What makes an assassin? Why does anyone make the decision to try and murder a president or political figure? And, why (other than ALL of the other problematic issues) President Andrew Jackson?
This week the ONUC gals discuss the first presidential assassination attempt in United States history. They dive into the psychology behind political assassins, who Richard Lawrence was, and what happens when you try to assassinate the infamous Stonewall Jackson and Representative Davy Crockett is a witness. Guys... you aren't prepared!
Trigger Warning Level: None!
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Remember, there isn't always liberty and justice for all.
Sources: NPR, Smithsonian Magazine, and The First Presidential Assassination Attempt by Howard Zonana MD
You are listening to one nation under crime, historical chronological, true crime podcast. Each week we go through our nation's history and discuss one case from each year, starting in 1800. I'm Kayla and I'm Leah. That's a big sigh. I know. Well, our first Patreon episode has come out. It has our exclusive Releases For the cool kids. And what's super funny is me and my boyfriend started watching this new show on Netflix. That's like super creepy, but in one of the episodes, I can't say what the topic is, but they mentioned our topic and I was like, I was like, it's like, I know him.
00:00:49
And it's not a show that I watch. No, not at all. Let's talking about it today at work. And I was like, yeah, this isn't a show that I watch. Is it? She was like, Absolutely not, but it's so, so if anybody else is watching archive 81, let me know. And then how you take care of me. I mean, I try honestly do appreciate it. I did a need to know, did your husband let you listen to the, He hasn't listened to it yet. He's been working a lot of overtime, so he hasn't listened to it yet. Oh, I guess people need power, whatever. Yeah. So, all right, well, I'll find it. I'll keep you posted. Okay.
00:01:29
Well, this week's episode is our nation's bunny. That's what I'm going to say. Oh dear. There are some things that happen in our history that I could not stop laughing at. Some of you mean like The dead squirrels floating down the River. I mean like presidents do and crazy stuff. Like hilarious things that happen and how you don't realize who's connected to what and where at what times until you start looking into it. Oh dear. So guys, we're going to get into it.
00:02:14
One of our sources is going to tell you what our episode is about. So that's why I'm just going to wait. Our sources, NPR, pelt, super smart Smithsonian magazine, always a good one too. I really liked that one. They have really good, really good articles about a bunch of different things. And usually they're kind of long. And then this was a, I think like a dissertation study and it is titled the first presidential assassination attempt. And it was written by Howard Zoho, Nana.
00:02:54
Oh, like banana, but Zhou, Nana. Gotcha. And MD. So I guess he did get his MD from his dissertation, but so we are covering the first presidential assassination attempt in the United States. And guys notice that I set a tent. So nobody dies was not successful. Nobody does yay. No murder. So, but however, it, this case, it took some turns and some hilarious things that I, I didn't, I was not expecting. I like left. So we will, we will get to it.
00:03:37
Our events in 1835 on January 8th, the federal government declared that Andrew Jackson paid off the national debt for the first and only time. The U S debt was $0 for the May 1st time and only time and only time in history. And this is in the time of president Andrew Jackson, like this said. So just keep in mind. That was a long piece. The other side of our story is Andrew Jackson. And so we're going to talk a lot about Andrew Jackson. Okay. Wall. Yes.
00:04:17
So it's going to be interesting. February 24th, the Shawnee sun was established as the first native American language, monthly magazine, March 3rd, Congress authorized a us mint in new Orleans, Louisiana. We talked about that may six, James Gordon Bennett, senior published the first issue of the New York Herald. And it was 1 cent. Hmm. We will discuss him in next week's episode too. I did not realize that. Interesting is may eight.
00:04:58
The first installment of Hans Christian Andersen fairytales were published in Denmark. I know it's Denmark guys, but still maintenance. Hans Christian Anderson. Can I give you a fun fact? Tell me, oh, I just love fun facts and it's tied to frozen. So do you know this phone? I hope you don't know this fun fact because I want to be, I saved it specifically to tell you on the podcast, we'll have to let it go. Okay. The names of the people and for so it's Hans Christian Anderson horns, Kristoff, Anna spin. . I did not. I know, I know I was listening to, and that's why we drank an M on the show, did something and they, in some tour that they went on and said that.
00:05:43
And I was like, yes, Han's Kristoff, Anna spin. I isn't that fun. I love little Easter eggs like That. Oh my goodness. Oh, office. My favorite, by The way. He's funny. So, all right. Onto the next May 13th, the foreign embassy was formed in Hawaii. The first foreign embassy that is, and June 2nd, PT, Barnum. We talked about him. We know him. I knew him as a showman in New York city by he started his show mentor in New York city by displaying Joyce has we discussed her? He's the one that said that she was 161 years old.
