The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-05-27

ISOLATION to the anxious family, in an
nouncing TO them that his wounds were
not mortal The carotid artery and
Jugular vein had not been divided or
injured. The cash wa semicirculsr,
commencing just below the high bone
OF the cheek, aud extending downward
toward the mouth, and then backward
over the submsxiIlary gland, laying
open the infamed and swollen part of
the face and neck, that had been in
jured by his previous accident On ex-
aiming further, 1 found another stab
under the left ear, wOunding the paro-
ud gland; but this cut, however, Is not
very deep. Mr.. Seward had lost much
blood, and l Immediately applied ice,
to arrest the bleeding temporarily; after
which | was informed that Frederick
Seward was in an adjoining room, also
injured. l hastily went to him and
Found bin lying on 9 lounge, with blood
streaming over his face. He had Ueen
wounded in several places, viz: on the
left p~arietal bone, just about the 'pari
etsl eminence on the left side Of the
frontal bone, just about the line of
intersection with the parietal; with
W other light wounds in that neigh
borhood The injury Of the parieJal
eminence had evidently crushed the
bone, as osseOUs spicul8 we're taken out
but it appeared, however, that the
internal table, even if fractured, was
not depressed. He was not insensible,
but could not ~articulate. In about an
hour, however, after his wounds we're
dressed, he fell into a slumber, from
which, for sixty hours, be could rot be
aroused. ] had scarcely finishes D
ply ing ice to ar et the hemorrhage,
when / was told 10 look at Mr.. Angus
tus Seward / became truly amazed.
What said ], rs there another ore
woundedY His injuries, however,
we're comparatively light-one was
from g blow from the bUt-end Of a pis~
tOl, on the upper and middle part of
the forehead; the other a cut over the
~metscarpal bone Of the thumb Of his
right hand. Here l was again request
ed to look at another man. Ny sur-
prise ceased them became Mortified.
This was the man nurse, asoldier in at
tendance on Mr.. Seward. ] found his
wounds were four in number, all from
the blade ofa knife three over the
right scapularr region, and one below it.
IL was evident, after q careful examina-
ton, that the scapula prevented the
penetration Of the frightful weapon in
TO the chest. After giving 10 this pa.
tients the requisite attendance, / was
called to zee another man who was
wounded. He had received but one
stab, in the back over the seventh rib,
very ear the spinal column. The knife
must have glanced of, as his cut was
long, but quite superficial; had it been
direct, his right lung would have re-
| ceived an irreParable injury.
Such is the scene that presented
| Now ! will relate to you the circum-
stances i gathered IN this horrible ats
| tempt at assassination.
At 10 o'clock the bell at Mr.. Stewards
house was rung, and answered by the
cOlOred boy. As the door opened, a
very tall man appeared, with a small
package in his hand, saying that Dr.
Verdi had sent him with a prescription
for Secretary Seward, which he must
deliver personally. The boy remon-
strated with the man, saying that Mr..
Seward was asleep, and that he 1.-THE
s~ervant) would take charge Of the pre-
scription. The nan said, mo; | have
particular directions, and I must de-
liver them myself" So saying he walk
ed up stairs; but, treading very heavi-
ly, he was reminded by the boy, who
was following him, to walk more light
ly, in order not to disturb Mr.. Seward.
Mr.. Frederick Seward was at this
time lying, dressed, on q sofa in his
room, Zone adjacent to his father's.)
and hearing heavy footsteps, came into
the hall and met the stranger, who at
tempted TO enter his fathers room.
Frederick expostulated with him. de-
claring that his father was asleep and
could not be seen. Evidently the
young man saw mischief in the face of
the assassin. Miss Fanny Seward, who
was in her fathers room, hearing the
conversation outside, opened the door
70 ascertain what was the matter; but
Frederick cried out TO her to shut the
door. 10 seems that for two or three
minutes the assassin hesitated, TO en-
de8voT to enter without making q
deadly assault upon Frederick;
but meeting with determined op-
position, he dealt several blows
on young Stewards head, appa-
rently with a pistol, with the intention,
probably, of disabling, without killing
him. The door was then opened, and
the murderer entered, pushing Fred
erick, already staggering, before him
then disengsging himself from his ad
versary, he asked Miss Fanny, Is the
Secretary asleep2' at the same instant
making a spring for the bed, where the
unfortunate man sat, aroused with the
trightful conviction of what was to be
expected. The next moment the vii
lain dealt him 3 blow with the deadly
knife, which was 30 violent that (fortu-
nstely we may ssy,) it precipitated
him from his bed. In falling, however.
be must have received the second blow
on the other side of the neck. Thrust
have been at this time that the man
nurse (having been absent n the hos
pital) returned and attacked the U
deTer, to prevent him from doing furth-
er injury 10 Mr.. Seward In the en-
deavor 10 restrain the ferocity Of the
assassin the nurse was struck several
times, as described above.
II was at this moment that the nurse
and Frederick, who rallied sufficiently
10 still use his feeble efforts in behalf
of his poor father, were struggling with
this man, that Major Augustus Seward,
awakened from sleep by the noise and
screams of Miss Fanny, came into the
room, thinking that probably his father
was d~eliriOus. and had frightened the
attendants, or else hat the nurse, left
10 watch during the night, was IN some
way misbehaving himself The Msior,
seeing the struggle, and not at all com
pretending the facts, took hold of the
men, believing him stili 10 be the
nuTse) ana dragged HIM 10 the door.
OF course the assassin took advantage
Of this, and dealing one blow on the
head Of the Major, (making however,
but e slight wound and cutting his
hand, as aforesaid, ran down stairs, fol-
lowed by the Msjor, who did not know
the condition of affairs until he came
back 70 his fathers room. The assassin
then mounted his horse. which he had
left before the door, and rode rapidly
away.
There are three peculiar features to
this case
First Had Frederick Seward said to
ms sister, lock the door instead of
shut the door, the assassin might
never have been able to enter the Sec.
retarys room.
Second. Had Augustus Seward IN
derstood that that man was an assassin
attempting to murder his father. be
would never have allowed him to es-
cape, or, p~erchance, might have precip-
Itated HIM down stairs. and then at
tempted to disable aud arrest him.
The thlrd Is this The boy who fol
lowed the wretch up stairs. soon hear
ing that be wss making an attack on
Mr. Frederick, ran out calling watch
- :. -.----- - -