Norwich bulletin., 1914-06-16
FAMOUS TRIALS
TRIAL OF RICHARD LAWRENCE.

The country was startled from one
 end to the other Jan. 30. 1885. at the
 attempted assassination of President
 Andrew Jackson. This was the irst
 attempt upon the life of an Americal president, and consternation filled the
 public mind at the thought that the
 tragical mode of dealing with the
 crowned heads of kingdoms and en-
 pires, had at last been tried-though
 fortunately with aboritive results
 upon the person of the popularly elect
 ed ruler of a free republic.
 On the afternoon of the attempt up-
 on his life. President Jackson was in
 the capitol in attendance on the fu-
 neral of Warren R. Davis of South
 Carolina. Richard Lawrence, a paint
 CT. was seen to enter the hall of the
 house of ref frese..tatives during the
 delivery of the funeral sermon. Be-
 fore it's close Lawrence took his stand
 on the eastern portico near one of the
 columns. The president, with the
 secretary of treasury on retiring from
 the rotunda to reach his carriage at
 the steps Of the portico, advanced to-
 ward the spot where Lawrence stood,
 As he reached within two yards of Lawrence the assassin extended his arm and leveled the pistol at the pres ident's breast. The percussion cap exploded with noise so great that
 several witnesses supposed the pis-
 toI had fired.
 On the instant the assassin dropped
 the pistol from his right hand and tax
 ing another already cooked from his left, presented and snapped it at tie president, but Secretary Woodbury and Lieut. Gedney at the same instant laid hold of the man. who gave way through the crowd and was at last knocked down. As soon as the act about it wished to kill the assassin son the spot.
 Lawrence, however, was carried to jail. Judge Cranch examined the prisoner. The total absence of any personal motive suggested the idea that he must be insane. But his de- 1 meanor when committing the act, ant
 on being seized. as we'll as when ex- amined, bore not the slightest appear ance of frenzy or Arrangement of any sort.
 Lawrence was a handsome man of about 35 years On the day appoint ed for the trial the prisoner appeared in court dressed in a gray coat black cravat and vest and brown pantaloons. His conduct was that of a man per fectly at ease. though his eyes showed indication Of mania He took his seat very quietly at the side of his counsel and conversed smilingly with them The witnesses having been called into court, MT. Key. the prosecuting attorney, commenced some observa-
  Lawrence from his chair, under evi- dent excitement of mind, and said he wished to know whether 1t was cor rect to bring him or not He claimed the crown of England, he said, and also that of the United States; and bring him there.
 The prisoner continually interrupted the proceedings. When his counsel asked that he be removed in order that the trial might proceed, Lawrence arose and addressed the judge wildly, saying:
 What I have done to Jackson was on account of money which he owes me I went there for that purpose. It 1 is for me, gentlemen. to pass upon you. and not you upon me"
 The chief witnesses for the prosecu- | tion were Secretary Dickerson and Secretary Woodbury while the de- fense called a number of witnesses 1 who swore to the peculiar actions of | the prisoner in recent years. Mir Redfern, his brother-in-law. told of his peculiarities at home, and Witness Drury, who said he had known Law renee for twenty-five years, stated that he conceived himself to be King 1 Richard III. of England. and likewise i king o fthis country.
 Several physicians were examined as to their opinion of Lawrence's con- dition, Judging from the facts drawn out by the evidence and their personal 1 interviews with the prisoner. Their testimony was unanimous in declar- 1 ing his state of mind to be that oi l morbid delusions. Among these phy- l sicians were Messrs. Coussin and Be- wall, two of the most eminent in their l profession,
 l In acordance with the evidence the 1 jury was out only five minutes and l returned a verdict of Not guilty, ne having been under the influence of in- l sanity at the time of committing the 1 aet' Lawrence was sent to lunatic , asylum, where he remained an inmate thirty or forty years