00:06:24
And the nurse made of George Washington. And it was all why. And it was a big old fat law. And he charged people to watch her autopsy. It's garbage. Anyway, June 25th, People delight in beings. Now, Here we are. June 25th, the first building was constructed in <em></em> now San Francisco. I'm sorry. What was its Name? Yerba Buena. That is Quite a name. Isn't it? July 4th, the Baltimore and Ohio railroad completed construction of its Thomas viaduct, which was then the longest bridge in the United States.
00:07:04
And second, only to the London bridge in the world. The longer Canton viaduct was completed two weeks later. So for two weeks, they were the one for two weeks, Two weeks. You know, the viaduct that the Hogwarts express goes on the hand, Scotland. I've seen it in person it's been there. You're welcome. It's very cool. July 8th, the Liberty bell cracked again. I was going to say The first time or July 26th, the first sugarcane plantation started in Hawaii, August 17th, Solomon Merrick patented the first wrench in Springfield, Massachusetts, a wrench Patented the wrench Re like literally will people use it every day.
00:07:55
Hmm. That's just a still crazy. I wonder if the, he is a relative John merit, you know who that is? The elephant Man That because of bare naked ladies, It's such a good band. August 25th, the New York sun published. We'll talk about them next week, too. Weird. The New York negative ladies. No. Oh, it was like for real now the New York sun newspaper published the moon hoax story about John Herschel and the supposed discovery of life. And even civilization on the moon, the articles described animals on the moon, including bison, goats, unicorns, bipedal, tailless beavers and bat like winged humanoids.
00:08:50
And they built temples. Oh, ma there were trees oceans. And these discoveries were supposedly made with a quote, immense telescope of an entire, entirely new principle. Eventually the authors announced that the observations had been terminated by the destruction of the telescope by means of the sun causing the lens to act as a burning glass setting, fire to the observatory. Oh mom. But they were publishing all these stories about this light and people were believing it. Were they smoking some special Bacchae they might've been, but yeah.
00:09:36
Oh my God. Pedal tail is beavers. That is as Patrick Hawkins says and in true crime obsessed, that's my drag name by pedal fever. And that we human creature and they built temples. I mean, I've heard that a cow jumped over the moon, but I did not have nice and lived on it heavenly days. Gosh. All right.
00:10:17
I guess it's not dragging. Oh gosh guys. I can't that's good stuff right there. November 24th, the Texas Rangers were authorized by the Texas provisional government. December 3rd, the first us mutual fire insurance company issued its first policy in Rhode Island. December 16th, fire consumed over 600 buildings in NYC and killed two people that had nothing to do with the fire that doesn't doesn't appear. It doesn't appear that one could have been the excuse. I'm just saying it would have been what it worked out well for them start that fire.
00:10:55
I, you know what, you know what it was the bipedal tail. This beaver came down, all the, he moved says, you can not have moves. The telescope is like Armageddon. Like he sacrificed himself, come here. And he was like, I got to do it for the family. They can't. No, no. And then people are going to be like, that looks like a tailless beaver. They can't know. They can't know. So who knows he could be walking among us still today? I don't know. I know some people who could be considered a tailless bipedal beaver, but December 20th, the Texas declaration of independence was first signed and are undated events.
00:11:45
In 1835 forecasts was established. It was the military headquarters and site of the largest internment camps during the 1838 trail of tears. And say it with me because people are saying tried to harmonize. Sorry. It didn't work. I never, I never do it the same way. So you never know. It's always a surprise. All right, I'm ready to do better. I'll try. I won't our, our bursts in 1835, we're just skipping right to June. So June 15th, ADA Isaac's men kin. She was an American actress, painter and poet.
00:12:25
She was the artsy. Oh, just you wait. She was the highest earning actress of her time and most known for her performance in the hippo drama. Ma I think it's maze APOE that featured her writing across the stage. Nude on a horse. Was she lady Godiva? I don't know, but, but gas, she was a Gemini heaven, quite very scandalous. June 27th, Frederick Henry Harvey. He created the first restaurant chain in the United States called Harvey house.
00:13:10
Well, there you go. He's a cancer. He had cancer. He was a cancer. I don't know. Some people get describing anyways. It's not a joke. No, no. Which is unfortunate that I have to Amos August 2nd. Let's see. Dang it. I knew I was going to do this. What did you do? Hold on beer back. All right. I'm back. I figured it out. August 2nd, Elijah gray was born. He was an American electrical engineer who founded the Western electric manufacturing company.
00:13:53
Some recent authors have argued that gray should be considered the true inventor of the telephone because Alexander Graham bell allegedly stole the idea of the liquid transmitter from him. A thief, although gray had been using liquid transmitters in his telephone experiments for more than two years previously Bell's telephone patent was upheld in numerous court decisions. Grey is also considered to be the father of modern music synthesizer and was granted over 70 patents for his invention. Wow.
00:14:33
That's a lot of inventions, Leo. I bet he was a very interesting, I would think he seems it. Oh gosh. I forgot about this last name. November 21st. It's a right in the face. Oh, by the way, Elijah grows. Leo said that maybe I did November 21st rose ed inch. Yep. That's what we're going with. She was a Jewish American actress and she was thought to be the first American actor to ever earn a three figure salary. She was a Scorpio. I like the name rose you'll know this name November 25th, Andrew Carnegie dinner that night.
