Vincennes Gazette, Volume 4, Number 44, Vincennes, Knox County, 4 April 1835 — Page 1

VQLsVZllZ 1. VINCBNNJS, INDIANA, AFRXE. 4, 1835. NUIV1BEI1 !

THK inir heard it dia'iucllv, I inquired of Gen. VI NCn?TSS GASETTE'lWno what it was ih.u he said at the

j Pu'ilisL.ed every S tlurJii;, L-ia 2 3 3 x? i SJ 3 Tonus 2 if paid iluriiij the jear. 0m. if paid in advance. '0, if not i aid dming tho year. 51 25, for sir. month?. Papers M-c Milinned only at 1 1n- option of t'ie pub 1 !i - ' r while sirrc-urnes are due. fr'- t-rtisi'in - ill 5 Htakiin,' one sqnnre or less will he inserted three tiim ? f-T urn: dollar, and twentv-i! wccnH for every subsequent inset lion; longer a! .eri'.eme.its in the saino ratio. Advei -liispincnLs sent wiiliont i.rders, will in all caEt', I'u inserted until fcibiJ, and charged accordingly. Siiuh article? of produce r.s are used in a family, will hs received in payment for subscriptions, at tin market price, deliveied in VinOiTK lAL r.LLHKU'. House cf lieprtsentcitiv', Feb. 23, 1C35. Mr. IIannkgan, from Ihe select committee uppointcd to investigate and 10 port the facta to the lionet i j the case if sd asranli upon ihe lion. John Ewjog, member of the House cf Representatives, submitted the fallowing report: Thcftlect committee to w hich was referred the investigation of ihe circumstances uf the assault mad? by Lieutenant Jon F. Lane, of the army, on the Hon. E'ving, a member of tha ILiuse, having had the same under consideration, and given to the matter ali ihe attention in their power at this late period cf the Efbiion, report the following fact?, which are all that hare !,?eo disclosed to them in ihe course .f the examination ; This examination, they would in the fii at place state, lias hern conducted tin uughout in the preter.ee of Li uiiuant Lnne, to whom the privilege, ivhs giv en rf ci oss-examining the wilr-esses, and who whs s:s(; allowed to introduce such testimony a? he conceived waa es:-en-tinl to Ilia defence. It may te well i remark that, alter the testimony hail been closed on the part of the committee, Lieutenant Lane gave the committee to understand that he did not feel himstif bound to introduce any evidence rroiog to bhorv w hat his privflte motives were fur the assault upon Mr. Evvinjj. Tht history cf the cae itself is com iri?ed in a few words, and will be given j substantial! v ps disclosed by ihe witr.eses. It appears l hat cn Thursday evening, the CO ultimo, immediately after the adjournment of the House of Representatives, as Mr. Eing w as paising from the Capitol to his lodgings, he was encountered or.i the ATcnue by Lieuttnaut Lane, who accosted hiai, apparently in no unfriendly spirit, and with the simple observation that he wished to speak with him. Altera moment's pause. and an intimation from Mr. Lane to Mr. Ewing, that his object in pecking him was to punit-h him. (his hand being in his pocket at the lime.) anil a retort couched in warm language, from Mr. Ewing, he ras struck by Mr. Lane, whilst n the act cf returning bundle of papers to his pocket. Th? blows were repeated, and an nffruy ol eome Utile duration succeeded between them. The instrument with which the first blow was inflicted by Mr. Lane wa? en iron cane, covered or wrapped with thread. The wounds inflicted upon Mr Ewing appear, from the testimony of the attending physician, Dr. Fdnke, to have been severe. At the moment of sepai ating, and after the conflict was over, Mr. Lane, in the act of retiring from the crowd attracted by the occurrence, observed that his object wr? accomplished; that his intfcntion was publicly to degrade Mr. Ewing, and that he had succeeded. For this assault no cause is assigned by Lieutenant Lane, nor h 3 he introdoced any testimony relative to n personal difficulty or individual offence between hsu; self and Mr. Ewing. The committee have been unable to discover any cause,

