"Alias Paine"

[HerbS]

My copy of "Alias Paine"arrived this week and I could not put it down!We are so fortunate to have such a collection of "primary source"researchers and authors on this forum!BettyO you are a master of research and a "wordsmith".It is my hope that everyone gets this book and enjoys it as it flows!

[BettyO]

Why, Thank you, Herb! You are more than kind!! I'm so glad that you enjoyed it. I'm presently working on the 2nd edition and stuffing it with even more information....

[My Name Is Kate]

I can't wait for the second edition. The most interesting thing about Lewis, IMO, is the noble, yet contrite way he went to his death (and what a death it was...), even pleading for the life of Mary Surratt to the very end, although she had betrayed him, apparently without any remorse. I find that rather astounding, especially for one so young.

[HerbS]

A point that I wish to make on how thorough BettyO's research in "Alias Paine"is.Last Spring the Town of Oswego,NY dedicated a statute to Dr.Mary Walker.When I met her Biographer I asked her if she knew if Dr.Walker was at the trial of The Conspirators,the biographer said-yes.Then I asked her if Dr.Walker was at the executions-the biographer did not know.In BettyO's book she states that Dr.Walker rode her horse into the execution compound,much to the consternation there!Now that's thorough Research!

[MaddieM]

My copy of Alias looks like it's been through the battle of Gettysburg. It's dog eared and rumpled and I've read through it about a million times.

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(01-12-2013 07:56 PM)My Name Is Kate Wrote:  I can't wait for the second edition. The most interesting thing about Lewis, IMO, is the noble, yet contrite way he went to his death (and what a death it was...), even pleading for the life of Mary Surratt to the very end, although she had betrayed him, apparently without any remorse. I find that rather astounding, especially for one so young.

old head, young shoulders.

[Linda Anderson]

(01-12-2013 07:56 PM)My Name Is Kate Wrote:  I can't wait for the second edition. The most interesting thing about Lewis, IMO, is the noble, yet contrite way he went to his death (and what a death it was...), even pleading for the life of Mary Surratt to the very end, although she had betrayed him, apparently without any remorse. I find that rather astounding, especially for one so young.

I agree that what makes Powell interesting is his change from a violent assassin to a prisoner who gained respect from his Union guards by accepting his fate and not complaining.

Powell must have felt guilty for implicating Mary Surratt by showing up at her boarding house on the night of April 17. He understood why she betrayed him by denying that she had hired him to dig a ditch. She wanted to live!

He expressed regret for hurting Fred Seward but I haven't read that he expressed regret for assaulting Secretary Seward. Powell believed he was following orders in trying to assassinate Seward.

There is no apology from Powell in Attorney Doster's Argument in Defense of Lewis Payne. Instead, Doster spoke of "the frank and honest way in which he speaks of his crime, as a thing revolting in itself, but due to a cause he thinks holy..."

"We know that slavery made him immoral, that war made him a murderer, and that necessity, revenge, and delusion made him an assassin...We know that, from his point of view, he justifies the murder of the Secretary of State; we know that, from our standpoint, we would have gladly seen, for four years, the death of the Rebel Secretary of State."

Should Doster have said that Powell had realized the errors of his ways and was now contrite for his actions?

[BettyO]

Thanks again, all for all of your kind words about Alias. I'm plugging along on the 2nd edition as we speak! I'm also finding MORE new things which I'm dying to put into it....

Quote:He expressed regret for hurting Fred Seward but I haven't read that he expressed regret for assaulting Secretary Seward. Powell believed he was following orders in trying to assassinate Seward.

One of Lewis' last requests, according to Gillette, was "a word of regret be sent to Mr. Seward."

Quote:Should Doster have said that Powell had realized the errors of his ways and was now contrite for his actions?

Yes. I think that he should have stated how contrite the boy actually was. I'm surprised that Doster didn't mention this. Seemingly, the attorney (and he was a good one!) seemed to be attempting to get Lew off on the basis that he was A) Insane (didn't work) and B) his youth which he seemingly played up quite a bit in his argument, repeatedly saying "let him live...." I also wonder how much emphasis a bit of heartfelt contrition would have played in his argument before the commission? Really though, I fully doubt that it would have had any affect whatsoever. The commission was set on hanging Powell from the very start. In the absence of Booth, Powell was the only one of the eight who had actually struck at his target. Therefore, folk wanted to see punishment. The crime was treason and the Constitution states that the penalty for treason is death.

[Linda Anderson]

Thanks, Betty. I wonder if the death of Mrs. Seward, which occurred on June 21, the day of Doster's argument, made any difference in Powell's "word of regret to Mr. Seward."

