The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-11-05
The "Prison Life of Jefferson Davis"
Written by Miles O'ReilIy in Nine

me 'Fr1son Life OF JEFFERSON DaVh'
Written by Miles O'ReilIy in Min,
Days.
From the Charleston. Is. c. Mercury, Oct. %.
George Francis Train asserts that tn
book entitled, Prison Life of Jefferson
Davis" and purperting to be the werl
of DR.. Craven, was written in nine day
by the late General c. G. HalpiDe.
The above paragraph is going the
rounds of the press as an item of strang'
news. .lG cAJ-st J'H--
The book, our readers will remembe
came out in New York soon after th'
release of Mr.. Davis on bail from hi!
Imprisonment at Fortress Monroe. i
was the sensation of the day, and ex
cited deep interest for the famous pris
oner whose story of prison life It as
sumed to give. While it stirred the
hearts of the Southern people, of whose
lost cause hs was the official head, il
awakened the curiosity, removed the
prejudices and enlisted the sympathies
of the Northern men in behalf of one
fallen from high estate, weary. feeble
captive, who yet challenged admiration
for the equanimity of his bearing and
the mplishments of his mind.
Our readers will be astonished to learn
that the averment of Mr.. Train is true,
and that this popular book, over which
so much of feeling, of Indignation, pity,
interest, and admiration has been crea-
ted and expended, is work of imagiu-
ation-a novel woven upon slender
threads of fact.
Soon after the admission of Mr.. Davis
to bail, Craven, the surgeon of the post,
went to New York, where he met his
quondam messmate of the same staff.
General Halpine. This literary friend
congratulated him forthwith on this
opportunity he had to immortalize him
self in print, and at the same time make
money on book on jeff. Davis. The
idea seemed new to DR.. Craven, and he
said it was impracticable. Halpine
asked him where was his notes. He re-
piled he had none, and could not do it.
Then, said Halpine, give me whatever
materials you have and / will write in
your name, aud we will share the profits.
This was agreed to. =
Craven furnished three letters of Mrs.
Davis to him, and some notes written
on tho margin of u Herald by Mr.. Ds-
Wis, touching the points he desired
Reverdy Johnson to make in defend
ing him for treason. This was all the
authentic matter supplied.
At the request of General Hslpine,
Craven also made out list of the Off
GERS of the post, and their days for 60
ing on duty, and other little details OF
the post and garrison, and of Mr.. Davis
Ualpine then called to see several
Confederates in New York, and, among
others, General Dick Taylor. He
pumped them as to Mr.. Davis, his views
and opinions on public matters; also
in regard to leading Southern men,
and Mr.. Davis's relations and feelings
towards them, &c.
A Philadelphia publishing house now
advertised that it was soon to put forth
a life of Davis, and Halpine saw the
Importance of anticipating this publi-
cation by his book. 1t was arranged in
New York to get it out Immediately.
He agreed to furnish his publisher forty
pages of foolscap manuscript daily.
And he sat down to write-and wrote
forty pages daily for nine days, when
the book was Completed-the web OF his
fertile brain and accomplished mind.
The book was of great service to Mr..
Davis, and General Halpine's share of
the profits was seven thousand dollars,
last March, when he communicated to
us the above facts from his own graphic
and eloquent lips.
This is one of the curiosities of liter
ature, and illustrates the talents of the
man who could so plausibly manufac-
ture out of whole cloth the "PrisOn
Life of Jefferson Davis, with his private
views and opinions concerning men and
thinpsp