Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-08-05
THE EVENING STAR.
That Request TO Jefferson Davis.
MRS. DORSEYS HAIF-BROTHER GIVES HIS AC-


reporter OF the st. Louis Globe Democrat sue
Ceeoe0 lew days since 10 inducing Mr.. Morti-
ner Dahlsren. brother OF Mrs. Sarah Dorsey,
70 speak ABOUT JET. Davis and the true inward
less OF the causes which ultimately led up To
Mrs: Dorsey leaving all her property TO that
worthy. Mr. Dahlgren is son or General Chas.
". Dahlgren and nephew OF the late Admiral
OF that name. He is a young man. about ys
years CID, and is half brother of Mrs Dorsey,
General Dahlgren married the widow OF MIR.
ha n0as , L; E,s ABOUT the year 1S4o, the lady
The Oldest. The general took good deal OF
prlde In MIS-. Dorsey, being very soficitous about
benefits OF refined society which Womb st her her
for the high social circle In which the family
moved. He was by no means pleased when
this young lady married Mr.. Dorsey, and for
some time an estrangement existed between
them.
liz answer to the reporters request that he
should give dates and details OF Mr.. Davis in
timacy with his sister, Mr.. Dahlgren produced
a dairy which he said he had been In the 'hablt
OF keeping for number Of years" He con-
separated from the rest OF the family. she de
sired me TO go TO Beauyoir, promising that /
should have the full management OF her bust
ness affairs and OF her whole estate. There
being such a great difference In our ages for
children of the same mother. my sister had
always petted me great deal and treated me
almost as her own son. on the 5th OF Marcn
!s.', MI. Dahlgren arrived at Beauvolr with
MIS- Dorsey. Mir. Davis was there, and seemed
10 leei perfectly at home and acted as though be
was IN charge OF the place. JEFF. Davis, Jr., was
With Ills fatner while Mrs. Davis and her m
ter were In Europe. The two young men studied
law together under the tuition OF Gen Joe "a
Wis, a nephew OF Jefferson, and in a little while
tbe Nhoie management OF the property was
put In the hands OF young Dahlgren Davis and
his son remained at their comfortable quarters
at Beauvor until the latter part OF October.
Enen they went TO Memphis to meet Mrs
Davis, who had returned from Europe The old
man, however, returned in a very short time
leaving his son and wife in Memphis. he evi-
70 NJ Inv
which be found at the beautiful place on the
banks OF the Gulf OF Mexico. Answering the
inquiry as TO how Davis employed his time, Mr.
DahlgreD said" Almost constantly In writing
or In conversation with my sister. He helped
her with her book; indeed. | think she wrote
much at his dictatfon. She seemed at this time
literary pretensions. She was always very fond
OF society and entertaining, and was particu-
larry delighted to have literary people around
her."
MRS. DoRsEY's INFATUATIoN.
In endeavortng to account for his sisters in
fatuation for the eX-confederate leader: MIR.
Dahlgren says: Well she was very impul-
sive woman and seemed monomaniac regard
ing Davis. She thought he had been persecuted
by his enemies, and that, since he ceased to be
president, even bis former friends neglected
him. She seemed to be bound up In JEFFERSON
Davis" The reporter asked whether this Pla-
tonic affection was not regarded as singular,
and his informant replied dryly: "very singu-
lar. Jefferson Davis ought to have seen 1t, and
not to have submitted the motives of an limo.
cent and excellent lady to be misconstrued ia
the eyes Of the world
"friend OF the family and Mr.. Dahlgren had
been pleasant enough; but very soon after
Davis return Ia February the brother found
that he was being undermined by the old man,
who gradually began assuming the manage
ment OF the place while Mr.. Dahlgren was away
at the law Office which he had opened few
vent this, and seemed to think that everything
that Davis did was OF necessity the proper thing
to be done. To use Mr.. Dahlgrens own words:
to control. He stalked about the place DOM.
neerfng and despOtic. II he disliked servant
he had only TO Intimate such dislike, and the
servant was discharged. The servants were
was by this time nearly, II not entirely supplant-
ed as manager OF the estate, in this connection
related the following accounts Of "JefIs" las he
usually called h1ml brutality to the servants: 81
saw him on one occasion kick crippled negro
down back stairs for some fancied insult. The
darby was an Old family servant, and, perhaps,
presumed on the fact. The matter was reported
by JEFF to my sister, who discharged the ser
want, but subsequently took him back after he
had apOlogized TO the President. He threatened
OF his by carrying out one OF mine. BY this time
things came TO such pass that never knew
whether my orders would be obeyed or not.
Davis cosmtennanded them Our relations were
otherwise still pleasant, for we built and
launched boat together, which TACT the local
papers mentioned with commentator. But
SOOu saw tudt, CCulpItttly Tue COlJrOl OF
Mr. Davis, as She now was, my sister, Mrs Dor
sey, was greatly embarrassed; my sense OF self
respect would not permit me to remain longer
aid told my sister would leave and 60 west
She pleaded with me to remain. and said
might have house and lot II would do So l
didn't accept the latter offer, and she then said
give me some OF her lands in Louisiana or Ar
kansas, as 1 preferred. I chose Arkansas and
she said she would at once write her agent in
Arkansas to have the deed made out In my
name and sent me-"
DEAUvoIR SOLD TO DAVIS
81 suddenly discovered one day about this
time, Mr.. DahlgTen says. "tbat my sister HAD
decided Beauvoir to Mr.. Davis. 1t was under
stood to be merely nominal sale, and Davis
was to give notes running one, two and three
years, l believe. l sought explanation, and
Mrs. Dorsey told me there was private under
standing between her and Davis that whenever
she desired he was to deed back the land. She
said she had merely given the president
On the 23d Of March last Mr.. Dahlgren left his
sisters home, although persuaded BY Davis to
remain, the latter offering him a house to
a Comfortable home. Mr. Il DahIg Tenu told old
Davis that he .'could not live In his house" when
Davis replied, You know under what cir
think you are doing wrong to leave it,"
Having an opportunity to go into business In
st. Louis, Mr.. Dahlgren returned to that city,
He is firmly convinced that he would have been
In possession OF the Arkansas property had il
not been for Jeh Davis influence over his sister,
and that the balance OF her property would
have been left to the lawful heirs. In regard
TO contesting the will the gentleman stated
that the family were In correspondence and
would act In concert In the matter. The will
had been offered for probate at New Orleans
the bulk OF the property being In the state OF
Louisiana, and the first suit entered would Of
course be there. II successful the contestants
will then carry the war into all the other states
where any OF the property Is located.
MR.. DAHLGRENiS PLANS.
In reply to the reporter concluding question,
Have you told me all nOw?r Mr.. Dahlgren
replied as follows: mo; have told you much
suppress more. IL viii only be given TO the
world when the viii is contested and Justice is
done myself and family. Then we shall show
not only how we have been defrauded out OF
our rights but we shall show up Jefferson
Davis to the contempt OF the public. SO that he
will no longer parade himself before the world
as model man."
Jefferson Davis" concluded Mr. Dahlgren.
walking up and down eXcltedly behind his
counter, Jefferson Davis puts my sister in a
wrong position before the world. He could not
affect her reputation among those who knew
her, but the world at large might nudge differ
emily, not knowing her, Jefferson Davis (raising
his voice. must have known that virtually liy-
Ing separate fro m his Wife, by so long compan-
tonship with another lady, he was compromis-
ing Mrs. Dorsey's reputation and causing scan
daI and gossip at the expense OF a wholly inno-