Your personal choice of "most tragic" character in the assassination story

[BettyO]

(08-08-2012 09:53 AM)MaddieM Wrote:  

(08-08-2012 09:38 AM)BettyO Wrote:  

(08-08-2012 09:34 AM)MaddieM Wrote:  

(08-08-2012 09:30 AM)BettyO Wrote:  

(08-08-2012 09:24 AM)MaddieM Wrote:  It would drive me to drink. His poor mum. You'd never ever get over that would you?

Hello, Maddy!

In the Fall of 1865, a Captain Newt was assigned to go to Florida to ascertain by Stanton if Lewis Payne was actually in fact, Lewis Powell. Newt traveled down to Live Oak and visited the family, claiming that Reverend Powell was an upstanding, quiet man who was composed and very much in control of his feelings, however Lew's mother was extremely upset by the visit and wouldn't even go into the parlor to meet him. He described Lew's mother as being "an extremely attractive woman" [she was 56 years old at the time] and further said that she appeared "inconsolable in her grief and possessed of strong maternal feeling." Lewis' mother supposedly wore mourning for the rest of her life and never got over the shock. Perfectly understandable. Never did see anything else regarding Lewis' father and any drinking. I'll have to check up on that!

They hanged her beautiful son. One can only imagine what that felt like. I'm sure stories are handed down through the generations via word of mouth. I think your book brought him back to life and gave us all a real insight into his humanity.

Thanks ever so much for your kind words, Maddie!

I have a Revised Second Edition of Alias coming out within the next year as well as going into Ebook format - LOTS of new documented information on Lew coming out in that as well.

Yes, the trauma of losing her adored youngest son as well as her other son, Oliver was supposedly very hard for Mrs Powell. A very tragic situation - and then for some cruel, vindictive idiot to send photographs of the tragedy to his parents - I'm sure that was too much to bear!

Who did that? Did they send those photos of the actual hanging?

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(08-08-2012 09:38 AM)BettyO Wrote:  Yes, the trauma of losing her adored youngest son as well as her other son, Oliver was supposedly very hard for Mrs Powell. A very tragic situation - and then for some cruel, vindictive idiot to send photographs of the tragedy to his parents - I'm sure that was too much to bear!

I get the feeling he lied about his name etc, to protect his family? Is that right? He was the only one who did that out of the four of them. He seemed to keep tight lipped about lots of things right up until the end. Some might say to protect his fellow conspirators, but most likely to protect his family, I would think. That seems in keeping with his whole personality. Of them all, he seemed the most honourable, despite his 'dishonourable' attack on Seward.

I agree, Mattie! He was trying to protect "his good name" as well as his parents. He adored his mother....and had begged one detective to "Please don't tell my mama!"

Yes, some idiot actually did send the photos of the hanging of Lewis to his parents - according to the news report "showing Lewis in every agonizing pose while hanging." How cruel and hateful can people be?

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(08-08-2012 10:19 AM)MaddieM Wrote:  

(08-08-2012 10:14 AM)Gene C Wrote:  I can't even get up and go get a cup of coffee, without coming back and feeling hopelessly behind in this conversation

I'm wondering if you guys in the States are all in bed? It's currently 20 mins past four in the afternoon here in sunny Manchester.

There is about 6 hours difference, Mattie! It's currently 11:39 am here on the East Coast (VA) cloudy and ghastly humid - we're in the full strength of a VA summer (Hate it! And I was born and raised here) Currently 85 degrees with 70 % humidity - very high....and going to get hotter. Three weeks ago it was 105 degrees with 100% humidity.....