Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1935-05-04

Rachel for divorce. 1t was granted
with the stipulation that he publish
his charges for eight consecutive weeks
IN the Kentucky Gazette Instead Of
. doing 80. Robards circulated the re-
port that he had divorced Rachel. and
} when the Doneison's notified jackson
he and Rachel we're married by Cath
ole priest at Springfield, Tenn, in Au-
J gust, 1871. In December. 1913, after
Andrew and Rachel had been living
together for two years as man and
, wife, John NJ Overton. Andrews friend
found in the Harrodsburg county supe-
rior court records that Richards on the
previous Sept. % had divorced Rachel
on the ground that she was living IN
adultery with Andrew jackson. They
were both overcome with horror. but
Andrew hurried TO do what he could to
remedy the situation. On jan. Z, 1894.
he advertised a reward Of 81 900 TO be
given to anyone who could furnish a
reason why he should not marry Rachel
and when no one appeared they were
married again on Jan. II. 10 days later.
Huddled In his chair there In the
death chamber Andrew Jackson Bit
terly reproached himself for not max
ing sure Of Robard's divorce before he
married Rachel. It was inexcusable In
him, lawyer. even though he had re-
paired the damage as soon as he
learned Of It, That first marriage
which was no marriage at all-was the
reason why Rachel was always accused
as an adultress. It was the reason
Jackson himself became insane with a
murderous anger every time he heard
Rachel or any other woman accused Of
unchaStity. It was his obsession
through which his many enemies at
tackled him. It was his Achilles heel.
Not. the old warrior grimly realized,
that any man dared do it openly. In |
1903 John (Nolichucky jack Sewer. !
idol Of the border. governor Of Tennes-
see. and General Jackson's political en-
envy, tainted him with taking a trip /
to Natchez with another mans wife"
The general challenged and when Sc
vier refused to accept the challenge,
published him week after week In the
Nashville Gazette as a "poltroon and a
coward"
In 1905 Charles Dickinson, sports
man, duelist and crack shot and SON.
in-law Of Capt. Joseph Erwin, one Of
JackSon's best friends, made a slurring
remark about Rachel. Confronted, he
apologized, saying he was drunk. Later
he repeated the remark and the gen.
eral warned Erwin to stop his mouth.
Erwin stopped IL, but 8 year later. when
dispute arose over the payment Of q
forfeit in horse race, Andrew Jackson
challenged Dickinson. They fought at
Harrisons Mills. KY, in e break in q
poplar woods on May 80, 1906. jack
son, realizing Dickinson's marksman-
ship and knowing his own was but In
different, allowed Dickinson to shoot
first. The bullet ploughed through his
chest an inch from his heart, but Jack
son didn't move. Instead, he aimed
slowly and carefully and shot, Dickin-
son through the integtines. Dickinson
died that night, leaving his widow with
an unborn child.
No. NO man dared do it openly. In
stead, they did as Adams and Clay had
done in the late campaign. They
spread the rIImor so that Il could not
be traced back to them. It was more
sffective. Tt had killed Rachel.
The slow, murderous anger which had
been smoldering In him burst into
Tame and he threw his blanket aside
and walked over and put his hand
upon Rachel's cold one.
They have murdered you, Rachel.
ny dearest one, with their slanderous
,ongues." he said, his voice trembling.
And, by the eternal God, I win pay
hem In kindl o. Lord" he prayed
with an Old Testament Christians
ouching belief that God would be glad
o help out q man In q bloody feud,
deliver mine enemies into my hand"
That night. as he left the chamber
or the first time since Rachei's death,
le was handed letter from Washing
on and United States Senator John
Henry Eaton. Eaton was his campaign
manager, his first biographer, his
VaTmest friend and the brother-in-law
4 william B. Lewis, the man who had
made him president.
Dear General" Eaton had written,
I have taken your advice and asked
6a5cr ONeale for Pegs hand. We
VfII be married the first week IN Jsnu-
~. / am sure that, as you have fore
cen, the marriage win gtin the gossip
ae tongues that had wagged about Peg
nd me, endangering Pegs reputation"
General jackson smiled bitterly. It
1ould, If the president Of the United
hates had any power. Peggy O'Neale
Undertake, the beautiful hack-hatred,
lue-eyed, shapely and vivacious daugh-
av OF william O,Neale. once q major
a General Washington's army, and
ow the keeper OF Washington board
ag house freuuented by congressman,
las another Rachel. Like Rachel, she
'as but 10 when she married John
sowie Timberlake, q purser In the
!. 8. navy in 1916. Lake Rachel, her
rst marriage had been unhappy, al
1uugh she had borne q son, who had
led, and two daughters TO Timberlake.
Undertake, drunkard, had SO gar
led his accounts as purser Of the o. s.
Shark that he could get no other
1mnission, but had finally secured one
board the D. s. g. Constitution through
atoms influence. he had sailed aboard
er In 1904. after cOnsigning Peg and