I agree that Powell's expressing regret would not have made one bit of difference to the Commission but Doster really pulled out all the stops in his argument. Maybe he thought they wouldn't believe that Powell felt sorry or maybe he thought it would take away from his defense that Powell was acting out of a sense of duty.

Also, I wonder (lots of wondering with Powell) if Powell's family would have felt better in some small way if they had read that he had expressed regret during the trial.

You're finding MORE new things about Powell? That's great!

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Betty, do you know if Gillette got word of Powell's regret to Seward before the execution?

[BettyO]

Not that I know of, Linda. Gillette stated that before he walked to the gallows that Lew expressed a word of regret to Mr. Seward. That's all we got - no other mention.

[Jenny]

"Alias Paine" is hands down one of my favorite Lincoln assassination books due to the fascinating central figure of the book along with outstanding research by the author. I cannot WAIT for the second edition!

[antiquefinder]

(01-13-2013 12:25 PM)BettyO Wrote:  Thanks again, all for all of your kind words about Alias. I'm plugging along on the 2nd edition as we speak! I'm also finding MORE new things which I'm dying to put into it....

Quote:He expressed regret for hurting Fred Seward but I haven't read that he expressed regret for assaulting Secretary Seward. Powell believed he was following orders in trying to assassinate Seward.

One of Lewis' last requests, according to Gillette, was "a word of regret be sent to Mr. Seward."

Quote:Should Doster have said that Powell had realized the errors of his ways and was now contrite for his actions?

Yes. I think that he should have stated how contrite the boy actually was. I'm surprised that Doster didn't mention this. Seemingly, the attorney (and he was a good one!) seemed to be attempting to get Lew off on the basis that he was A) Insane (didn't work) and B) his youth which he seemingly played up quite a bit in his argument, repeatedly saying "let him live...." I also wonder how much emphasis a bit of heartfelt contrition would have played in his argument before the commission? Really though, I fully doubt that it would have had any affect whatsoever. The commission was set on hanging Powell from the very start. In the absence of Booth, Powell was the only one of the eight who had actually struck at his target. Therefore, folk wanted to see punishment. The crime was treason and the Constitution states that the penalty for treason is death.

Betty- what do think would have happened to Lewis if he had chickened out and not attacked Seward? Do you think he still would have been hanged?

[BettyO]

(01-18-2013 05:04 PM)antiquefinder Wrote:  

(01-13-2013 12:25 PM)BettyO Wrote:  Thanks again, all for all of your kind words about Alias. I'm plugging along on the 2nd edition as we speak! I'm also finding MORE new things which I'm dying to put into it....

Quote:He expressed regret for hurting Fred Seward but I haven't read that he expressed regret for assaulting Secretary Seward. Powell believed he was following orders in trying to assassinate Seward.

One of Lewis' last requests, according to Gillette, was "a word of regret be sent to Mr. Seward."

Quote:Should Doster have said that Powell had realized the errors of his ways and was now contrite for his actions?

Yes. I think that he should have stated how contrite the boy actually was. I'm surprised that Doster didn't mention this. Seemingly, the attorney (and he was a good one!) seemed to be attempting to get Lew off on the basis that he was A) Insane (didn't work) and B) his youth which he seemingly played up quite a bit in his argument, repeatedly saying "let him live...." I also wonder how much emphasis a bit of heartfelt contrition would have played in his argument before the commission? Really though, I fully doubt that it would have had any affect whatsoever. The commission was set on hanging Powell from the very start. In the absence of Booth, Powell was the only one of the eight who had actually struck at his target. Therefore, folk wanted to see punishment. The crime was treason and the Constitution states that the penalty for treason is death.

Betty- what do think would have happened to Lewis if he had chickened out and not attacked Seward? Do you think he still would have been hanged?

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It depends on if he were caught. Had he chickened out like Atzerodt and done nothing; but still been "fingered" as a part of the plot - I believe that like Atzerodt, he would have been hanged.

Poor Atzerodt did nothing, fled Washington for Port Tobacco, was caught, tried and still hanged. I believe that as an ex-Confederate soldier, that Lew would have had the very same treatment.

[Gene C]

(01-18-2013 06:32 PM)BettyO Wrote:  I believe that as an ex-Confederate soldier, that Lew would have had the very same treatment.

Lew did sign a loyalty oath didn't he?

[J. Beckert]

So did Booth at one time. I think it was a formality with their arrests. They obviously had their fingers crossed when they signed!

[BettyO]

Yes, Lew signed the Oath - twice! Once in Alexandria, VA on January 13, 1865 and again upon his arrest in Baltimore on March 14, 1865 - still....it meant nothing to him really. Absolutely nothing but his freedom to move about at will behind "enemy" lines -