The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1899-04-26
HOW HE SAVED SEWARD
FROM THE ASSASSIN.
Major RobinsOn's Story of The Trag-
ic Event.

Major George Foster Robinson, who
was nearly cut to death in his heroic
effort to protect Secretary of State Viii
liam H. Seward from the assassin's
knife, on the night of the murder Of
Abraham Lincoln, April IA, 1865, is an
orange grower in Pomona Valley, Cali
fornia.
This is his own account of his share
in that night OF horrors, as he told tito
New York World correspondent:
al had been confined in the hospital
for several months by gunshOt wound
in my leg. was nearly well, and had
asked to be detailed to some employ
ment. About April II 1 was sent as a
nurse to the sick room Of Secretary
Seward
"You will recall that on the day of
Lees surrender Seward was seriously
hurt in a runaway accident. His arm
was broken, his jaw fractured, and his
body bruised. Surgeon General Barnes
had charge of the case.
"The evening of April II was beau
tiful and clear. Secretary Seward was !
much better Early in the evening an /
informal meeting of Cabinet officers
took place at his bedside.
"a little before 10 o'clock, when the
Secretary was sleeping easily. the house
was closed for the night. Mrs. Seward
had gone to her room. Frederick w. |
Seward, second son Of the Secretary,
had retired. Miss Fannie Seward, a
daughter, aud 1 sat in the sick cham
Der on the third floor. Miss Seward !
was near the bed, where her father lay
propped up. About 10 O'Clock the |
voice of a man was heard in the hall.
The colored porter had seen a tall young |
man on horseback dash up and hasten
across the sidewalk to the doors of the
residence.
az am an assistant Of Dr. Verdi
said he rapidly and have been sent |
with medicine for Mr.. Seward. The
doctor compounded it and I've orders
to see him myself and tell him how |
to take it. / must see him at once
"The porter answered that he had |
orders to admit no one. The stranger |
repeated the demand and gained the
vestibule.
You stay here while I see Frederick |
Seward about this business said the |
colored man, starting up the stairs.
The stranger followed impetuously at |
his heels
"Miss Seward heard someone coming !
heavily up the stairs and remarked in
whisper upon the earelessness Of any
one who would so noisiIy approach a
sick chamber. At the top of the stair
way Frederick w. Seward met the sup
posed messenger, who repeated what
he had told the porter.
Frederick Seward answered that he |
would see if his father was awake
"Hhere came the sound of blows and
a seufIie. Not a word was spoken. /
sprang from the chair and threw open
tie hall door and saw a tall, powerful,
beardless young man about to open it
himself. Back of him was Frederick
Seward, covered with blood from
wounds in his head. The stranger
jumped through the door at me. saw
a knife flash in the feeble light. He
dealt ME an awful blow on the forehead
with the knife. fell backward, while
blood started down my face and
beard.
'In second the stranger, wearing
long, light overcOat, a slouch hat aud
cavalry boots, thrust aside Miss Sew
ard, who had been calling for help
He pounced upon the bedside nearer
us, but further from the patient. The
assassin now had his broken navy pis-
tol in his left hand and long, heavy
knife in his right. He half knelt on
the bedside, leaned over, and placing
his pist d on Secretary Stewards chest,
struck madly and frantically. 1t was
done so quickly that the telling makes
1t seem slow.
81 saw Ia thousand times quicker
than it takes to tell III the assassin
strike at the Seeretary's head and
lay open a cash in his cheek and |
neck.
"Then began terrific hand-to-hand /
grapple. The assassin gave me a deep
cut in the right shoulder as pulled |
him from the bed. A second later he
gave me another. He turned on me
with the ferocity of tiger, while Sec
retary Seward rolled off the further
side of the bed
"Aiiss Seward bad pushed up the
window in the sick room and had hys-
terically screamed Murder Murder -
and then had shrieked in the hall for
help.
zone who has never experienced a
hand-to- hand conflict for life knows
nothing of what thrilling moment
that is. We waved back and forth in
tight embrace. All saw was my des-
perate big antagonist and that knife
blade. | grasped the assassin's right
wrist. He ceased for second his stab
bing tactics and tried to throw me.
"My wounded leg gave way and l
partially staggered. The assassin
snatched at my throat The despair of
the moment brought back my full
strength and / tipped the villain some
what off his feet, aud urged him few
feet toward the door.
"While we were in fierce grapple,
he trying to cut OF stab me, felt some
one taking hold Of me from behind. 1t
flashed through my mind that here
was an accompIiee. made another
awful effort to gain the mastery.
Another swerve of our bodies and /
saw in the dim light that ii was Major
Augustus Henry Seward in his night
gown. He had heard his sisters shrieks,
had come into his father room to find, I
as he first thought, two drunken
soldiers scnfiiing in the darkness.
81 called TO him Hold that mans
hand; get that knife - But the Major
reached around me from behind and
got his hands on the assassin's should
ers to push him through the door.