“The Press” In 1866

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30975, 3 February 1966, Page 12

“The Press” In 1866

February 3 SENSATION OF MURDER.—The New York correspondent Of the “Spectator,” in a letter entitled Sewardana, gives the following account, derived from Mr. Seward [Assistant-Secretary of State] and his son themselves, of their sensa- - tion at the moment of their attempted

Mr Frederick Seward said that on stepping from his bedroom into the passage and seeing the assassin, he merely wondered what he was doing there, and called him to account On his resisting the fellow’s endeavor to press into Mr. Seward’s room, he (the assassin) drew a revolver which he presented at Mr. Frederick Seward's head. What followed, it must be remembered, took place in a few seconds. Mr. Frederick Seward's first thought was, “That's a navy revolver.” The man pulled the trigger, but it only snapped, and his intended victim thought, “That cap

missed fire.” His next sensation was that of confusion, and being upon the floor, resting upon his right arm, which like his father’s jaw was barely recovered from a bad fracture—the assassin had felled him to the floor with the butt of the pistol—he put his hand to his head, and finding a hole there, he thought, “That cap did not miss fire after aIL” Then he became insensible, and remained so for two days and more. His first indication of returning to consciousness was the question, “Have you got the ball out?” after which he fell off again into a comatose condition, which was of long continuance. . . . Mr. Seward's mental experience during his supposed assassination was in its nature so like that of his son, that it raises the question whether this absence of consternation and observation of minute particulars is not common in circumstances of unexpected and not fully apprehended peril. b