throughout the investigation, other than I Mr. Ewing, I was parsing, t iter the ad- . .t i i . r,i.. n r i i

that assigned ty lir. i,vupc in his ueposi tion, and that is, an irritated and unpleas ant controversy which occurred some time back, in the House of Hepresenta

five?, between the Hon. A Lane and Mr. (those belore me -e stopped m their Ewing, which is within the recollection of j progress , and the appearance of nn affray the House. The committee In.ve no! between two persons on the side walk, other grounds for supposing this to hne j neither of whom I immediately recognibeen the cause of the nrsault, than the zed. I passed off the side walk on to the

supposition of Mr. Ewing, Rnd the ah-j KPnce of all amarent cause beside?. lo I I previous difficulty had occurred between the parties, that is known; but, upon the contrary, when warned by the Hen. Win. Hendricks, of the Senate, against interfering in the controversy abote alluded to, between his father a-nJ ilr. Ewing, Lieutenant Line directly disclaimed any such intention, or participation i.i the unpleasant feeling which had been excited. Tins brier statement embraces ine ma triHl facts the committee have been able to collect, the brief time allowed not permittio" them to procetd further; and, as but a few hours of ihe ss.-iots remain, they have declined suggesting nny ste; s for the consideration and adopWon of the House . On the evening that the affray tonu pVtce, 1 was returning to my boardingheu'e. About the centre of the Botanic Garden 1 overtook GeneralThomson, and Mr. Ewing, of Indiana. As I got up with them. I heard Mr. Ewing: say something about the present Congress, but not hav-

time. J fi-.vv Lieutenant Lane meet Mr. E ing, (fi iendly , a? I then thought,) and at this ti'.re Mr. Ewing stopped, and the General and myself passed on. After we Lad started, or nboul the time, 1 understood Lane to say he would chastise him, and walked seven or tight step?. The General observed there, would he a scrape. We turned round, and th?y were engaged. I saw Lieutenant Lane strike air. Ewing, and Mr. Ewing strike Lieut. Lane, Ewi'ig1-? face bleeding. About this lime Lane stepped a few feet buck, and M r. Ewing closed in on him, and inade c ne or two passes at him, the sword of his cane being unsheathed, which were parried by Lane. Ewi;,g struck Lane then with ihe sword part tf the cane on the shoulder aim one or two strokes, by which I thought the swerd waa broken, as I heard, as I believed, the broken part fall on the pavement. Lieutenant L;ine then caight Ewing by the hair of the head, and gave him one or two strokes. In (hp time of the affray, Ewing Culled Lane a r;cnl or scoundrel, I am not certain which. These are all the words! heard except as before mentioned. The above deposed to by Mr Mitchell. Sworn . Questions by Mr Lane cf Mr. Mitchell , swcin, and deposition in u filing. W;is it not a pait tf a sentence in which you heard the word chastise u?ed? Answer. 1 suj pose it we.s a part. W.is not this remark m;uie by Lieut. Lno about the clof-e of the difficulty;

