Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-09-23
The First Attempt.


attempt, as we I'll know. but he was
not the first to attempt the assaSsina-
ton of q President Of the United
States, as probably few of US know.
Andrew Jackson, the seventh Prcsi-
dent, was the first to be attacked with
murderous intent, and under condi-
ton of the present time the attempt
could not have failed to be successful.
The attempt was made. January 20.
1895. which was near the dose of his
second term rs President. HIS as
sailant was Richard Lawrence. {. crazy
man. whose insanity had existed for
more than two years previously. From
the Chicago Chronicle we get the fol-
lowing account of the affair:
President jackson had visited the
Capitol to attend congressional
funeral. AS he was crossing the
nortico to leave the building Lawrence
emerged from behind a column and,
within two and n half yards of the
President. fired at him point blank.
For some reason the powder failed to
ignite and he snapped another pistol.
with the same result. Secretary of the
Treasury Woodbury. and one or two
other persons were in the Presidents
company. and John Tyler. then United
states Senator from Virginia and
aftcrward vice-Presidcnt and Presi-
dent, was near the scene. AS jackson
saw the man fire at him he spranS
from the side Of his companions. rails
ing his cane. and started for the
would-be ASSASSIN. He was seized by
the arm. but he exclaimed: Let me- 50.
gentlemen. / am not afraid. They
can't kill me, l can protect myself!
This is the current report of his words.
but Mr.. Tyler in,imates that his Ian
guage was much more picturesque and
violent.
A in the case of the man who fired
Il pistol at Mr.. Mckinley. an officer
knocked Lawrence down ana be was
then secured. His pistols were after
ward examined and were found to be
loaded with sluSs almost to the muz-
gle. Caps from the same box that
Lawrence had used were placed on
both pistols and they exploded with
terrible force. one of them sent shot
through an inch board. The greatest
bnt ha aSi-
dent was not killed. Senator Tyler
described the event as he witnessed il.
He says:
Il saw q man presenting pocket
pistol at the President, which in a mo-
ment caused an explosion similar u
that | had before heard. The Presi-
dent Immediately raised his cane
and put at him, but the crowd seized
the man and in an instant threw him
down. disarmed him and handed him
over to the marshal. who carried him
before the civil authorities. The fact was
that he had two pistols with percussion
locks The caps exploded as finely as
ever caps Glu, Dut loE Soiiie cause,
possibly the dampness of the day. the
pistols did not go off. If they had the
President must have been killed. and
I almost trembled to think what might
have been the consequences. The
man is ascertaincd to be a mailman
A painter by trade and an Englishman
bv birth, and to have been here about
three years | stood near by and saw
the whole affair. The old general
sprang at him like a tiger and mani
Tested as much fearlessness as one
could possibly have done but he got
into Il furious rage and said some
things unnecessarily
That the man was maniac was OBJ
vious. but in the midst OF the great
excitement which was caused through
cut the country Jackson's political
enemies We're charged with melting the
crime. Even Jackson forgot his
usual good sense and said: Il know
where this came from" Partisan war
fare was never fiercer in the United
! States than it was at that time
Henry Clay. Calhoun. and others were
named as implicated in conspiracy
of which Lawrence ives the agent. but
these calumniea died out and the act
was universally admitted to have been
alone that of the lunatic by whom it
was committed.