The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-07-31
MERITORIOUS c
Why Nal. Robertson Receives a Gold
Medal from Congress.
THE MAN WHO SAVED SEWARD'S LIFE
Hejor Robertson Detailed Account
f0rnta, nnd for Thirty Years NE
Has Avoided Jntervicwers About
tho Night Of Terror,
pomona, Cal. Dispatch in Boston Ad-
vertiSer.)

pomona, Cal, Dispatch in Boston Adj
vertiscr.)
Major G.. II. Robinson. the only per-
son on the Pacific coast who has had
n vote OF thanks from Congress for a
meritorious act. one of the very few per-
son who has a gold medal given by
Congress for bravery, n one of but
two men who were ever promoted at
once from private to major in the
United States army, lives quietly here
with his family among the orange
groves and on an avenue Of palms.
AT the same that Abraham
Lincoln was shot to death in Ford's
Theatre in Washington, on April lith.
1865. and when. but for a change of
plans. General u. S. Grant would doubt
less have been killed, Major Robinson.
unarmed and u~nprepared. grappled
with the armed and desperate assassin,
Lewis Payne. in the darkcned sick room
of Secretary Seward.
Major Robinson has s~tudiously avoid.
ed through some thirty years inter.
Views by newspaper and magazine
writer's. Last week, however, he per
mitted an interview by n fellow towns
man and q personal friend. az have
never known" said Major Robinson,
how l came to be detailed to act as
nurse at the home of Secretary Seward
In April. 1868. I had been confined to
the hospital for several months by q
gunshot wound In my leg.
"Thc evening of April 18th was beau.
tiful and clear. At n little before 10 y.
m, when the Secretary was sleeping
easily, the hous was closed for the
night. Mrs. Seward had gone to her
sleeping room. Frederick Seward, sec
ond son of the Secretary, a retired.
Miss Fannie Seward. u daughter, and I
sat In the sick on the third
floor. Miss, Seward was near the bed.
Her father lay proppcd up in bed. Just
before 10 o'clock the sound of 4 man
was heard down In the hall. 1t was af-
forwards learned that the porter saw
n tall young man on horseback dash up
to tie stone curhing. He claimed to
be DR.. Verbs assistant, and pushed
his way into the house. The first tina
| knew of the assassin in the house was
when the front door closed. Miss Sc
ward heard the sound of some one COM
ing heavily up the stairs, and remarked
upon the careleSsness of any one who
would so noisily approach 4 sick cham
Der. At the top of the stairway Frehc-
rick Seward met the supposed messen-
ger.
What Is it?' asked Mr.. Seward, in a
low tone.
DE-. Ncrdis sent me with this mod
icine for Secretary Seward was the
mans reply. 1T must lie taken immed-
lately. ] am the doctors student. and
must tell Mr.. Seward how and when to
take the medicine
Frederick answered that he would see
II his father was awake. Then he open
cd the door OF the Secrc;ary's room and
tirtoed over 10 The bed where his f1the.
lay. He went back and remarked that
he would not disturb the patient at
that hour. AS he spoke he closed the
door behind him. In Il t"icc there came
the sound of blows. a. If one had been
struck by n rattan. Not Il word was
spoken. ] sprang from my chair. threw
open the hall door in time to see 4 very
tall, powerful. bcardlcss man about to
open it himself. and back CT him T:-cder-
ick Seward. covered With blood from
wounds on his head.
The stranger Jumped through the door
Mt me. | saw 4 knife In the feeble gas
light. He dealt me an awful blow on
the scalp n forehead. l fell back
ward while blood started down my face
beard. The stranger, wearing q long
N~ght-colCred ovcrc1at. q SLOUGH hat, and
cavalry boots. gave Miss Seward (who
had taken alarm and started 10 call for
help Il thrust that threw her aside. He
bounced upon the bedside. The assat;-
sin had his now broken navy pistol in
his left hand and q long heavy knife in
hia tight. lie leaned over and across the
bed, and placing his pistol on Secretary.
Stewards chest. struck nadly and fran
ttcally ut the head and neck. ! saw Il
thousand times quicker than 1t takes 10
tell II the ASSASSIN strike at the Sccrc-
;ahy'S head, and lay open n cash in his
right cheek and in the side of his mock.
] leapcd upon the bed besilc the strang-
er from the rear. caught his arm as his
right hand grippcd the knife for n surer
and more powerful stroke. and thus di-
rertcd the BLADE. The knife went Into
the Sccrc:nry'S neck on the side nearest
To us rs I pulled him from the bed.
"rhcn began a terrific hand-to-hand
grapplc. Tho ASSASSIN gave. me n deep
cut In the right shoulder as I pulled
him back ward from the bed. A second
later he ave me another ut. II a
twinkling he turned on me with the fc-
roci.y of All cncagcd tiger, while Sacre-
tary Seward rolled off the further side
Of the bed. The assassin struck at me
several times, once giving me ii slash in
the left shoulder. / cllnched my arms
about him with my utmost strength,
while he was trying 10 force me away
so hat he could use his arms either TO
thruH his bloody knife into me or 10
beat me into inscnsihility By blows with
hi. big pistol. Meanwhile Miss Seward
had pushed up the window In the SICK
room and had screamed Murder. Muir
dcrr' Although weak from my hospithl
experience and my use of crutchcs for
six months previous. l was naturally
II strong young man at tina time.
NJ antagonist vainiy tried to raise
his hands to beat or stab me. He sud
denly dropped his pistol and tried to
push mo from him or to throw me. |
chung to the man with even greater in
tCnsity. All ] saw Was my desperate
big antagonist and thar knife blade,