Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-12-11
THEY KNEW PAYNE,
LINCOLN CONSPIRACY RECALLED
M TWO OF Mosnr,s RANGERS.
MAN WHO STABBED SEWARD.
str Real Name W.. Powell, and he
wn. the Som of Florida Preach
er-nccolIccsion- of Captain II. $.
walker and Mr.. W. Ben Palmer.

In connection with the story Of the Lin
.o,n conspiracy. as told by Arnold, now
,o,r.- printed in the Dispatch, Captain K
G Walker, principa! Of the Woodbury.
Forest school, at Orange. and former
lieutenant w Is. Palmer. Of this city,
nave some interesting rccollectons. Cap
tain Walker has been in this city several
Saws. and in conversation with General
T,,z,,,ch Lee and General Payne. OF
Narrcoton. at the Wcstmorcland Club II
developed that both General Payne and
CAPTAIN Walker had intimate knowledge
OF certain incidents connected With the
alleged conspiracy.
Captnin Walker commanded squad Oh
Noshy's men stationed in Fauquier couu-
~ Pavne, who made the desperate at
tack on Stewards life and who was hang
ed for his connection with the assaSsina-
ton and the attack was q TaeIS Der or
CAPTAIN Walkers squad, and was we'll
Known 20 Captain Walker and Mr.. Pal
mcr. who was in the same command.
They agree in their descriptions Of his
gigantic strength and fcarless"css.
POWELL'S DISAPPEARANCE.
CAPTAIN Walker says it was always
mystery TO him how Payne. or Powell.
rs his name really was, came to disap-
that time were scattered about trough
= certain district OF Fauquer. many CT
them living III private houses. and were
summoned for raids or other military
demonstrations by special system o1
couriers. in addition to which they were
expected to report at certain times ana
pla ces made known TO them before they
dispersed TO answer roll call. Payne miss
ed several Of these roll calls. and Cap
Vail n
had become of him. but made little in
curry. as q soldier more or less inattered
very little at that period. and little at
tempt was made to keep track of indiHid-
uals Captain Walker never heard OF
PAYNE. and did not know what had become
Of him until the news came OF. his con-
nection with the assassination.
until the news came Of his connection
MR.. PALMER's RECOLLECTloNS.
MIR. w. Ben Palmer, in his. re1ninis
cences of Powell. alias Payne went more
into details that Captain Walker did. for
he was a private soldier along with Pow
ell and thus had chance TO know him in
tmately.
Mr. Palmer said that Powell! was from
Florida where his father was either
Methodist or a Baptist preacher Just
before leaving Mosby's command to join
the other consrirators in Alexandria. Pow
ell had been staying at the home Of Mr.
Scott Payne, near Warrenton. and this
probably suggested to him the alias which
he took in place of his real name.
AS has been noted above the young
conspirator who was only is at the time
of his capture. was Of gigantic statue and
absolutely fearless. There is a curious
incident connected with the interesting
young man. which will serve to fix in the
mind the fact Of his daring, Before the
Ia If N11Ns.t IS'
men were talking of what a severe attack
they would have TO make the next day,
and how they would need the best fight
ing from every man.
"'rile fellows will all fight" said one.
except Yankee Jim and Powell And the
rest OF the group agreed with the speaker.
But the next day when the fight open
ed, Powell dashed ahead Of all the others
and in an instant was mixed up with the
enemy, lighting like a demon.
REVEALED THE PLOT.
The night before Powell left 10 join the
other conspira;ors in Alexandria, he sent
for Mr.. ". Ben Palmer to tell him good
bye. Tie latter found the young man
dressed in badly fitting suit Of citizens
clothes and wit. black SLOUGH hat pulled
down over his eyes. He was in high
spirits, and talked of his plans. lie said
they intended to kidnap Lincoln and
OF killing any one a.lu it is almost dbso-
lutely certain that Colonel Mosby knew
nothing Of Powells plans.
Powell left that night. and the next time
Mr.. Palmer heard Of him he had been
captured after he had daringiy knocked
down four guards. who opposed his pro-
gress to Secretary Stewards room, and
stabbed the latter several times
Mr.. Palmer was staying at the home of
Mrs COOLIDGE - n the
house With the picture of the man who
had tried 20 aSSassnatc Seward. Under
the name Of Payne Mrs. Coolidge did not
recognize the former Mosby sou4cr. But
Mr.. Palmer said:
''Dor't you remember that fellow?
That's certainly Powell the man who
had his feet SO badly frost-bitten some
time ago that when he stopped al this
house We had TO cut his boots off,.
And time has shown that Mr.. Palmer
was right. for the man who was hanged
TOR the ASA SSnation of Seward was real.