The Press., 1907-12-18
0FF ITS HEAD
Storm a Wooden Statue of An-
 drew Jackson Raised.
ON A FAMOUS OLD FRIGATE.

A Bold Boston Sea Captain Mutilated
 the Constitutions Fisurehead and
 Then Went to Washington and Defied
 the Authorities.
 The figurehead which was placed on the frigate Constitution is now at the
 Naval academy in Annapolis. 1t is a figure of Andrew Jackson, and con- nected with 1t is a curious incident
 The original fgurehead of the Con- stitution was figure of Hercules This was destroyed by a cannon ball at Tripoli. and then a figure of Nep- tune was erected. This also came to grief, and at the time the vessel. was rebuilt there was no figurehead ex- cept q billet
 At the time the new ship was finish ed Captain Jesse Duncan Elliott of Hagerstown. Md, who had distinguish ed. himself In the battle of Lake Erie, was in command at the Boston navy yard. Captain Elliott was an enthu- siastic Democrat and an ardent ad- mirer of President Andrew Jackson.
 The president had lately been in Bos-
 
 ceived. and Captain Elliott conceived the idea of placing a figure of the president at the prov of the Constitu- ton. believing that 1t would give the people of Boston much pleasure. The navy department gave him permission, and so wooden figure of "Old Hick- ory" was put in position on the ship.
 This act raised storm of dissent in the Hub, and Captain Elliott was threatened with a coat of tar and feathers. The excitement was intense, and the language was virulent. Hand bills denouncing the act, denouncing the president and Elliott were circulat- ed in the streets. and the newspapers took up the cry, and in this day and generation the partisan violence and vituperation which ragged in New Eng land are inconceivable.
 On dark night in July the deck of the ship was invaded. and, although a sentry was close at hand. the head of Jackson was sawed off and taken away. New England was delirious, and for time the perpetrator of the act was unknown to the public.
 Six months later one Samuel w. Dewey, q Boston sea captain, took the discovered head in bag to the secre- tary of the navy at Washington and avowed himself as the criminal. That official was amazed at the mans au- dacity and asked him if he did not know that he would be severely pun ished. Dewey calmly replied that he had considered the matter and had as- certained that the legal penalty was slight and could not be applied until he was convicted by jury in Essex county. Mass.
 And if you think jury in that county" he added, twill punish man for cutting off the head of Andrew Jackson you are welcome to try it."
 The secretary went to the White House for instruction. while Dewey was detained General Jackson laugh ed heartily at the whole incident and forbade the mans arrest. Before this Captain Elliott had provided new head for the figure, and the wooden statue of Jackson that is now at An napolis was at the prov of the vessel sor f@rty years.
 Captain EIliott's last voyage on the was from the Mediterra- mean to Hampton Roads in 1888. Here he was removed from command be- cause of charges of severity to the men and of having incum bered the berth deck of the ship on the home ward voyage with jackasses for the of the breed In the Unit cd States. The Constitution finally went out of commission for active service at Portsmouth. N. H., after career of nearly fifty-eight years in the service. In 1860 she was transferred to Annapolis for the use of the mid shipmen.
 When the civil war began her posi- ton there was deemed unsafe. and she was sent to the New York navy yard. In 1885 she was returned to Annapo- lis, where she remained until 1871, when she was taken to Philadelphia, where she was again rebuilt. In 1878 she was used to transport exhibits to France for the Paris exposition of 1878, and her career at sea finally fI ended in 1881 The centennial of her was celebrated at Boston in 1897. where she was built.-Baltimore Sun.