"My pt:rj ose is equally well accomplished hy put.hiujj 3 t u. You are pul iicly disgraced r' Answer. It might be, or words to that e fleet. KODE11T MITCHELL. In connexion w ith the affray between ihe hcnoialie Mr. Ew irg, cf the House of Uepresentative , and Lieutenant Lane, Mr. iSloddert has to state thai he did not witness the oricin of the asault and battery; and the oniy thing that he has to stale is, !iie declaration of Lieutenan' Lane that his purpose was todegrnde and! disgrace Mr. Eu inc, and that he had done it, una was satit;rd Sworn, J. T. STODDEItT. I have no personal knowledge of the assault made by Lieutenant Lane upon the honorable John Ewing. Doctor Hagau and myself dressed Mr. Ewing's wounds. He had an ugly cut upon the forehead, immediately over the left eye, extending about one inch and a half in length. The skin and integuments were cut threugh to ihe bone. He had also a severe contusion upon the left cheek bone, and the skin at Ihe ex ternal ar'de of the orbit of the eve was ahrnde 1. There was an extravasation of blood all around the left eye , which extended for some distance down the cheek. IIh right hand wa disabled, in conse-j queries of an injury received on his fore finger, which was very much swollen, and occasioned him grsat pain. He received several other minor injuries. j Mr. Ewing's situation has been such ever since as to have rendered hi confinement to hi? lodgings necessary. Question by Lieuttnant Lane. Would Mr. Ew ing'ri coming out to day cause serious injury? Answer. I do not believe that Mr. Ewing wov.ld incur any risk by venf-iring out to-day; but he is very much disfigured, and 1 should suppose that it would be unpleasant to him to be seen in his present situ'alicn by others than hi? friends or physicians. Sworn. JlNO. B. BLAKE. Ar. JAncohfs Statement. On the day of the alleged assault upon jourrtment of the House, from the Capitol towards my lodging", on the left hand sida walk of the Pennsy 1-nnin avenue. My attention was ariesttd by observing that slreei ; and when I came opposite the persons engaged in the affray, I recogni zed Mr. Ewing, of the House cf Representatives. He had a short stick in his hand, about 12 or 1G inches in length, and was striking at the head of the perscn with whni he was engaged, while that person appeared to be striking at him with his fist. They immediately aft;r parted. Mr Ewing reproached the other person in strong language with having made a cowardly attack upon Dim; anti ! that person replied, 'ria he had accom j pHshcd his ohjrct; he had intanded publicly to disgrace him, an I he had done it.1 1 was at that lime quite near him, having stepped from the street on to the side walk, and heard distinctly his declaration. He passed directly by me across the street, followed by Mr. Hardin, of Kentucky, and several other persons. Ferceiyirg that Mr. Hardin had come up with him, and apparently had addressed him, I turned towards Mr. Ewing; and, perceivn g that some gentlemen were es sisting him, I passed on with Mr Stod dcrt, of Maryliiid, to my lodgings.