00:15:20
He's a Scotsman. He's a Scottish American industrialist and philanthropist wrote a paper on him in 11th grade. Carnegie led the expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century and became one of the richest Americans in history. Almost 90% of his fortune was given away to charities, foundations and universities. Yes, he's a Sagittarius. You know, this goes on to just saying November 30th. I know a lot. Mark Twain was born a know about him. That's not his given name. True, but he's an American Samuel Clemens I think is as good. A name, American writer, humorous entrepreneur, publisher, and lecturer.
00:16:02
And he was quote the father of American literature. He wrote such books as the adventures of Tom and Sawyer and adventures of huckleberry Finn. He was also a Sagittarius, Tom Sawyer, not Tom and Sawyer. Yeah. So Tom, sorry. I thought you said, Tom know, maybe we may have had libations before we started the only like two steps of a drive. What is going on with me anyways? Well, I have had more than two sips. That's true. December 13, mouthy, Phillips Brooks. He was an American clergyman who wrote the lyrics of the Christmas, him. Oh little town of Bethlehem. That is such a pretty song.
00:16:43
And he was a Sagittarius. Now we are to our deaths in 1835, April 21st. We have Samuel Salter. He was known as the father of the American industrial revolution, August 25th and Rutledge died. We haven't gotten to him yet, but it said that she was Abraham Lincoln's alleged first love. Oh, December 22nd. David Hosek y'all know him. He was a physician educator. And he was the one who was the attending doctor at the Hamilton bird. And I just put in parentheses shot first and then date in case just in case anybody.
00:17:23
Well, and then the date is unknown of this one. And I don't like that. Yeah. She's a woman who simply is known in a lot of places as Sally, Sally Hemings was an enslaved woman who had a, not so secret relationship with Thomas for years. And she has mentioned in Hamilton, she is, and her six children were fathered by him, which now has been proven by modern DNA technology. So onto our case for this week, January 30th, 1835, Richard Lawrence attempted to shoot president Andrew Jackson outside of the United States Capitol marking.
00:18:14
The first presidential assassination attempt did not work. No. The United States Capitol building also called the Capitol or simply Capitol building. Just case is the official meeting place. The United States Congress and the seat of the legislative branch of the us federal government. It is located on Capitol hill at the Eastern side of the national mall in Washington, DC. We've discussed the building briefly in earlier episodes, but we're going to take a bit of a deep dive on it today. I'm sure we'll be back in DC, but we did briefly talk about DC and episode 16 for 1814.
00:18:54
So since this happened at the Capitol building, like it's only fitting that we take a specific look at her cause she's gorgeous. She's gorgeous. That color looks so good on her. The building isn't at the geographic center of the federal district any longer, but it does form the origin point for the districts street numbering system and the districts four quadrants. Those that are originally completed in 1800, the building was partially destroyed by a fire in 1814, which we talked about in that episode, episode 16, when the burning of Washington DC took place, it took five years, but it was fully restored, but it was not the building that you know today.
00:19:39
Nope. Prior to the Capitol buildings completion, the U S Congress met in Philadelphia at independence hall and Congress hall in New York city at the federal hall. And several other locations between New Jersey and Maryland New York city remains the home for Congress until July of 1790. When the residents act was passed, which allow the assignment of a permanent capital, everyone and their mother's grandmother wanted to claim the Capitol as their own. And thanks to Alexander Hamilton in a room where it happens, a deal was struck. The federal government would take on war debt incurred during the revolutionary war.
00:20:23
And in exchange, the Northern states would support locating the Capitol on the Potomac river. Part of this agreement included Philadelphia being the temporary capital for 10 years until the building in DC was completed. Peer Charles Elefant. We talked about him, didn't say his last name right then either. He was the one. He was the one chosen to create the city plan for DC. He chose Jenkins hill as the site for Congress house, which is what it was called at that point. Okay. With a grand avenue, connecting it to the president's house, which is now Pennsylvania avenue and a public space that contained a broader grand avenue.
00:21:08
Now the national mall leading straight to the Potomac river, Thomas Jefferson reviewed the plan and insisted that Congress house below be called the Capitol. Instead Capitol with the word capital was derived from Latin and is associated with the temple of Jupiter optimist Maximus on capital line hill, which is one of the famous seven Hills of Rome. I was thinking, yes, optimist prom. I added to when I wrote it, you'll notice a lot of times that capital is sometimes spelled capital for those who this is not, does not a visual medium.
00:21:48
So capital with an over capital with an a, the capital with an O is a building that houses the government institutions. Whereas the capital with an a is an entire city itself. Elefant was dismissed in February of 1792 due to disagreements with president George Washington. Oh dear. There were no official plans for the Capitol building itself. At this point, I just put the ever overzealous. Thomas Jefferson proposed a competition for designs and a four month deadline was set. The prize was $500 and a lot in the federal city, 10 people submitted designs for the Capitol building and the president's house.
