Threaded Mode | Linear Mode

BettyO · 02-22-2014, 07:26 PM

The Seward Museum in Auburn NY will be featured on the Travel Channel's "Castles, Secrets and Legends" show at 10 PM tomorrow night, February 23. It will include Powell's attack on the Secretary. Should be interesting.

I checked out the Direct TV Guide and it's listed as the "Sew and Attack...."?!?!

Linda Anderson · 02-22-2014, 07:50 PM

Thanks, Betty! The Seward House Museum is a great place to visit.

Anita · 02-22-2014, 08:08 PM

Thanks Betty. I will record it.

Craig Hipkins · 02-22-2014, 09:22 PM

Looks like a must watch! Thanks for posting this Betty.

Craig

LincolnMan · 02-23-2014, 01:13 PM

"Sew and Attack"- sounds like a docudrama of a serial killer seamstress! Smile

MaddieM · 02-23-2014, 03:28 PM

Are there any photos of the interior of that house from that time?

BettyO · (This post was last modified: 02-23-2014 04:29 PM by BettyO.)

Hey, Maddie -

Yes - here....these are just about the only extant photos of the interior of the Seward House - from the hallway into the parlor.

Linda Anderson · 02-23-2014, 05:05 PM

(02-23-2014 03:28 PM)MaddieM Wrote: Are there any photos of the interior of that house from that time?

The photos Betty posted are from the interior of the Washington D.C. house. It looks to me like there is a stair railing on the left side of the top picture. If so, that would mean that the stairs started on the right side of the central hall. The stairs went up half a flight then across a landing to the other side of the hall, then up half a flight to the next floor.

Here is a photo of the exterior of the Seward house in Auburn during the Civil War. The south side was added after 1865.

http://sewardhouse.org/gallery/southeast-before-1866/

This is a gallery of photos of the house after the renovations. I haven't seen any interior photos of the house before 1865 but the Seward House may have some. The spiral staircase was installed after 1865 as well.

http://sewardhouse.org/gallery/

BettyO · (This post was last modified: 02-24-2014 07:21 AM by BettyO.)

Just watched the Seward House show...OMG! Who WROTE and researched this?!?

Hearing a knock at the front door, Fred Seward opens it to confront a hatless "mysterious stranger." Powell attacks him in the downstairs vestibule as soon as he opens the door.

Where is Bell?!

Upstairs, Powell leaps onto the bed and stabs Seward. There is no altercation between Robinson and Powell. There is NO Robinson! "Gus Seward" pulls Powell from the bed. He flees.

Where is Fanny? Fred is shown walking around the bedroom holding a cloth to his head.....

Later, Powell is captured in the day time at "a boarding house" (Mrs. Surratt's house? Herndon House?!) while seated at a desk in his room, writing a letter. He is wearing the Navy garb he wore in prison.

Absolutely ghastly....this makes the old Sunn-Schick Lincoln Conspiracy look like something top notch!

One of the worse, if not THE worse thing I've ever seen. Absolutely no historical research was done whatsoever apparently. It was pure fiction; all made up....

Seward House should have known better! They are such a wonderful source and site....this whole thing was an embarrassing fiasco.

Linda Anderson · (This post was last modified: 02-23-2014 11:50 PM by Linda Anderson.)

I know it was a short segment but I was disappointed that both Fanny and George Robinson, the man responsible for saving Seward's life, were not mentioned.

I'm glad they showed a photo of the real Lewis Powell. It's still a striking photo even now. It was also good that they showed a photo of Seward after Powell's attack.

I wish they had shown a photo of the Old Clubhouse where the assault took place.

Gene C · (This post was last modified: 02-24-2014 07:24 AM by Gene C.)

Sad that such an important piece of history was told so poorly, since telling it accurately would not have taken any more effort.

RJNorton · 02-24-2014, 08:36 AM

(02-23-2014 10:54 PM)BettyO Wrote: Later, Powell is captured in the day time at "a boarding house" (Mrs. Surratt's house? Herndon House?!) while seated at a desk in his room, writing a letter. He is wearing the Navy garb he wore in prison.

They said Powell was arrested at a guest house where Booth had been staying. So apparently Powell was arrested at the National Hotel. Sounds like Powell simply returned to his room there after attacking Seward. I wonder what the letter was about.

BettyO · 02-24-2014, 09:01 AM

Apparently writing to either girlfriend, Mary Branson or his mom....

"...Am in haste; have been staying at the National for the past few days, and boy is the food good!":P

brtmchl · (This post was last modified: 02-24-2014 09:05 AM by brtmchl.)

That's just horrible and lazy! How could anyone get by producing such an innacurrate retelling. It does make me want to see it even more now though. Like a horrible B horror movie that becomes so ridiculous that it becomes a cult hit. Most likely minus the hit.

BettyO · 02-24-2014, 09:08 AM

Mike, you hit the nail square on the head....

Horror movie it sure was....albeit a very, very short one - thank goodness!

You could tell it was done on the short end with NO budget whatsoever! Only thing they got right was Lew Powell's age and he looked somewhat good. Booth looked like Snidely Whiplash....