!A-6l,M0-8n!"41 MrF;r"V

hat was ofi, and hi face very bloody. The person iu cuntlict with Mr. Ewing I did not know. In answer t an inquiry ut to me by Lieutenant Lane, before the committee, and with Iheir leave, I have to say, that I colled in the evening after the contlict to inquire how aericusly Mr. Ewing waa injured. He said that, as he was passing along the side walk, in conversation with another member of the House, Lieutenant Lane, of the army, came up to him, inquired if his name was Ewing, and observed that he had something to eny to him; that he fell back, when Lieutenant Lane aaid he was going tojiunisk him, end immediately struck him violently with a cane ncroia the head. Upon my inquiry what provocation he had given him for surh an assault, he paid rotie, unless what he hrd said some days before in debate. He had not expected the attack, although he had been cautioned to I e on his euard ; that the day before the debate he had shaken hand? with Lieutenant Lane in perfect friendship; that he had entertained a ("avertible opinion towards him, and did not believe that he wouid have been guilty of so cowardly an a?sau!l upon him. If c now speke in very severe teims, making u?e of the epithets coward, rascal,! Lc. in reference to Lieutenant Lane. Sworn. LEVI LINCOLN. House cf R e p r f. ? k n t a t i v e s , March 3, 1835. William Hendricks teirw srvnrn, saith, that he "-VB9 not present a tho rencontre between Lieut. L uie mul the Hon. John Ewing; but iri relation to coBviirsation? which prfn u'ly he had had with Licit. Lane, he makes the following slat -merit : Fearing the imprudent interposition of Mr. Lane, in a personal difficulty which existed between his father arid n member cf Congi ess other than Mr. Ewii g, nr;d learning that a note had been written by Lieut. Lane to that mender, the object of which did not seem to bo well understood, it was his (deponent's) wish to see him, and cautioD him rgiint rashness or interference iu any way, with the dfliculties of his father and other members of Congress. He accordingly requested Mr. Wardwell, whom he understood to board in the same house with Lieut. Lane, to say to him that deponent wished to see him, and to request hiai to call nt his room. A few days after he met M r. Lane in the Senate chamber, who said Mr. Wardw ell had not delivered the message, nnd, on explaining to him the object in wishing an interview, he considered Mr. Lane to have assured him that he would not, and that it had not been his purpose nt an' time to inir rfere in the matter, and that the note in question was not intended to be offensive or to lead to any thing of that ch.nacier. but the reverse. The matter alluded town? an angry debate in the Houe of Representative? , between the father of Mr. Lane and Mr. Ewing, as well a another member. This conversation left deponent impressed with the belief that there was r:e danger of the interposition of Lieut. Lane, and the purport of this, be believes, was communicated to Mr. Ewing. In reply to a question of Lieut. Lane, he states,that he has known him from boyhood ; and, speaking without reference to the matter in question, he would say, that he would not have thought him likely to embroil himself in personal difficulties. Sworn. WILLIAM HENDRICKS. To the Hon. E. A. Hannegan: Sir: Your note, informing me of the time and place of the meeting of your committee, is just recei?ed. I regret my inability to attend in person, and have to avail myself of an amanuensis to make i statement of facts touching the subjectmatter wich your committee have been appointed to investigate. In passing down the Avenue on Thursday evening the Gth tilt., immediately after the adjournment of the House, and when in front of the Botanic Garden, J discovered before me a man loitering leis-uilvahnr-I was, at the lime, in conver sation with the Hon. Mr. Thomson, of Ohio, and walkingat a quick pice. When we overiook the person before mentioned, and were passing him. he remarked, 'Mr. Ewing, I think,1 or "Mr. Ewinr, I be lieve I answered, Yes, sir. Hi face, w hen 1 spoke, was averted from me, and, after making another step, passing on, he remarked . "1 have a few words to eay to f T M 1 - . 1 : . A yon, Mr. rawing. i sioppeu hii nmam, and'then'passedleisurely on . few steps with him Mr. 1 hornson bemir a lew! steps ahead when I asked him, "what do vou desire to ?ay to me?"' or words of that purport. "Sir, I derne to tell yon

that 1 have to punish you.1' This waa hismanner which ne ciunoi u.u. , answer, and these the ward,, to the best er by a blow of Mr. Lane a "ne or by of mv recollection. Whn he made this Mr. Lane, with his handa. When Mr. .i,t.,-, T ,!;-.;nctlv rprnniwH him'Lane first accosted him, Mr. Lane hau his

to be the son of Amos Lane; and I need!cune under hi left arm,

not describe the feelinzs of aurprise and indignation his declaration excited. I held in my right hand a rane, w ith which I envanably walked, and in my taft o bundle of papers, just received from the post office; end ; w hile giving ver.t to an exclamation, "punish me!1' and placing the papers in the pocket of my surtout, I received a blctw above the left eye, as 1

