The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1881-12-29
observed the prisoner in court and be-
lieyed him perfectly sane.
That Confederate Cqin-A Pointer from Pea

ieyed him perfectly sane.
That Confederate cH S1dy. Pointer from Pea
ST. LOUIS, Dec. 26.-Yesterday after
loon a Globe-Democrat reporter was |
accosted on the street by a well-known |
sx- Union soldier. Said the latter, 81
have noticed the controversy going on |
IN the daily press about the alleged /
charges of General Johnston against |
Jeff Davis, accusing the ex-president of
the lost cause of having stolen the late |
treasure. Now, I'll give
you a pointer. There's Thomas II. |
Peabody, the lawyer, who can give you
3 good deal of information. He assisted
in the capture of Davis"
Mr.. Peabody was easily found, and
readily consented to recall for the time
being his participation in the leading
climax in the fall of the confederacy.
AZ was" said Mr.. Peabody, IAN officer
of Company F. Sd Michigan cavalry.
Toward the close of the war the regi-
ment was commanded by Colonel
Prichard, and did active service
in the cavalry corps under General
Jas Wilson through Alabama and Geor-
gis. On the evening of April 2, 1866,
and after hard fought contest we cap
tured Selma, Alabama. Ten days later
our command captured Montgomery,
the original confederate states capital,
without firing gun. Eight days after
the fall of Montgomery, we moved on to
Macon, Georgia, which surrendered to
our corps.
1--WE were in camp near Macon sever
al days when news came of the flight of
jefferson Davis, with his escort toward
southern Georgia. The 4Ih Michigan
cavalry was ordered down the west side
of the Ocmulgee river, To intercept
and, if possible, capture the fleeing
leader of the rebellion. Traces of the
party were found at the ferry at Able
Vile, Georgia, on the Ocmulgee, seventy
miles south of Macon. There we
learned that Mr.. Davis and his party,
with a small cavalry escort, had crossed
the river and passed on south on the
road leading directly to Evansville,
Georgia, thirty miles below. A portion
of our cavalry was left at Abbeville, and
the remainder, including my company,
made a forced nights march down the
river road to Irwinsville. We reached
the latter place about 2 O'Clock a. m, on
Wednesday, May 10, 1866.
CHARGING JEFF's CAMP.
"At dawn that portion of the 4th Mich
igan cavalry there present charged upon
the camp sud a small military escort of
Jefferson DAVIS, and made them all
prisoners. Through a fatal mistake,
caused by the gloom of the early morn
ing, a few minutes after the capture the
advance of the 1st Wisconsin cavalry
struck our outposts, and each mistaking
the other for the enemy, short but
brisk fire occurred, resulting in the kill
ing of three men, two officers, and the
wounding of three, one officer and two
both osAac fhnco Ei9laf1
was Capt. John Hines, of Company E.
4th Michigan cavalry"
"Who composed the captured party,
Mr.. Peabody
"By consulting my diary" answered
Mr.. Peabody, taking up small but
heavily bound red book, 81 find the fol-
lowing entry: May 10, 1865, captured
by the 4th Michigfn cavalry, jeff Davis,
his wife and four children: Maggie,
about 10 years; JEFF, 8; Willie, 5; and
an infant baby; Miss Howell and her
brother, the sister and brother of Mrs.
Davis. This was the family. With
them were Hon. Jokn II. Reagan, post
master general of the confederate states
Co.'s. johnson and Dubbuck, aide-de-
camps; Capt. Moody, an old neighbor of
some twenty-five others, officers and cav
alrymen."
mrs. Davis had a train with her con-
sisting of five wagons and four ambu-
lanees, heavily loaded with traps and
supplies. It took US four days to march
back to Macon. On the second day of
the return was officer of the guard d.
rectly over the prisoners. Nearly all
that day I rode beside Mr.. Reagan, and
l found him to be very superior gentle
man, resembling very much Senator Lo-
gan. Reagan is to-day a member of
congress from Texas. 1 we'll remember,
as we marched back through the lonely
pine woods and sometimes through fine
plantations, that all seemed like dream
there, before US, with his intellectual,
smiling face and dignified bearing was
the great head and spirit of that terrible
power which for four years we poor SOL
diers of the Union had been battling
against.
Coming down, however, to the real
question at issue, ] must declare en-
| phaticaIly that I take no stock at ali in
the story that Davis appropriated the
Confederate treasure. am, in fact,
positive that there was no large amount
of money-gold or silYer-in the csptur-
ed train. OF course the captured par
ties were well supplied with money for
their necessary wants at the time. That
I know.
1 remember very well that one of the
4th Michigan men was reported TO have
found in one of the holsters or saddle
bags of one of the prisoners lot of $50
gold pieces, and on the way back the
man showed me q small handful of gold
coin. Had there been any large amount
of money in the possession of the rebel
party, or in the captured train, our
troops would certainly have found 1t.
No report of any treasures was current
at the time.
| A communication signed Robert Cum
ningham, and published on the 18th inst.
is about correct as to the matter in con-
tFoversy. It was rumored at the time
of the capture, through Kent Section,
that the cavalry escort Of Mr.. Davis
during the early flight had become dis
concerted, and each man was given $40
and discharged. No, sir; all reports
and assertions 20 the contrary notwith-
standing, am positive that Mr.. Davis
never kept the confederate treasure.
Status Of the Public Debt
| WASHINGTON, Dec. 25.-The amount
of interest on account Of the public
debt, for which the treasury will be liza
bic on January Sd, Is more than e10.O 600,
900, of which amount $7,SS7 600 is on
account Of the four per cent. bonds, and
the remainder on account ct the ex-
tended six per cent. bonds, which now
bear three and half per cent. per an.
NUN. On the f0uf per cent. bonds one
quarters interest, and on the extended
skies one-half years interest will be pay
able on the date above named. It has
been the practice Of the department for
many years to anticipate the January In
terest, and the departure from this prac-
tlce by Secretary Folger has caused con-