The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-07-26
SEWARD TALKS
OF APRIL 14,1865
Recalls Attack on His Father,
lincOIn's Secretary Of State.
AND ALSO OF HIS OWN ESCAPE
He Was Assistant Secretary of state
During the Administrations of Linz
coin and Johnson--Ass Just Observ-
ed His Eighty seoond Birthday.

Frederick II. Seward, assistant secre.
tary of state during the administrations
of Presidents Lincoln and johnson and
son of William H. Seward, who was
secretary of state at that time, recent
ly observed his eighty second birth
day.
Mr.. Seward has hved at Montrose, n.
Y, for forty-seven years. He went
there 10 recuperate following the at
tempt upon his life by the man who
tried 30 assassinate his father almost
at the same minute that Wilkes Booth
shot and fatally wounded Abraham
Lincoln in Ford's theater, in Washing
ton, not far from the home of Mr..
Seward.
A Memorable Night.
The incidents of the memorable night
Of April IA, 1865. were recalled by Mr..
Seward as If they had happened only
recently.
1T was about 10 O'Clock when the
doorbeIl at my fathers house rang"
he said, land one Of our negro serv-
ants, after an alteration, admitted a
man who explained that he had come
with a prescription from Dr. Verdi,
our family physician, for my father,
who was then i'll with a high fever, in
duced by injuries he sustained in q
carriage nccident.
"I met the man Mt the top of the
stairs and told him to hand over the
prescription to me, positively refusing
to let any one disturb my father. I'm
pressed by my determination to pre-
vent his access to my fathers cham
Der, the stranger turned as If TO de
part and after descending two or three
steps suddenly whirled around and,
drawing long revolver, rushed at me.
He snapped the pistol close 70 my TEN
pie and when it missed fire exclaimed,
That navy revolverr
Thought Him Done For.
Before / could seize him he grasp
ed the revolver In the middle and
dealt me a blow ON the head that
stunned me and sent me staggering
against the wan. In the fierce scufiie
that followed be kept pcunding me
over the head and finally wreDched
himself from my grasp He hen dar<-
ed into the room where my father was
lying-fortunAtely ON the far side Of
the bed on account of his injured arm.
which he allowed 10 hang over the
side-and there attacked him with
long bowie knife Before he could be
restrained by my sister and an Invalid
nurse. who were in the room at the
time, he succeeded In mf1cttng q dan
gerous cash In my fathers throat, al
most reaching the tugniar vein, and
making several slashas at his faoa-.
Thinking that he had accomplished his
purpose, he dashed out O6 the room.
down the stairs, mounted bis horse,
which had remained standing IN the
street, and galloped uway.
This man was later arrested, and
of course, you know that his name
was Henry Paine Powell, m accom-
pliee of Wilkes Booth who had con:
spired 10 assassinate the secretary of
state and the president OF the United
States.
"Wel, the injuries l received that
night left me In an unconscious eond-
ton for nine days. 1t was SIX months
before was ahis 30 resume my do
ties, and after l had finished my term
as assistant secretary Of state under
President johnson i decided % seek a
quiet life 10 recuperate. For the ben
eft Of my family I decided TO take
out life Insurance policy, bot could
not get one, because the doctors said
/ couldn't live bat few years. I
came 70 Montrose, and, 30 my surprise,
! found that was sti1 living beyond
INV allotted ttrna -