00:22:31
They were called amateurish and crude due to the lack of architectural skill. The most promise, tell us how you went about, I know the most promising came from Stephen Hallett who was a trained French architect, but apparently not good enough for them. Oh, but his designs were too fancy with too much French influence and they were going to cost too much. Oh, a late injury. They were immature. Apparently. I mean, crude, I guess, is where they can chase the ants. Insane. A late entry came from William Thornton and it received a good bit of praise for its Granger, simplicity and beauty.
00:23:15
Most notably from president Washington hand, of course, Thomas Jefferson, the design was approved three months later and questioned. Did Jefferson give the, give it, you know, approval after Washington gave it approval? I don't know. It doesn't say, I mean, does. I mean, I'm, I'm just saying the brown noser, I mean, even continue, the design was approved three months later and William Thornton served as the first architect of the Capitol. He was also later superintendent of the us patent and trademark office because of him getting the Strom. That's pretty cool. On September 18th, 1793, president George Washington, along with eight other Freemasons dressed in Mae sot and in may Sonic regalia laid the first cornerstone, which was made by silver Smith, Caleb Bentley.
00:24:12
That's pretty cool for several decades. Beginning when the federal government moved to Washington in the fall of 1800, the Capitol building was used for Sunday religious services, as well as for government functions, according to an exhibit called religion and the founding of the American public, which was located at the us library of Congress, quote, it is no exaggeration to say that on Sundays in Washington, during the administrations of Thomas Jefferson and of James Madison, the state became the church within a year of his inauguration. Jefferson began attending church services and the chamber of the house of representatives, Madison followed Jefferson's example.
00:24:52
Although unlike Jefferson who rode on horseback to church in the Capitol, Madison came in a coach and four horses worship services in the house, a practice that then continued until after the civil war were acceptable to Jefferson because they were non-discriminatory and voluntary preachers of every Protestant denomination appeared. Catholic priests officially began in 1826 as early as 1806, a female evangelist, Dorothy Ripley delivered a camp meeting style expectation in the house to Jefferson, vice president, Aaron Burr, and a crowded audience.
00:25:37
The building was eventually enlarged with the addition of a massive dome and extended wings with expanded chambers for the bicameral legislature, the house of representatives in the south wing and the Senate in the north wing, like the principal buildings of the executive and judicial branch, the capital is built in the neoclassic style and has a white exterior. Everyone knows it. Everyone loves it. Both its east and west elevations are formally referred to as fronts though. Only the east front was intended for the reception of visitors and dignitaries. Hmm. We are going to get to something a bit creeping, oh dear.
00:26:21
On the ground floor, if we're going so well on it right on the ground floor is an area known as the Crips. It was intended to be the burial place of George Washington. We have talked about this before. This goes into it a little bit more. It had a ringed railing at the center of the rotunda above looking down to his tomb. Both houses of Congress passed a resolution calling for Washington to be in tuned in the Capitol upon its completion. But praise the Lord. Martha Washington agreed to the plan. Despite the presence in her husband's will have a provision that he be buried at Mount Vernon. However, the original resolution was never carried out due to disputes over the specific design and the cost of the tomb and the body was placed in a temporary team at Mount Vernon.
00:27:09
Congress renewed it's called a transfer the body in 1830 and after it was after an attempt to steal Washington's head in which the Mount Vernon tomb was vandalized. And several of Washington's relatives, corpses were desecrated, but the owner of the property, John Washington decided to build a new, more secure tomb on the site. So he is not in the Capitol building, praise the Lord, the Crip also houses exhibits on the history of the Capitol, a compass star and laid on the floor marks the point at which Washington DC is divided into four quadrants. And is the basis for how addresses are done in Washington DC in the late 18 hundreds and early 19 hundreds, the crypt was used for bicycle parking oh today the crypt serves as the main thoroughfare of the ground floor of the Capitol and is a stop for all Capitol tours provided through the Capitol visitor center.
00:28:09
The crypt also contains the Magna Carta case, a gold case, which held one of the copies of the Magna Carta when it was on loan to the United States for the bicentennial celebration. That's cool. I put due to the pandemic more, you currently cannot visit the, that was funny. You currently cannot tour the Capitol building in person. I was going to ask if they were doing tours right now, however, you can do a live virtual tour with a tour guide. So you have a tour guide. The tour lasts 45 to 60 minutes and not only does it have a live video, but there is also time built in for questions and answers from the tour guide directly.
00:28:54
Neat. When the Capitol visitor center does open all tours, programs and activities or free of charge in 1999, a study was published, which looked into the psychology behind assassinations of presidents. Since the year I met my husband, Robert Fein, who worked with the secret service in the 1980s as a psychologist and secret service agent, Brian Voskuhl took it upon themselves to do the most extensive study of assassins and almost assassins that has ever been done.
