Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1885-07-15
LEWIs THoRNTON Pm.
zhe Wam Who Wade nm Aaaemnpe ON
che Life 0s Secretary Seward

One Of the remarkable men of this
region is DR.. Alban s. Payne, 8 physi-
clan Of large practice, and whose mind is
a rich storehouse Of interesting reminis-
cences. II was at his residence that
Lewis i. Powell. alias Lewis r. Payne,
resided, who made the desperate attempt
upon the life of Secretary Seward on the
night Of April IL. 1865. Mr.. Payne has
always been very rcticent upon the sub
iect Of Powell for obvious reasons, but
has consented for the first time to make
public through the Free Press some hith-
erto unpublished statements relative to
him.
Lewis Thornton Powell, said the
Doctor, twas the son of the Rev Geo.
c. Powell, Baptist minister, who, at
the outbreak of the war, resided at Live
Oak Station. on the railroad between
Jacksonville and Tallahassee. in Florida.
Poweh was born in 1S45, and he was one
of the family of six daughters and three
sons. The outbreak of the civil war
found Powell lad Of sixtaen, and en-
gagged in experimenting his fathers
plantation. His two brothers had al
ready enlisted when Lewis was sliced
With the war fever. His regiment was the
Second Florida Infantry; the company
was commanded By Captain Stuart. At
Richmond his regiment was attached TO
the corps of A. L. HILL lie was in the
seven DAYS fight on the Peninsula and
was present at Charlottesville, An
tietam and Gettysburg. In the latter
battle he was wounded. The year pre-
vious. soon after Antietam, he received
intelligence of the death of his two
brothers, who fell at MurfreesborO. The
boy was possessed of a peculiar tempera.
ment, and / have no doubt that the
death of his brothers produced such an
effect upon his mind as to largely influ-
ence him in all of his subsequent actions.
He was badly wounded in the charge
upon the Federal centre at Gettysburg
and taken prisoner. For some weeks he
was detained as a prisoner, and as soon
as he was able to be of any assistance
he was detailed as nurse in the Pennsyl-
vania College hospital. From Gettys-
burg he was sent to the West hospital,
Pratt street, Baltimore, where he re-
manned until October, 1868, when, tired
of awaiting an exchange, so he told me,
he one night made his escape, got across
the Potomac river aud worked his way
to Winchester Near this point he fell
in with regiment of Fauquier cavalry,
and in the course of time drifted to
Warrenton. -Four miles west of that
city resided my bachelor brother John
Scott Payne. John was great favorite
with Confederate soldiers, and by some
means unknown to me, Powell became
an inmate of his house. Presided at the
time in the little village of Paris, at the
foot of tile Blue Ridge, a short dis.
lance abeve Markham, and as the FEEDER
ais we're between me and Warrenton,
and, as my brother wished to communi-
cate with me, he dispatched Powell with
a letter. When he rode up to my house
| was having trouble with Confederate
deserter who wanted corn and swore he
would take it by force if | did not con-
sent Powell took in the situation at a
glance, and rushing at the marauder he
placed a revolver at bis head and ordered
him from the premises The deserter
rode away at rapid gait. 1t is we'll he
did or Powell would have killed him on
the spot
Tell the Free Press readers something
about Powell's personal appearance
''At the period mention he was about
seventeen years of age, six feet in height
and very muscular He was remarkable
for his fcats of strength. His ewes were
blue. his eyelashes and eyebrows long
and dark and his hair was raven black.
His features we're of the Hebrew type,
and among the most noticeable charac-
teristics were his his neck and shoulders,
which were of colossal mold. He said
he was related TO William r.. Powell, Of
Alexandria, and as he strongly resem-
bled that gentleman, am inclined to
believe he told the truth .
did Powell bear the appearance of a
monomaniac on any particular subject"
''No, he seemed to be a very sensible
Young fellow. He was, however. very
reticent in company, but when no ore
was near he conversed with me with
great freedom on all topics. His educa.
tion was defective, but was impressed
with his earnestness, his truthfulness
and his fidelity to me and my family.
He had most violent temper when
aroused, but / cannot say that he acted
vindictive or cruel He Joined Mosby
soon after he came to my house, and
when he returned from raid made my
home his headquarters. >
Chow long did he remain with your
Until January Z, 1865. He had been
quite successful in arrcsting Confederate
deserters, and said that he was going
to Lower Virginia to aid in the arrest of
3 number of men who had their head
quarters in the Rappahannock mountains
and were committing deprepations upon
the inhabitants. | subsequently, heard
of his staying over night with my brother,
John s. Payne. He also spent 8 night
with another brother. Richard Payne,
and with my sister Mrs Meredith,
in Pince William county. There
he left his horse and went on
foot TO Washington. AT Alexandria
be took the oath under the name of
Cronis r. Payne, which il that Of my
youngest son. Some time after he left
my house / met his sergeant, Horace
johnson, who informed me that Powell
and eavan men Hal haar 1rnxcra1 xrv1.ile,