''blievc, from the le.d head cf a .teel

cane, which staggered me, and instantly eonlcsed my brain, and obstructed my vision with blood. quickly raised mv cane to ward off his second blow, and received it partially on Ihe fore finger of my right hand, and struck at him immediately afterward?. My cane had a email spear, which was dif-engaged from its case by this blow; and finding, from his manner and his weapon, that his object wan my life, I approached him with my naked spear, which, itrikiug against some hard substance, was bro ken offat the hilt and left nothing but the handle in my hand. A ecufile ensued, which the spectators will be able to relate with more accuracy than my myself. Finally, the crowd intervened between us, and 1 called, "give me a cane to pytmh the dastardly rutlian!" lie then iheu turned round, being distant from me several steps, rnd remarked, as he itep . r :i i i i-L.i pvu in, j uave accompnsiea toy pur pose," or words to that effect. It is here proper to declare that I never had any urfriecdly intercourse or al(ercatron whatever with my assailant, and was, nt the tine of the assault, utterly ignorant and unsuspicious of his entertaining any enmity or ill will towards me; more particularly, as weeks had elapsed since my altercation with bis lather, and as he had voluntarily declared to Gov ernor Hendricks, he should not interfere with his father1! controversies; and, in addition, had met we in the interval without any apparent change of manner; and I am now utterly unconscious of the existence of any cause for the attack, other ; than my altercation with his father. wiil not advert to the fulsc pretext he lias eel tori a in the Globe of toda, Ha justi.yirg the outrage. The entire publi cation bear? upon its face evidence of its base intent. Whatever questions the copuiii! tee may think proper to propound, I will cheerfully respond to, and authenticate what I may say, as it may direct. I am, very respectfully, ycur obedieDl servant, March 2, 1635. JOHN EWING. Sworn to. .Mr, Burns' s Testimony . Question will you tell what y&u know of this matter? As we were walking down the Avenue, we were attracted by the acufile between Mr. Lane and Mr. Ewing. Immediate'y on observing them, 1 supposed they had hold cf each other; a moment after, they separated, and Mr. Ewing had in his hand the butt end of a cane. Within about six or eighi feet of thern I stopped. Mr. Lane stepped back, and Mr. Ewing attempted to strike him with the piece of cane he held in his hand. Mr. Lane fended off the blow, and struck Mr. Ewing with his fist. Mr. Lane had nothing at that time in his hand. The same attempt was made three or four times by Mr. Ewing, and these attempts parried by Mr. Lane, who struck Mr. Ewing each time that he advanced upon him with his fist. Mr. Lane did not, 1 believe, move from hi9 position after stepping back, as before stated. At the last attempt Mr. Ewing made to strike, Mr. Lane eeized him by the hair of the head. At this inaunt, a number of members advanced towards them, and Mr. Lane crossed to the other side of the atreet. As he let go of Mr. Ewing, he said worda to this effect: "I have disgraced you and that answers my purpose;1' or "that is all i intended." I picked up a pair of spectacles on the side walk, which I supposed to be Mr. Ewing's; the glasses were broken and they were bloody. 1 called and delivered the glasses to Mr. Ewing on, I think, Satu.day following, when I had tome conversation with him. lie asked me if I had seen the affair between him and Mr. Lane? I told him I had, and 6tated to him what I had seen in substantially the same terms as are above used. Mr. Ewing stated thai Mr. Lane accosted him, saying thia is Mr. Ewing? he replied, it was. Mr. Lano then 6aid he wished some conversation with him, and alluded to some difficulty which existed between them. He did not at first know Mr. Lane, but then recognised hiui. Mr. Lane remarked that he would make him answer for it, or hr 'would disgrace or punish, htm: winch ol these words he used, l do not xecoiieci. Mr. Ewing observed he was a 'damned pvpwj or rascal to accost a gentleman in the'street. Mr. Ewing fearing that Mr. Lane might attack him, waa about placing hniidln. of Daren, which he had in his hand, in his pocket, when Mr. Lane struck nun over iuc c . . . rfnrnin the blow wth hi9 aword cane, iu .hoaih flew off and he then used the JS.V-i" immediately broke in a t . . . . a . : i . ... t. U . ,., . ' .. aud with his hands in ina pockeic Swoin to and signed by ROBERT BURNS. Deposition of the lion. Mr. Laporte. As 1 was passing from the Capitol down the Avenue with Doctor Bull, of Missouri, he called my attention to an affray between two men. Wheu I saw them they