00:29:35
The idea came when Fein was working with the services in 1980s and president Ronald Reagan almost assassinated by John Hinckley. And then in the years, following both Reagan and then VP George H w Bush were threatened more than once find said, quote, in the space of 18 months, four situations came to the attention of the secret service for in 18 months in two of these incidents, he said people with weapons and an intent to kill appeared at public events and the two other incidents, the would be assassins were intercepted before the events. Ultimately all four cases were prosecuted. Two were convicted in to or sent to psychiatric facilities though.
00:30:20
Fine says the government did not exactly advertise this. Well, no find said, quote, these were not stories that hit the news, but they were situations that caused great concern for protectors. Yeah. So after these incidents, the secret service leadership got together and said, we really would like to know more about the behaviors of these people. 83 people were identified who were involved in a completed assassination and assassination attempts just from 1949 to 1996 alone. You said 80 19 49 to 19 96, 83 people.
00:31:03
Yeah, fine. And Voskuhl decided to go straight to the source for information find said, they went with a very particular pitch quote, we'd say we're here because we're in the business of trying to protect people and prevent these kinds of attacks. You were one of the few experts because you've engaged in this behavior. We would like to talk to you to understand your perspectives and your life whoa, the combat right to the chest. The common finding was that. So this was basically, this is very interesting. The common finding in the study was that choosing a political figure rather than a celebrity allow the assassination to associate themselves with a broader political movement or a goal.
00:31:49
Okay. This allowed them to psychologically see themselves as someone who isn't inherently bad because they are representing a larger cause. All in all thing. Yes. They're helping people all in all the conclusion was that assassins are basically murderers in search of a cause. And they're using that cause to justify their murder. So they kind of piggyback off of each other. Okay. But what about mental health cases? Well, 44% had a history of depression, 43%, a history of delusional ideas. 21% heard voices.
00:32:31
How ever a majority of the assassins were not men. They say mentally disorganized, which I kinda like they were not mentally disorganized by a mental illness. Okay. So a big majority of them did not have any mental illness. Gotcha. You know, that comes up. The argument then became that someone has to be organized to attack a public official due to the high levels of security involved. So what does all of this boil down to two things, notoriety and murder.
00:33:11
Yeah. That's what the whole study ended up figuring out. Yeah. Four sitting presidents have been killed and yes, we will get to all of them. They include Abraham Lincoln in 1865. What I'm counting Abraham thought I was giving her signals, given her the bird, but not the county. They include Abraham Lincoln in 1865 by John Wilkes booth James a Garfield in 1881 by Charles J Gutto William McKinley in 1901 by Leon ciao. Gosh, not how it's spelled. I can tell you that.
00:33:51
And John F. Kennedy in 1963 by Lee Harvey, Oswald, and I just put in parentheses maybe, but we don't have time to get into that now status anyways. I love you Kayla. Well, there has to be a first for everything and an 1835 president Andrew Jackson survived an attack on his life. It was unprecedented and unexpected. Richard Lawrence was an English American unemployed house painter. At the time he was born in England in 1800 and Lawrence immigrated see United States when he was 12 years old. And the family settled down in Virginia during his eventual trial, Lawrence was described at this time as quote, a relatively fine young boy who was reserved in his manner, but industrious and good and well reserved in his manner, but industrious and of good moral habits.
00:34:49
Okay. I don't know about that. See, later on in life, it took a turn Lawrence obtained a job as a house painter. And this is significant by November of 1832, his behavior had changed almost instantly. And without, cause he told his family that he was going to return to England and then he left. However, he came back about a month later saying that he decided not to travel because it was too cold. Okay. So where was he for a month? A month? He was just gone. He was just, you know, I mean he just decided he wanted just, you know, take his time, Kevin back, you know?
00:35:36
Well he went, he never the us, well, I mean, No, Well his state didn't last long and he announced again that he was returning to England to become a landscape painter. This time he left. Is that a profession? I guess so Happy little tree over here. And I guess Bob Ross did it Barbara. So if y'all ever watched the documentary of that hit me up, do not buy anything that has Bob Ross as a label on it because Bob Ross, his family gets absolutely nothing from it. It's a whole, if you sad, there's a watch the documentary anyways.
00:36:16
He was apparently a sex symbol anyways. Oh. Women like threw themselves at Bob Ross anyways. So I can't, I can't erase that. Anyway. Continue this time he left Virginia and stayed in Philadelphia before going back home again, he told his family this time, that quote named persons, prevented him from traveling and the U S government disapproved of his plan to return to England, The U S government just Put WTF dot, dot, dot. I mean, last time I checked passports, weren't really a thing.
00:36:57
And neither was carrying any type of identification. So how would the government discipline? I mean, I will say my momma almost got stuck in Scotland. She did. She almost got stuck in Scotland because it was just after nine 11. She went over and didn't realize that her green card had expired or something. I think it was her green card. Anyway. I don't know what, I don't remember what happened, but she really likes, she was like, oh my gosh, I'm not getting home. It was Nice knowing your fam.
