The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1902-05-08
SAVED WIN. II. SEwARD'S LIFE.
Maj. Robinson's Part In the Tragedy of Apri
II. 1865.
New York Sum-

Maj. Robinsons Part In the Tragedy of April
IA. 1865.
New York SUM-
George Foster Robinson, to whom gold
medal was awarded by Congress for BRAY
cry in saving the life of Secretary Will
| liam III. Seward at the same hour that
President Lincoln was assassinated on
April II, 1865, is an orange grower i'll Po-
mona, Cal. For the first time in many
years he told the story of the occurrence
the other day at meeting of the Post
of the Grand Army of the Republic in that
city.
Il was a Sergeant stationed at Douglas
! Hospital i'll Washington in April, 1860"
said he, land ON April II was ordered TO
the home of Secretary Seward to act as
nurse. y few days before Mr.. Seward had
been thrown from his horse and had frac-
tured his jaw. He lived in the house on
Lafayette Square where James g. Blaine
died i'll 1893.
'On that evening there was an informal
talk by Cabinet officers seated about the
| Sccretary's bed concerning the end of the
war and the condition of the Government
at home and abroad. Secretaries Stanton,
McCulloch and Wel!es We're there, and,
believe, Senator Simon Cameron. Some
one remarked that Gen. Grant was going
to the theater that evening with President
Lincoln.
The visitors went away about $50 An
hour later the Secretary dropped asleep
His wife had gone to her room, and his
daughter and his son, Frederick W., had
also retired
"A few minutes after 10 o'clock heard
a mans voice i'll the vestibule on the floor
below. Miss Seward heard the voice also,
and went to the door to hear the better.
We learned afterwards that the speakers
were the negro porter and a stranger. The
stranger had dashed up on horseback,
thrown himself to the ground and hurried
ly sought admittance. He said he was an
assistant of DIR. Verdi, and had been sent
to the house with medicine and special in
structions.
The porter told him that he had
strict orders to- admit no one to the house
that night. The stranger repeated his de
mand more urgently and was admitted to
the vestibule.
You stay here while 20 and see Mr..
Frederick Seward about this business
said the cOlOred man, and he started up
the stairs to Frederick Stewards room.
The stranger followed impetuOusly at
his heels. At the top of the stairway,
Frederick w. Seward, who had been
called by the porter, met him. The door
of the sick-rOOm was Il yard away.
What is itF asked Mr.. Seward in a
low tone Of the stranger.
DIR. Verdi sent me with this medicine
IOl bDttltltIl ENtNdIu, was IHt man SOlL
reply. 1t must be taken Immediately |
am the Doctors student, and as he com
pounded the prescription L must tell Mr.
Seward himself how and when to take the
medicine
Frederick Seward answered that he
would see if his father were awake. Then
he quietly opened the door of the Secre-
tary's room, and ill the dim light from
tiny, Pickering gas flame, tipt0ed over to
the bed. He went back to the hall as
nolsclessly as he came and told the
stranger that he would not disturb the pa
tient at that hour. AS he spoke he closed
the door behind him.
Il was in the room. The next moment
there came the sound of blows and scuf-
te, as if someone had been struck by
rattan. Not a word was spoken. |
sprang from my chair and threw open the
door Ill time to see q tall, powerful.
beardless youth about to open it himself
Back of him was Frederick Seward, COW
cred with blood from wounds i'll his head.
The stranger jumped through the door
at me. lie struck me oil the scalp and
forehead with knife, and l fell back
ward, while blood started down my face
and beard In fraction of a second, the
who wore a long, light-colOred |
oyercoat, a SLOUGH hat and cavalry boots. |
thrust Miss Seward aside and pounced |
upon the side of the bed nearer to us, but
IuItIItT from lne patient.
The assassin had now-broken navy !
pistol in his left hand and u long, heavy
knife in his right. He half kneit on the |
bedside, leaning over and across the bed, |
and placing his pistol on Secretary Sew
ards chest, struck madly and frantically |
at his head and neck with the knife. 1t |
was all done so quickly that the telling
makes it seem slow.
L saw Il thousand times quicker than |
it takes to tell it the assassin strike at the |
Secretary's head and lag open a cash on |
his cheek and the side of his neck. L |
leaped upon the bed and caught his arm
as his right hand gripped the knife for |
surer and more powerful stroke, and thus |
diverted the blade in the nick of time. The |
knife went into the Secretary's neck on the |
side nearest US as l pulled the assassin |
from the bed.
Then began terrible hand-tO-hand |
graphic. The assassin threw back his |
hand and gave HE deep cut in the right |
shoulder as l pulled him back from the |
bed. second later he gave me another |
cut there. Then Secretary Seward rolled |
Miss Seward had pulled up the window |
in the sick-room and had Historically |
screamed: Murder, Murderr and then |
she had shrieked in the hall for help.
Although weak from my hospital eX-
perence and my use of clutches for six |
months previous, | was naturally a strong
man at the time. My antagonist yainly |
tried to raise his hands to beat or stab |
me. lie writhed and squirmed in frenzied |
desperation. He suddenly dropped his pis-
tol and with all the strength of his Shout |
ders and arms tried to push me from him |
or to throw me.
FINALLY my wounded leg gave way and |
staggered. The assassin made a snatch |
at my throat. The despair of the moment
Ia q fin Gfpn