(appeared to be atriking e,ch other wi,h

Icnne Soon ut't.r I .-i. . appeared to be a scabbard to one of tha canes, flew off; thia was from Mr. Ewing's cane. He then appeared to n !.r stvt--ral passes with his sword at his opponent, who 1 have aince understood to be Lieot. Lane. I then heard something fill upn the pavement, which I supposed o he the blade of a aword. At about the ?ame lime both appeared to be disarmed; Mr. Ewing then stooped and picked up th icabbard that was lying on the pavement, and alruck Mr. Laue across the should -r two or three time?, nrcd at each time that he struck, Mr. Lane aru. eared to ttrike him in the face trith his list, which caued Mr. Ewiog to sally back some feet. Mr. Ewiog ngain made towards Mr. Lre, who caught him by the hair, and ah---k him. They then separated, and Mr. Ewing called out that it waa the aon of Amos Lane; which waa the first certain informuuou ma. i nau oi wnom the persor.d were, being at the opposite side of the Avenue to that in which they were engaged. At this time I saw blood runningfrom the face of Air. Ewing, and a crowd gathering round him, Mr. Lane cam across the Avenue to the side oa w hich I was. Sworn to and signed by JOHN LAPORTE. Testimony of Gen. McCarly. Question by Mr. Lane. Was Mr. Ew. ing armed with pistols at the time of the a fir ay 1 An swer. I understood from Mr. Ewing Hint he had no pitots with him. Swo:w to and signed by J. McCARTY. Mr. Kinnard produced before the committee a cane without a head, which Lieutenant Lane admitted to be the same he had usfcd in the affray above mentioned . The within statements were separately sworn to by the w ithin named individuals, on thii 3d day of March, 1835, before ihe undersigned, in pursuance of the law t:) that efiect. E. A. HANNEGAN, Chair mau Select Committee. The following is a copy of the pul incation which is here referred to bv Mr. Ew 1XG : EDrTORS. Washington City, 1st March, 1835. Mefsra. Blair & Rives: I hope it will not be improper in me to allude to the principal error in the statement made by the Hon. John Ewixg, of the unfortunate rencontre between him and myself, and thus induce a suspension of opinion until the facts are officially exhibited. Having accidentally met with Mr. E -ing, I took occasion, courteously, to request an explanation of a supposed injury . He chose to cot short tha convcisiition. Virtually refusing the explanation, he d dared himself prepared to meet me then, and uttering a threat, thrust his hand into his breast pecket for the purpose, as 1 supposed, of drawing a pistol. In self-defence, I then made use of a slender walki.ig cane, my only weapon. It was soon broken. I aubsequently treated him with the utmoat forbearance, simply repelling the ultacka which he successively made with his stick and sword. The injury of which I desired explanation waa purely personal, having ne r elation in any way to politics, and referring to myself, and other persona unable to act for themselvea. The fact, tha'. Mr. Ewing ia a member of CoDgr.s?, end I an officer of the Army , are for me unfortunate. Yet the first does not surely confer on Mr. Ewing the privilege of murdering nor the second, impose on me the duly of being murdered with impunity 1 had prepared a statement of the affair to be submitted to Messra. Zfoon, Carr, Hannegan, Kinnard, a:.d McCarty, of our State, (Indiana,) with a request that they would examine and decide upon it. 1 placed my commission as an officer at their disposal. Should they think it necessary as an example, or expedient ' prevent an unfavorable impression agnii.t the Army, that I should be deprived of it. The investigation commenced by a military court at 12 M. of the 28th, and a second investigation, directed to he made hy a Committee of Congress, have taken the affair out of my own haoda. As Mr. Ewing is a foreigner, and like myaeif, a aingle matt as the affair" ia purely personal, and as the affray was brought on by Mr. Ewing'a own hastiness of temper I respectfully express Ihe hope, that tt will be judged by the facts that politics wiil not, ia any way, be permitted to interfere with it, and that the occurrence will be sp dien of impa i thili . lam, moat respectfully, your obedient servant. J. F. LANE. mm m CH nrmn Indiana 5 per cent. Stocks. Tht 300.000 dollars of s-tocks of the state of Indiana, were taken by Messrs. Vrme, Ward -King, at one hundred and t w o dollars five cent?, for each one hundred doling of stock , instead of llKMor 'very $ it)2, as stilted in our paper on Saturday last. Courier an I E,npdrer . M. Serrurier, the French Mhister nrrived iu thi city, yesterday af eruo Courier 4 l'J