00:37:38
I Mean it for, I mean, she was really scared and maybe it hadn't expired. I don't remember what it happened, but maybe at anyway. Yeah, it had expired, but, but the, you know, she was like, I hadn't gotten any notices because they stopped like sending notices I think. And she, now she has to get to Atlanta to do selfish. Can't just go downtown and yeah. So like, yeah, the person finally was like, okay, I believe you, you know, your license is, is not expired anymore. You know, like, you know, and your passport is not expired. So it does look like, you know, get this taken care of as soon as you go.
00:38:17
And she was like, Hey, I'll reel. Yes, yes, yes, yes. Yeah. I mean like really she really thought she was not going to get to come home. It was bad. Okay. So Yeah. Well he continued with his story and said that while in Philadelphia, he read stories about himself in the newspaper that were of his plans to travel to England. And that the stories also attacked his character. So Lawrence had no choice, but to come back home to his family and save up enough money to buy a ship and hire a captain who could sail him to England instead. Oh, So he's just going to do it on his own cell. Even though Lawrence went back to his painting job, once he arrived back home and he quickly quit, some historians believe that the exposure to toxic chemicals in the paints might have contributed to mental illness.
00:39:12
She, So if you thought that the story was going off the rails before, oh, dear Buckle up. Oh, Because Lawrence's sister asked him why he quit painting. That's a genuine question. Like, why did you stop painting houses? Like that's what you did as your job. Why, you know, why are you not doing that anymore? So just the paints made me crazy. And he said that he didn't have to work anymore because he was owed a large sum of money by the us government. Oh, not only that, but he was actually Richard, the third of England and he owned two English estates.
00:39:55
Oh, bless it. I put now, if you have listened to this podcast up until now and you've made it through all 38 plus episodes. Cause we did have bonus episodes. Yes, yes, yes. Then you are very well aware that we are very strong advocates for mental health. Yes we are. We both have our own mental health things that go on. We know a lot of other people do and we have a mission to de-stigmatize it? Yes. I admit that I'm crazy app is put it out There. People don't like the term crazy. Okay. People don't like the term crazy, but I know that I am crazy.
00:40:36
I mean Just too crazy in a lot of ways though. I mean like this, but Yes, I'm crazy. Awesome. I'm just saying some people don't like it, but I don't know what to say. Yes. I mean, Yes. I mean, yeah. But So I have no doubt that something, something was going on with Richard Warner, Something something's going on with him, But I'm not a psychologist who can actually make a diagnosis of what that is. Right. And we don't know if the paints had something to do with it. We don't know if there was something else going on in the inner workings of his brain. We don't know. So, So my unofficial diagnosis, what I think could have been going on based off of what we've seen or what all has been going on with him, schizophrenia.
00:41:28
That's what I was thinking. Typically manifests itself in men in early to mid twenties, but onset can occur between late teen years into your mid thirties. So, and typically your first episode occurs in your early to mid twenties for men. I can't think of the name of the ship, but my husband and I watched it and it was Eric. I can't think of his last name, but will from will. And grace was the star in it. And Eric, I can't think of his last name. And he had schizophrenia and he was a professor at a college.
00:42:09
And you don't realize it at first, like he's talking things out with his best friend and then you realize that she's not real. And she is one of his voices. One of his people, it is. And he is, he's absolutely brilliant. And he actually helps solve crimes. Absolutely brilliant. But he does suffer from schizophrenia. It is one of lives With lifts, With schizophrenia Lives with the guys. Even we have to work on it. It's hard. It is. Cause you have to remember like, Okay. Yes. But yes, schizophrenia for men can have late onsets.
00:42:53
One of the, The best shows ever. And I cannot think of the name of it, but it was, I mean, it was really neat and it really does show you how the disease really does just affects your entire life. And like you don't, sometimes you don't realize that it's not real. Yeah. And it depends on what, what type of symptoms you have as well. You know, a lot of people will have different symptoms, a lot of, you know, in a lot of different things. So I think it's a major possibility that this could be the explanation for it. But I also think the paint has something to do with it. Like you said, like it was very toxic paint. So I know that like that happened a lot.
00:43:36
So back to Lawrence, Eric McCormack. Yes. Eric McCormick. He started to believe that he wasn't receiving the money that was due to him because of president Andrew Jackson's opposition to the second bank of the United States. Oh, So it's all his fault. Yes. He thought that if Jackson were out of office, then vice president Martin van Buren would certainly establish national bank and allow Congress to pay him the money for his English states. But Lawrence didn't just change on the inside Either. Oh no.
00:44:16
His outward appearance started to change from a once conservatively dressed man to growing a mustache, buying expensive clothes and flashy clothing. And he would change clothes three to four times a day. That's that's pretty consistent with, with what would be, he would stand in the doorway of the house and watch the street for hours in silence. And the children in the neighborhood started calling him king Richard, oh, Lawrence liked the nickname, but he didn't realize that the children were actually making fun of him. That is very sad.
