When did Powell's description get reported?

[Susan Higginbotham]

I have a question: when did the description of Seward's unnamed assailant ("inclined to tenor") first get reported? Weichmann claims that it appeared in a dispatch from Stanton and that it was in the April 15 Morning Chronicle that he read at breakfast before he and Holohan went to police headquarters, and that he was much relieved to see that the description didn't match that of John Surratt. The third edition of the Chronicle, however, doesn't contain a description of Seward's assailant, unless I'm simply overlooking it, which as I share Mrs. Surratt's poor eyesight is entirely possible:

http://www.loc.gov/resource/lprbscsm.scsm1253/#seq-1

A report on page 2 written at 5 a.m. indicates that it was not yet clear whether Booth had also been Seward's assailant.

http://www.loc.gov/resource/lprbscsm.scsm1253/#seq-2

So is Weichmann's memory playing tricks with him, or was there a dispatch from Stanton that might have appeared in the first or second editions of the Chronicle that was stripped from the third?

[BettyO]

Hello, Susan -

The reward poster with Powell's description was put out on April 16, 1865.

   

I would think that either Weichmann read it in the papers or happened to see one of these posters on the 16th. Granted, this was also a day before Powell was apprehended on the night of the 17th.

[Susan Higginbotham]

(08-19-2014 12:26 PM)BettyO Wrote:  Hello, Susan -

The reward poster with Powell's description was put out on April 16, 1865.



I would think that either Weichmann read it in the papers or happened to see one of these posters on the 16th. Granted, this was also a day before Powell was apprehended on the night of the 17th.

Thanks! So it's unlikely that the description would have been current during the early morning hours of April 15?

[BettyO]

As far as I know, it was initially thought that the assailant was John Surratt, Jr. Of course, William Bell had gotten a good look at Powell (and could describe him and the timbre of his voice) extremely well. Likewise, Fanny Seward, although she refused to identify him for fear of "causing his death." Robinson could also probably identify him, although the room was somewhat in shadow with the lamps turned low. Fanny did get a glimpse of Powell out in the hall arguing with Fred Seward, as did Robinson.

I've always wondered if Powell knew about Fanny's refusal....

[Gene C]

Did Fanny testify at the conspirators trial?
I have the impression that Fanny was a fragile person with a timid personality.

[BettyO]

Quote:Did Fanny testify at the conspirators trial?
I have the impression that Fanny was a fragile person with a timid personality.

According to Seward's doctor, Tullio Verdi, he escorted Fanny aboard the monitor to get a look at and identify Powell. Powell was brought topside, but Fanny, looking at him, turned away and refused to identify him, as she was "afraid that she would cause his death", if it was determined that Powell was not the man who had assaulted her father.