The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1901-09-20
ATTEMPT TO KILL JACKSON.

An attempt to assassinate Andrew
Jackson was made Jan. 80, 1885,
which was near the close of his Sec
ond term as President. His assail-
ant was Richard Lawrence, a crazy
man, whose insanity had existed for
more than two years previously.
President Jackson had visited the
Capitol to attend congressional
funeral. As he was crossing the
portico to leave the building Law
renee emerged from behind column
and, within two and half yards of
the President, fired at him point
blank. For some reason the powder
failed to ignite and he snapped an
other pistol, with the same result.
Secretary of the Treasury Wood
bury and one or two other persons
were in the Presidents company,
and John Tyler, then United States
Senator from Virginia and after
ward Vice President and President,
was near the scene.
AS Jackson saw the man fire at
him he sprang from the side OF his
companions, raising his cane, and
started for the would-be assassin.
He was seized by the arm, but he
exclaimed : "Let me go, gentlemen
l am not afraid They can't kill
me! l can protect myself J" This
is tie current report of his words,
but Mr.. Tyler intimates that his
language was much more picturesque
and violent.
AS in the case of the man who
fired a pistol at Mr.. Mckinley, an
officer knocked Lawrence down and
he was then secured. His pistols
were afterward examined and were
found to be loaded with slugs almost
to the muzzle. Caps from the same
box that Lawrence had used were
placed on both pistols and they ex'
ploded with terrible force. One OF
them sent a shot through an inch
board. The greatest surprise was
expressed that the President was
not killed.
Senator Tyler described the event
as he witnessed it. He says:
81 saw a man presenting pocket
pistol at the President, which in a
moment caused an explosion similar
to that 1 had before heard. The
President 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 LIE
had two pistols with percussion
locks. The caps exploded as finely
as ever caps did, but for some cause,
possibly the dampness of the day,
the pistols did not go off. If they
had the President must have been
killed, and | almost trembled to
think what might have been the
consequences. The man is ascer-
tanned to be a madman-a painter
by trade and an Englishman by
birth, and to have been here about
three years. l stood near by and
saw the whole affair. The old Gen
eral sprang at him like tiger and
manifested as much fearlessness as
one could possibly have done, but
he got into furious rage and said
some things unnecessarily"
That the man was maniac was
obvious, but In the mlust OF the
great excitement which was caused
throughout the country Jackson's
political enemies-were charged with
melting the crime. Even Jackson
forgot his usual good sense and said:
81 know where this came FROM"
Partisan warfare was never fiercer
in the limited States than it was at
that time. Henry Clay, Calhoun
and others were named as implicated
in a conspiracy of which Lawrence
was the agent, but these calumnies
died out and the act was universally
admitted to have been alone that of
the lunatic by whom it was commit
ted. This was the first attempt to
assassinate a President of the United
States. Chicago Chronicle
CutS and RruiSnS Quickly Healed.