Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1908-03-19
SAWED Off ITS HEAD
Storm a Wooden Statue of An
drew Jackson Raised.
ON A FAMOUS OLD FRIGATE.


the Constitutions Figurehead and
Then Went to Washington and Defied
the Authorities.
The tigurehead which was placed on
the frigate Constitution is now at the
Naval academy in Annapolis. 1t is
figure of Andrew Jackson, and con-
nected with it IL a curious incident.
The original tigurehead of the Con
stitution was figure of Hercules.
This was destroyed by cannon ball
at Tripoli, and then a figure of Nep-
tune was e,ected This also came TO
grief, and al the time the vessel was
rebuilt there was no iigurehead eX-
cept billet.
At the time the new ship was finish
ed Captain Jesse Duncan Elliott of
Iagerstown, Md, who had distinguish
ed himself in the battle Of Lake Erie,
was in command Ut the Boston navy
yard Captain Elliott was an enthu-
slastic Democrat and an ardent adj
mirer of President Andrew Jackson.
The president had lately been in Bos-
ton and had been most Hospitality re-
ceived and Captain Elliott conceived
the idea of placing a figure of the
president at the Prov of the Constitu-
ton. believing that II would give the
people of Boston much pleasure The
navy department gave him permission,
and SO wooden figure Of "Old Hick-
ory' was pat III position on the ship.
This net raised storm of dissent
in the Hub, and Captain Elliott was
threatened with coat of tar and
feathers. The excitement was intense,
ana the language was virulent. Hand
bills denouncing the act, denouncing
the president and Elliott We're circulat-
Ell 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 ut hand. the head of
Jackson was sawed off and taken
away New England was delirlous.
and for time the perpetrator 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 secre-
tary of the navy at Washington and
avowed himself rs the criminal. That
official was amazed ut 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 a jury in that
county" he added. will punish a man
for cutting off the head of Andrew
Jackson YOU are welcome to try II"
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 ut the PROV of the vessel
for forty years.
Captain Elliotts last voyage on the
Constitution 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 incumbered the
berth deck of the ship on the home
ward voyage with jackasses for the
Improvement of the breed in the Unit
ed States The Constitution finally
went out of commission for active
service at Portsmouth, n. H., after a
career of nearly tifty-elght 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 1865 she was returned to Annapo-
lis. where she remained until 1871,
when she was taken to Philadelphia.
where she was again rebuilt In 1873
she was used TO transport exhibits 10
France for the Paris exposition of
1878. and her career at sea finally
ended in 1881 The centennial of her
launching was celebrated ut Boston in
1897, where she was Baltimore
SIM