. and it was then
changed to a disappointed office seeker;
but when the perpetrator OF the outrage
became known the people accepted the
theory that it was the development of a
homicidaI tendency In an insane mind.
Nevertheless, there was much interest In
what would be the outcome.
1.-THE grand jury Of the Circuit Court, pre-
sided over by Chief Justice Cranch, with
James 8. Morsell and Buckner Thurston
as his associates, at the March term fol-
lowing found a true bill of indictment
charging Lawrence with having on the
3Oth day of January. at the instigation Of
the devil and not having the fear OF God
before him. committed an assault and
battery with intent to kill 'on one Andrew
Jackson, then and there in the peace OF
God
"I remember the trial which followed
soon after April IL. lived close to the
iail and court house, and was there. The
court room was crowded, some desiring to
obtain view of the prisoner and to wit
ness his actions, while the lawyers present
were all interested in the legal conduct OF
the case.
Prisoner Interrupts.
1.-The prisoner frequently interrupted the
proceedings. The gifted Francis Scott
Key, author of The Star Spangled Ban
ner,' was district attorney at the
time, and presented the case to the court
in short address. The prisoner had
Messrs W. L. and j. F. Brent as his coun-
sell the latter, on account of the conduct
OF the prisoner, having similar experience
to that of Guiteau's counsel. Lawrence
excitedly inquired at intervals: Who the
HI is Gen. jackson? What has the state
to do with it?' I'm king
twithstanding the Interruptions. the
trial proceeded. and Secretaries Woodbury.
testified to the act, while Drs Causin,
Hunt, Lowell, Sewall Bohrer. Worthington
and Magruder gave testimony sustaining
the plea of insanity. 1t was clear that he
had shown symptoms of insanity for some
time and had the idea that the crown OF
Great Britain was his-that he was king of
this country. and Gen jackson, besides
usurping the place. had killed his father
and was keeping him out Of money and
position. A verdict Of not guilty by reason
of insanity ended the trial. and the prie-
oner was sent back to Jail till his friends
arranged for his confinement In an insane
asylum. He died an inmate of the institu-
ton several years afterward"