00:44:56
At the same time, he became hostile to other people and extremely paranoid. He threatened to kill a maid because he thought she was laughing at him. And he also started verbally and physically abusing his family. Specifically his sisters one attack occurred when he threatened to hit his sister with a paperweight because he thought she had been talking about him behind his back, which she probably was, but probably to try to get him help at his trial witnesses described some of the behavior occurring with Lawrence. At this time, some testified that he would have nonsensical conversations with himself and others and he would break out into fits of laughter or half cursing fits.
00:45:38
Everything changed. When Lawrence started making note of president Jackson's movements, it was reported that someone saw him in a paint shop muttering to himself about Jackson on January 30th, 1835, Lawrence was seen at the paint shop. Again, he had a book in his hand and he laughed. He suddenly jumped up and hurried away saying, I'll be damned if I don't do it. Oh no. So he got to go back a tiny bit to president Jackson. Cause we haven't really talked about him. And many people know Andrew Jackson, as we discussed our new Orleans episode, there's a very famous statue of him there.
00:46:21
Jackson was a lawyer, soldiers statesmen, and he served as the seventh president of the United States from 1829 to 18 37 2 terms. He gained his notoriety as a general in the United States army and served in both houses of the U S Congress. Here comes the Juna rule. He was a strong advocate for the rights of the common man against a corrupt aristocracy. And he wanted to preserve the union of the states. Here's some scandal he eloped with Rachel Donaldson Roberts in 1791. However, Rachel had been married to a man named Lewis Robards in 1787.
00:47:04
And she thought that Lewis had already obtained the official divorce between them. Oh, she thought it was later revealed that he didn't, which meant that her marriage to Jackson was inadvertently bigamous oh no. They were forced to remarry one another in 1794, after the divorce was officially finalized, the couple was extremely close. And even though the couple never had any biological children, they did have three adopted children. One was their nephew who was coincidentally named Andrew Jackson Jr. That's why a lot of people don't know he's adopted because he's Andrew Jackson Jr.
00:47:48
I think it's Lynn Coya. I think Lynn Coya was an orphan from the Creek tribe and sorry guys, this is, this is a little sad. He was found on the battlefield beside his dead mother and Jackson took him in and took care of him. Well, I mean, that is sad. Yeah. And a good frame for talking to him. And he was raised like just like his other children. And he actually wanted Lynn Coya to go to west point and they wouldn't let him in. Yeah, it was frustrating. Yes. And then lastly, Andrew Jackson Hutchings, who was the grandson of Rachael's sister.
00:48:33
So yes, it's very confusing. Hmm. This was all this wasn't all though, because he served as the guardian for the children of captain Edward Butler and the children of Rachel's brothers, children. So confusing. Wow. Emily, Emily Donnelson and Andrew Jackson Donaldson while he did not live with the Jacksons at this time, Andrew Jackson Donaldson did go on to serve as the, as president Jackson secretary during his presidency. Sadly Rachel died only a few days before his inauguration in 1829.
00:49:18
And her niece, Emily Donaldson, who he helped raise, took on the duties of first lady that Sloan we talked about. So it's, it's very interesting. He has, he has a very sorted history that we do not have time to get into, but he does seem to be a big hearted man. Yeah, yeah. It's yeah. He had, he had a lot of, a lot of things. We'll say that. So on June 8th, 1845, he was surrounded by family and friends at his deathbed.
00:50:01
Jackson said, quote, what is the matter with my dear children? Have I alarmed you? Oh, do not cry. Be good children. And we will all meet in heaven. And he died immediately after whoa, at the age of 78 of chronic anemia and heart failure. His reputation has suffered sorely since the 1970s, largely due to his anti abolitionist views and policy of the forceful removal of native Americans from their ancestral homelands, ancestral. Apparently that's hard work. However surveys anyway. Yeah. Right. Surveys of historians and scholars have ranked Jackson favorably among us presidents.
00:50:44
Very interesting. Hmm. I just put, however, Richard Lawrence would strongly disagree. So on January 30th, 1835, Jackson was attending the funeral as South Carolina representative Warren R Davis at the us Capitol building Lawrence wanted to shoot Jackson before he went into the service. You're going to shoot at me and going into a funeral. Okay. Hmm. But he wasn't able to get close enough. Once the funeral had ended, Lawrence found himself a spot next to a pillar on the east Portico. Right. Where Jackson would walk by once Jackson was incite and passing by.
00:51:27
I'm sorry. I know it's coming up in it. I can't. Okay. Sorry. That was yourself. It's not, gosh, you'll see why I'm laughing. So once Jackson was inside and walking by Lawrence stepped out and fired his pistol at Jackson's back it misfired. Oh dear Lawrence. Quickly tried to take another shot with his second pistol. It misfired. Oh no. What Lawrence didn't know is that the weapons he chose were known to not work well in moisture, in the air. And particularly that day, it was humid and damp. No, sorry.
