The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1908-03-05
SiHED OFF ITS HEAD.
On a Famous Old Ffigate.
Baltimore SUM-

Baltimore Srn)
The figurehead which was placed
on the frigate Constitution is now at
the Naval academy in Annapolis. It
is figure Of Andrew Jackson, and
connected with it is q curious Incl
dent.
The original fgurehead Of the Con-
stitution was figure of Hercules.
This was destroyed by cannon bali
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 a billet.
At the time the new ship was fin
ished Captain Jesse Duncan Elliott Of
Hagerstown, Nd, who had distin-
guished himself in the battle Of
Lake Eric, was ia command at The
Boston navy yard. Captain Elliott
was an enthusiastic Democrat and
an ardent admirer Of President Al
drew Jackson.
The president had lately been in
Boston and had been most hospita-
bly, received, and Captain Elliott con-
ceived the idea Of placing a figure Of
the president at the PROV of the
Constitution, believing that it would
give the people Of Boston much
pleasure. The navy department
gave him permission, and so 6 wood
en- figure Of "OId Hickory" 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 in
tense, and the language was yirulent.
Eandbills denouncing the act, de-
nouncing the president and Elliott,
were circulated in the streets, and
the newspapers took up the cry, and
in this Gay and generation the par
tisan violence and vituperation which
ragged in New England are incon-
ceivable.
On dark night in July the deck
of the ship was invaded, and, al
though a sentry was close at hand
the head Of Jackson was sawed off
and taken away. New England was
delirious, and for a time the peIpe-
traitor OF the act was unknown to
the public.
Six months later one Samuel W.
Dewey, a Boston sea captain, took
the discovered head in a bag to the
secretary Of the navy at Washington
and avowed himself as the criminal.
That official was amazed at the mans
audacity and asked him il he did not
know that he would be severely pun
ished. Dewey calmly replied that
he had considered the matter and
had ascertained that the legal penal
ty was slight and could not be ap-
piled until he was convicted by a
jury in Essex county, Mass.
And if you think a jury in that
county" he added, will punish a
man for cutting eff the head Of An
drew Jackson you are welcome to
try it,"
The secretary went to the White
House for instruction. while Dewey
was detained. General Jackson
laughed heartily at the whole Incl
dent and forbade the mans arrest.
Before this Captain Elliott had pro-
vided a new head for the figure, and
the wooden stature Of jackson that
is now at Annapolis was at the PROV
Of the vessel for forty years.
Captain EIliott's last voyage on
the Constitution was from the Medi-
terranean to Hampton Roads in 1888.
Here he was removed from com
mand because Of charges Of severity
to the men and other things. The
Constitution finally went out Of
commission for active service at
Portsmouth, N. H., after a career
Of nearly ffty-eight years i'll the
service. In 1860 she was trans
ferred to Annapolis for the use of
the midshipmen.
When the civil war began her pos
ition there was deemed unsafe, and
she was sent to the New York navy
yard. In 1865 she was returned to
Annapolis, where she remained un-
til 1871, when she was taken to Phil
adelphia, where she WAS again re-
built. In 1873 she was used to trans
port exhibits to France for the Paris
exposition Of 1878, and her career at
sea finally ended in 1881. The cen
tennial of her launching was cele-
brated at Boston in 1907, where she
was built.
$4,000 paid by DR.. Shoop for any
recent case OF Grippe or acute Cold
that a 05-cent box of PreyenticS will