Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1888-01-20
MARGARET ooIeMAn.
'Ao" ms brave IrIshwoman. Saved Score
tary sevn ID


now This Brave shwoman. Saved Score
tary Stewards LII,
Among Mr.. Sumnea's servants the
one Whom he most lsg>,ly valued was
an elderly Irish wolsan. Margaret
ssaenan. She was his housekeeper
ior the last two years. and now be-
comes historic character.
frior to entering Mr.. Summers serv-
ICE Margaret Was of the household of
William II. Seward. When, on the
i4th OF April. 1865. the night of the as
sasslnatlon Of President Lincoln. an at
tempt was made on the life of Mr..
Seward. she was one of those in charge
OF his room. he then being confined to
MS bed from the effects of fall from
his carriage. Payne. the would-be as
sassin' was met by Mr.. Frederick Sew
ART at the head of the stairs. After
wounding him severely and leaving
MIN seemingly dead, Payne passed
over his body to reach the room of his
father. The noise had notified Mar
garet, who was in her own room on the
story above, of Payne's approach, and
his object As Payne entered the sick
room, Robinson, the male nurse, then
there, confronted him. Payne struck
Robinson to the ground with his knife.
| ana then sprang at the Secretary.
MIR. Seward was in a half-sittino
posture, leaning his back against
sick-chair placed in the bed for
his support. Realizing Payne's object,
he pulled the bed clothing over his head
for his protection. Payne struck him
a number of times. One blow was so
well aimed that it passed through the
bed clothes. through his cheek into his
neck on the right side, and another on
| the left side cut his neck.
Meantime all this was passing quicker
than it can be told. Margaret had
| sprung npon him from behind, and
Robinson had gathered himself NJ
sufficiently to confront the assassin.
| Major A. H. Seward, Miss Fannie
/ Seward and some of the servants of the
household were now entering the room.
and Payne fought his way out from
among them. Margaret was struck in
he face, apparently by Payne
clenehed fist, so that her face was
painful and discolored for some time.
and she was hurled against the door
jamb with such force as to break her
collar-bone. Major Seward was slightly
cut in several places. But none of the
women except Margaret was in any
injured. Payne. after cutting his ay
out. mounted his horse and escaped.
Meantime Mr.. Seward had apparently
disappeared, and for momen,
| it was thought that the as
sassin had thrown him out Of
the window. He had. however, rolled
himself in his bed clothing, and faller
between the bed and the wall, but wa.
so suspended by the clothing that he
had not reached the floor. Margare
pulled him up, unrolled him, now
nearly smothered in the blankets anc
the blood, and assisted in doing wha
was necessary before she found on
how much she herself was injured She
|
tinue TO act as head nurse to Secretar,
Seward, to Mr.. Frederick Seward anc
Mrs. Seward. who never recovered
from the shock of that night, and who
died in Margaret's arms, and. finally
as nurse to Miss Fannie Seward. Sht
saw her pass away within the year
When Mr. Fish succeeded Mr.. Seward
as Secretary of State, he took certain
of the Seward servants, who agreed tt
stay with him until Mrs. Fish brough
her own establishment to Washington
SO Margaret remained wit. the new
Secretary of State for six months, ant
then went to Mr.. Sumner. with whom
she remained until his death. The ar
rangement was particularly agree abb
to the ladies whom Mr.. Sumner re
ceived, as most of them had been ac
customed to her friendly ministration
when visiting at the Seward and Fisl
houses. - Cosmopolitan.