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#7

Testimony of Frederick Seward, Son

of Secretary of State William Seward
“My father, William, h a d b e e n i nj ur e d in a c a r r i a g e a c c i d e n t e a r l i e r i n
t h e m o n t h , a n d w a s confined to r e s t unt i l hi s d oc t o r s a i d ot he r w i s e .
On t h e n i g ht of April 1 4t h, a r o u n d 1 0 pm , a m a n k no c k e d o n o u r door.
Our b u t l e r a n s w e r e d t h e door. He di d n o t k n o w t h e m a n , w h o m we
now k n o w a s Lewis Powell, b u t h e cl a im e d to be s e n t by o u r family
phys i ci a n, Tullio Verdi, wi t h m e d i c i ne t h a t w a s n e e d e d for William. The
b u t l e r offered to t a k e t h e m e di c i ne a n d a d m i n i s t e r to m y fa ther, b u t
Mr.
Powell i n s i s t e d on doing so himself. This s e e m e d r a t h e r odd s inc e h e
w a s only a m e s s e ng e r, n o t a d oc t o r himself. Why would a m e s s e n g e r be
i n s t r u c t e d t o give t h e m e d i c i ne t o a p a t i e n t ?

I w a s wi t h m y f a t h e r a t t h e t i m e in hi s u p s t a i r s b e d r o om a n d h e a r d t h e
c o m m o t i o n do wn s t a i r s . I r e m e m b e r p e e r i ng out s i de t h e window
a n d not i c ed a m a n holding t wo h o r s e s outside, wh i c h I di d n o t
t h i n k w a s s t r a n g e a t t h e t im e . But, n ow t h a t I t h i n k a bo u t it, w h y
would a m e s s e n g e r n e e d a g ui de ? Th e y s ho ul d k n o w t h e ins-and-
outs of t h i s ci ty b e t t e r t h a n a nyo ne . Knowing w h a t I k n o w now, t h i s
s u r e l y w a s David Herold.

I e m e rg e d f r o m m y fat her ’s b e d r o o m a n d c on f r on t e d Lewis Powell. He

pul led h i s g u n o n m e a n d fired, b u t h i s g u n j a m m e d . We w r e s t l e d for
s o m e t i m e before e v e r y t h i n g blacked out. I a m told h e u s e d hi s g u n
h a n d l e to h i t m e , f r a c t u r i n g m y skull i n t h e pr oce s s. M y s i s t e r w a s a t
William’s bedside w h e n Lewis e n t e r e d t h e r oom . S h e s a y s h e t h r e w h e r
aside, t h e n p ou nc e d o n William a n d be ga n s t abbi ng wi t h hi s knife.
S h e s a i d blood w a s e v e r y w h e r e , b u t s h e f r e qu e nt l y h e a r d t h e
clanging of ‘metal o n metal‘ whi c h m a y v e r y well h a v e s a ve d hi s life.
M y f a t h e r w a s we a r i n g a m e t a l h e a d d r e s s f r o m h i s c a r r i a g e a c c i d e n t
t h a t blocked all of t h e blows t h a t would h a v e killed hi m . Thi nking h e
w a s dea d, Lewis left a n d r o d e off w i t h Herold. Little did h e know,
however, w a s t h a t m y f a t h e r is t o u g h e r t h a n h e looks!”

Source: Created and adapted from information provided at

http://
law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/lincolnconspiracy/mudd.ht
ml © History with Mr. E
Specializing in American and World History for late Elementary, Middle, and early High