The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-12-05
Che Aurfulk '2ost.
q TUESDAY, DECEMBER 5,1s65.
MR.. SCENARIOS ACCOUNT OFTHE +.
u ATTACK UPON 4iIM4AN INTER-
ESTING STORY. 3"

"A
ESTING STORY.
The American correspondent of the
London Spectator writes that he recent
IL heard Mr.. Seward and Mr.. Frederick
Seward give the following account of
their own sensations at the time of the
attempted assassination:
"Mr. Frederick Seward said that on
stepping from his bedroom into the pas
sage and seeing the assassin, he merely
| wondered what he was doing there, and
called him to account. On his resisting |
| the fellows endeavor to press into Mr..
Stewards room, the assassin drew u re-
| yOlver, which he presented at MIR. Fred
erick Stewards head. What followed il
must he remembered, took place i'm n
| few seconds. Mr.. Frederick Stewards
first thought was, "That's navy revolt
ver.' lJn luEt4 .el .1j II
The man pulled the trigger, but ii
only snapped, and his intended victim
| thought, that cap missed fire.'
n"Iiis next sensation was that of con-
| fusion, and being upon the floor. resting
upon his right arm, which, like bis faith
er's law, was barely recovered from
I
to the floor with the butt of his pistol -
he put his hand to his head, and finding
a hole there, he thought, that cap did
not miss fire after ALL
"Then lie became insensible, and re-
| NAMED so for two days and more. His
first indication of returning consco'ls-
ness was the question. Have you got
| the ball out ?t after which he fell oil
again into comatose condition, which
was Of long continuance. tl1 -l,n4if 'i-
| con the very afternoon of the day
when Mr.. Lincoln was assassinated Mr..
Frederick Seward, who was Assistant
Secretary Of State, had asked his father
what preparation should he made for
the presentation of Sir Frederick Bruce,
|, which was TO take place the next day.
: MIR. Seward gave him the points OF a
i | reilly to be made 10 Sir Frederick, and
} he laid the outline of the speech upon
the Presidents table, and, AS ! have
previously informed my readers, MIR.
Lincoln that afternoon wrote out the
reply, adopting Mr.. Stewards suggest
4 ions, and thus preparing that reception
of the British Minister by President
! johnson, which was regarded ut the
time by the people to whose representa-
tive IL was addressed as so friendly and
fair, and digniiied. } i15H %
e "Mr. Frederick Stewards first enquiry
r after he came fully to his senses, which
a was q long time after the Assassination,
was: HAS Sir Frederick Bruce beer
( presented p He thought that only one
|, night had passed, since he knew. MOI
$. what had happened to him, and hi
~ mind took up matters just where it hac
= left them. It7 Ia'lll9 .'1l -''i
e nstMr. Stewards mental experience
IS during his supposed assassination was
q in its nature so like that of his son, tina
n it raises the question whether this ab
i sence of CONSERVATION and observation
= of minute particulars is not common IN
i. circumstances of unexpected and not
Y fully apprehended peril. Mr.. Sewart
4 was living upon his side, close to the edge
: of his bed, with his head resting in ,
d frame, which had been made to give
!. him ease and to protect his broken jaw
1t from pressure.
:. "He was trying to keep awake, hav-
ing been seized upon bya sick mans
y fancy---it was that If lie slept he would
r wake up with the lock-jaw. lie was
brought to full consciousness by the
.. scuflle in the passage-way, followed 10y
Is the entrance of the assassin, and the cry
d OF Miss Seward, oh he will kill my
y father But he saw nothing of hisas
sailant until hand appeared above hi
'e face, and then his thought was, 'Wha
k handsome cloth that overcoat is made
D / of The assassin's face then appeared
4 and the helpless statesman only though
m What handsome man! payne wa
" a fine looking fellow.l
e, t"Then came sensation az of the rail
~ striking him smartly upon one side o
n his face and neck, then quickly tn
, same upon the other side, but he felt N
n severe pain. This was the assassin
~ knife. The blood spOuted he though
~ My time has come and falling iron
Gu the bed to the floor, tainted. His frs
Oh sensation of returning consciousness wa
in that he was drinking tea, and that !
h.s tasted good Mrs. Seward was givin
erI him tea with a spoon. He Heard loN
on on voices around him, asking and replyin
e. as to whether it would be possible fo
ST him to recover. He could not speak
but his eyes showed his consciousness
and that he desired to speak. The
!, brought him porcelain tablet, o
'' which he managed to write, Give m
' some more tea. / shall get WELL An
ID from that moment he has slowly bi
steadily recovered health and strength