Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1869-12-25
From the Milwaukee Sentinel, Nov 2.
How JEFF Davis Went out to Cowhide
an Ohio Boy

II 10 PlODdDIl hHONn 10 DuJ very lew
of the present citizens of our State that
Wisconsin has the high distinction of
having given Mr.. Jefferson Davis. ex-
| President of the ex-Confederate States.
his first public whipping.
1t should be remembered that Master
JEFF. was educated for the army at the
expense of the Government be so un-
gratefully betrayed, and entered the ser
vice as lean, lank, inperious, overbear-
ing lieutenant, and was stationed at Fort
Howard and Fort Winnebago about the
years 1929 TO 1881. In 1880 or l831 he
was station at the latter post, where the
circumstances we are about to relate oc-
Cured.
For year or two previous Buckeye
boy named Stewart, full sized, well
built, muscular man, and as good
natured as an elephant, had been in
the employ of Judge Arndt, of
Green Bay, i'll building what were
called Mackinaw boats, with which most
of the river transportation was done.
AT the time we are speaking of, Stewart
was engaged in mechanical work at
Fort Wiunebago, where Davis was sta.
toned
JEFF. in the meantime, had become
enamorcd OF pretty young woman of
semi-aboriginal origin, or, in plain Eng
lish, hali-breed, and was very Jealous
Of any attentions bestowed upon her
by others. From some cause or other the
monster within him fixed his green eyes
upon Stewart, and he swore by all the
buttons on his coat that he would COW.
hide the miserable Yankee out of his
skin. The idea Of such Il miserable wisp
OF skin and bones attacking such built
man as Stewart was preposterous enough,
and his threats were regarded as mere
Southern gasconade. But JEFF. evidently
calculated, as he did on latter occasion,
that the low-borne plebeian would never
dare to resist high-born Southron, but
would crouch and take all he might see
fit to lay on; and so, providing himself
with good cowhide, he watched his op-
portunity.
The desired occasion was not long de-
layed. One evening, after the days
work was ended, rs Stewart was walk
ing in front of the fort, Davis came out
and without ceremony began to lay it
on. But he found, as he did in the rebel
lion, that there were two parties to the
controversy.
Stewart turned upon him, planted his
left digits under Jeffs right ribs, and his
right ones under bis left ear, and knocked
him end over end. Stewart was not a
professional pugilist, and did not wait
for his adversary to rise, but poanced
upon him like tiger, and, laying Jeff'S
wrists side by side on his chest, held
them both as in vice with his left hand,
and kept his right hand ready for further
action. Poor Davis, half dead from the
two sledge-hammer blows he had receiv-
ed, squirmed and twisted in vain. There
he was, fast as if he had been in the iron
arms of guillotinC, and at the mercy of
his adversary. BY this time Stewart
had become quite cool, and told Davis he
deserved good pounding; "but," said
he, ''it you will take back what you have
said about me, and agree to let me alone,
| will let you up without further injury"
No, he would never do any such thing.
Then Stewart began to slap Jefi's face,
first on this side and then on the other,
and then repeated his demand for the
pledge, then JEFF again refused. Then
he pulled his nose and twisted it, and
slapped his face some more.
In the meantime the garrison was all
a stir, and General, then Major Twiggs
the same that went over to the rebellion
with his whole command of United
States troops stationed in Texas, a giant
of man physically, standing about six
feet six and of full proportions, but q
confessed coward withal; come out and
peremptnrily ordered Stewart to lei
Davis up, an order which, as commander
Of the fort, he could have executed sum
, marily if he had the pluck to do it
, Stewart replied that he would not lei
him up an inch until he apologized and
, promised to keep the peace, aud, said b'
: "Msior, you can't make ne do il and I