Sublime

Shortly before the Hammonds’ arrival the building’s East Portico had been the scene of an assassination attempt against President Andrew Jackson. The assailant was named Richard Lawrence, who believed himself to be England’s long-dead King Richard III and claimed that Jackson had interfered with the delivery of payments long owed to him by the

Harriman was a truly remarkable man, one of the most brilliant railroaders and formidable capitalists in American history, whose genius has been somewhat masked behind a partially deserved reputation for shady dealing.

In 2010, civil rights legend and Democratic congressman John Lewis claimed that he was berated by racial slurs—including the big one—as he entered Congress. Andrew got footage from several different angles that showed nothing of the kind. Further, he found that congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. was himself filming the entrance.

More pointedly, he told Kennedy: “I have in my possession the names and amounts paid by him [Hill] to bribe the Minnesota legislature.” However, he never produced any such list. Barnes commented in June 1879, “I think the old man has gone crazy with jealousy and spite.” It is unclear what the associates had actually promised Farley. Promising him

Shortly before the Hammonds’ arrival the building’s East Portico had been the scene of an assassination attempt against President Andrew Jackson. The assailant was named Richard Lawrence, who believed himself to be England’s long-dead King Richard III and claimed that Jackson had interfered with the delivery of payments long owed to him by the