00:52:11
I can't look at you. You can't look at me. President Jackson saw where the misfires came from and quickly ran over and started to beat. Really? <em></em> started to beat Richard with his cane. Yeah. It gets better. It gets better. The crowd eventually stepped in. They watched for a couple minutes. Then they stepped in to intervene. I'll be like, yo, yo, the crowd stepped in to intervene and wrestled Lawrence to the ground.
00:52:57
One. I told you guys it gets better. It gets better. One notable person in the crowd that helped subdue Lawrence was representative David Davy Crockett. And then it gets better because on April 11th, 1835, Lawrence was brought to trial at the district of Columbia city hall, city hall, the prosecuting attorney. Oh, is it? Peg leg was Francis Scott Key.
00:53:38
The man who wrote the star Spangled banner. So the man who wrote the star Spangled banner is the prosecutor of the man who is now who tried to attempt to assassinate the president who was also tackled by Davy Crockett, tried to kill Stonewall Jackson. When I read that he started, I was dying. Laughing, are you serious? And then with a K and then in parentheses, it said representative Davy Crockett was in the crowd. Subduing Lawrence. I, oh God, my boyfriend goes, well, I guess my boyfriend goes, guess he didn't need that.
00:54:21
Kane did. He was like, I mean, journaling does a lot. Gosh. So that's hilarious. During the trial, Lawrence would have wild outbursts and would rant about the proceedings and he refused to recognize the legitimacy of them. He said to the courtroom quote, it is for me, gentlemen, to pass judgment on you and not you upon me. Well, now the jury took five minutes to deliberate and found him not guilty and found him not guilty by reason of insanity. I was being facetious in the years, following his acquittal, Lawrence was held by several institutions and hospitals in 1855, he was committed to the newly opened government hospital for the insane.
00:55:06
That is what it's called. Yes. Remember, we've talked about how talks about which has has later the later the hospital became known as St. Elizabeth hospital and it is in Washington, DC. He remained there until his death on June 13th, 1860 1, 26 years after the assassination attempt, there was some speculation that Lawrence was a part of a conspiracy while nobody denied Lawrence's involvement. Many people, including president Andrew Jackson believed that he may have been encouraged to carry out the assassination attempts by the president's political enemies.
00:55:48
Hm U S Senator. And we talked about this in, I think in an earlier episode, Jackson's former vice-president. Remember John C. Calhoun stepped down as vice president and there was not a vice president for an entire year. So John C. Calhoun made a statement on the Senate floor that he was not connected to the attack on the Senate floor. Nevertheless Jackson believed that Calhoun was possibly at the bottom of the attempt. Jackson. Also, I think this has some weight to it. Jackson also suspected a former friend and supporter Senator George Poindexter of Mississippi, who had used Lawrence to do some house painting a few months earlier, Poindexter was unable to convince his supporters in Mississippi, that he was not involved in a plot against Jackson.
00:56:48
And he was defeated for reelection. However, no evidence has ever been discovered that connected Lawrence with either Calhoun or a Poindexter in a plot to kill Jackson. And that's the first assassination attempt of a president in the United States. That was really wild ride. Really, Really, really unsuccessful. They ended with the president and David Crockett Beaten the mess up. I mean, you can't get a better story than that, honestly like, Yep. I was beaten up by Andrew Jackson And David and then they go, wow, let's see why he's in here. Right. And just walk down the hall. They're like, he's he's he doesn't know what he's saying.
00:57:30
I took on Stonewall and the king of the wild Frontier. I mean Tom, which sorry guys. But unfortunately in the next episode, David Crocket dies. We don't cover it, but it's one of our deaths, but we talk about it because the next, the year after this is the Alamo. So one of the last fantastic things he did for the country was, was save president Jackson from Richard Lawrence. I don't know, could have saved Richard Lawrence from president Jackson, honestly, because why can't I bring me down, man? I don't know why you got to bring me down saying I don't know what that Cain was made out of, but it might've been, it might've been, he was saving Richard Lawrence from president Jackson.
00:58:12
Honestly, that's what I'm going with. All right. Well, I don't know if you'll find wild stories like that, but you can find our website and then you can in any and all own UC information you are looking for. It is one nation under crime.com. If you don't know where to find us by now on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube and Twitter, I don't know what you're doing. I mean, I mean, it's fun. It's not fun if you love our podcast, as much as we do. And we know you do, please follow us on your favorite podcatcher and recommend us to family and friends. Please also leave us a five star review, five stars only. I have discussed this before, but I feel the need to discuss it again.
00:58:54
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00:59:34
Thank you guys for listening to this week's wild episode of one nation under crime. We will see you here. Same time, different crime next week. And remember there isn't always Liberty and justice for all. Nope. Nope. Unless Davey Crockett's in the crowd and mean goodbye.