What if Lewis Powell's gun had fired?

[Linda Anderson]

Interesting question, Roger, that raises even more questions. I agree with Betty that people would have died in the Seward house that night if Powell's gun had worked. Would Powell have turned and shot the servant William H. Bell as well or would have Bell been quick enough to flee down the stairs? Powell may not have even bothered with Bell. Powell may have also shot the messenger Emerick Hansell if he got in Powell's way running down the stairs.

I wonder what Gus Seward, Seward's son, would have done had he heard gunshots rather than Fanny's screams. Gus had run to Seward's room in bewilderment without his gun never imaging that there was an assassin in the house. Would he have grabbed his gun out of his carpet-bag before he left his bedroom which was on the same floor as Seward's, and shot Powell either in the bedroom or in the hall as Powell was leaving? Would Powell have shot Gus first on his way out of the house? Gus was sound asleep at the time of Powell's attack so it took him a little while to comprehend what was going on in Seward's bedroom. It's difficult to know what Gus, who was in the army, would have done had he heard gunshots but I think he would have grabbed his gun first.

From Gene-The simple act of a gun miss firing, and "or Powell had not panicked and simply turned the cylinder", has had a major impact in the history and outcome of the world as we currently know it. Coincidence, luck, or something more?

I still cannot understand how, even if the gun was damaged, that Powell was not able to kill Seward with his knife. Powell had knocked down Fred and Robinson and pushed aside Fanny. Seward was a sick, helpless man lying in bed. How did Powell not kill him? Coincidence, luck, or something more?