The Columbus journal., 1902-12-31
A BRAVE FIGHT FOR LIFE.

Il was never SO startled in all my
army experience" said the old cav
alryman. ''as I was by . newspaper
paragraph in June or July. 1865.
have served my full time in the army
n q cavalry regiment and had located
IN a farm within market range OF
Omaha, Neb. 1t was stated In dis
patch from Washington that In the
case of Lewis Payne, on trial before
a military commission for the murder
GUS attack on Secretary Seward on the
night of April IA. and for participa'
ton in the conspiracy to assassinate
President Lincoln. there had been un'
expected developments. After his as
sault on Secretary Seward and escape
from the house. Payne had remained
In Washington and was arrested Al
the home of Mrs. Surratt on the night
CT April IL. He was then dressed as
a common laborer, but was identified
as the assailant of Secretary Seward
and the confederate of Wilkes Booth.
During the trial. or at its close.
while public sentiment was running
more strongly against Payne than any
other of the living conspirators. two
old people from Centerville, Va. came
to Washington to testify that Payne's
real name was Powell, that he was
really a humane man. and that while
lie was a member of Mosby's cavalry.
operating in Virginia. he saved the
life of a Union prisoner. whose four
companions had been shot down af-
ter their surrender by MOsby's men.
A great deal was made of the incident
in Payne's behaf, and the inference
was that he could have had no asso-
citation with the assassins of Lincoln.
I was startled by this plea. because
I was the cavalryman whose life was
saved by the Intervention OF Powell
or Payne. and because l felt he was
associated with the conspiracy to as
sassinate the President.
Il enlisted in the cavalry when I
was IL yeals old. On Christmas day,
1863. l was still q very young man. On
that day I, with four others OF our
company, moved out on q scouting ex-
pedition from Alexandria and were
rounded up by Mosby's men. We were
taken without much ceremony to the
Ettle town of Centerville, and drew
up in front of a saloon, where a num-
Der of Mosby's men were drinking. The
drunken men rushed out of the saloon
With their carbines in their hands, and.
without a word of warning, opened fire
on the prisoners.
-One OF my men was killed. Three
Others, were wounded. I dropped be-
hind my horse and escaped the bull
let meant for me- Thereupon my cap
tor. who had been riding by my side.
placed himself in front of me, drew
his revolver, and swore that he would
shoot any man who fired at his pris-
oner. The.e was a great commotion
over this, people running from the
houses near. others of Mosby's COM
mand coming to re-enforce my protec-
tor, and I was saved.
Il wore on that day q suit OF cavalry
blue, new from top to toe. and I was
very proud of it. liz ten minutes. how
ever, I was stripped to shirt and drow-
ers and stockings. and stood shivering
in the street, when two old people,
man and wife. came out of one of the
houses, and gave me shabby suit OF
clothes, a pair of old boots, and an
overcoat. These I put on and w:s
then ordered to take my dead comrade
to q graveyard near and bury him. The
three wounded men I never heard Of
afterward.
I'VE left Centerville about 4 p. m.
My captor and defender told me his
name was Powell: that he was the
son of q Methodist Episcopal minis
ter In Texas; that he had been fire.
quently in Baltimore and Washington,
ard could 60 to the latter place when
ever he pleased. In his free talk he
said he would be in Baltimore now.
but In his last trip he shot a man. and
the police were on the lookout for him.
He drew a revolver, made a pretense
of aiming at my head. and fred three
shots at q post behind me. Then he
asked me to look at the holes In the
post and said: II you try any of your
blamed Yankee tricks on me, you
know what to expect told him that
I understood the situation, and did.
I knew that Mosby's men could shoot.
As We rode along toward Mosby's
headquarters. Powell said the South
would never give up, and asked me
what I thought Of the political and mil
ttary situation. I told him that, with
the great resources of the North, With
thousands on thousands of men ready
to reinforce those already in the
army. I saw no hope for the South.
Thereupon Powell replied, You don't
know what you are talking about. II
worse comes to worst, we will kill
Lincoln and all the others at the head
OF the government. I am ready to do
ii nov. and I can go to Washington
whenever please!'
AS night came on We came IN a
house, where Powell seemed to be veil
acquainted. Our horses were mt IN
the stable and we were assigned TO
the paEior ON the first floor to sleep.
We carried in our saddles and blank.
oes. and rs We prepared for bed 7
noticed that Powell himself was mn.
der the influence Of applejack, and II
occurred to me that I might escare
Powell went TO sleep with his hand
On his revolver, but when he silent
soandly. ! raised . window, dropped
my overcoat and boots outside
climbed out myself. and in my stock.
ing feet ran through the slush snd
over the frozen ground to the woods.
nct la1 avay. Thege ] took on NV
st0ckings and Pat on my boots and
started at . fuH run northward. In
three uilas / came 10 . vide stream.
1ce UnnlAg b ca1ss upou the surface
q IL viteE vhtea was very cold. I