The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-10-20
NERVOUS JEFF DAVIS.

How He Choked One of the Guards at
Fortress Monroe Who Would Not Let
Him Sleep.
Watsontown pa Record.
Elisha Kisner, a modest, unpretending
gentleman, well known in the community,
and at present employed by the Watsontown
pa Planing-mill Company, was a member
of the Third Pennsylvania heavy artillery
which was stationed at Fortress Monroe
when Jefferson Davis was taken there, soon
after his capture. Mr.. Kisner was detailed
among others, to stand guard over the rebel
chief. In an interview with Mr.. Kisner the
other evening he gave an interesting account
of what occurred during this period of nearly
year.
did 1 never tell you how old Jeff took me
by the throat?' he asked, while he shook all
over with laughter. well, it was some
thing in this way: There were two sentries
in Jeff.'s room, and this night l happened to
be on duty. Davis was lying on his bed, ap-
parently trying to get nap, and our orders
were to pace his room constantly, but, under
no consideration to speak or enter into any
conversation with him. My shoes, which
were then new, screeched as l passed his bed
and this seemed to annoy him. Once, as l
passed him, he turned to me and growled
out, 4 wish you'd make less noise l re-
piled, I wish you'd keep quiet. Then he
turned over with his face to the wall and l
kept walking on, back and forward, past his
bed. In minute or two he growled again,
Can you keep quiet? 70 this 1 replied
got up and commenced to walk the floor,
mad as Gagged lion. l passed
him and turned 10 go back, when
met him about the middle of the
room. Just as l was about to repass him he
suddenly sprang at me and with his left
hand caught me by the throat. 1 struggled
to get loose, but he held me as though had
been in a vice. l could not use my gun, as
he held me close to him. l struggled for
breath, but he had shut off my wind, The
struggle drew the attention of the other
guard in a moment and also the officer out
side, when he ratified his sword against the
iron-grated door, and then old jeff let loose
of me and went back to his bed. tell you
was weak in the knees when he did let GO
and though he only held me moment or so
it seemed like an hour
Before this occurred an old reb outside,
who had the privilege of bringing old jeff
his meals, used to bring in lots of fried and
soldiers couldn't get. He nearly always
brought more than old Jeff. could
eat, and jeff. used to give us lots of good
things but after this fuss he'd always
throw everything that was left out of the
window, and wouldn't even give us a smell
to save our lives. He was a spunky old cuss,
1 tell you. He wanted air, and then he
would be taken out onto the ramparts by
two captains, two lieutenants, two corporals
and two privates and walked around for 6f-
teen minutes or half an hour. These officers
and men had to surround him to keep the
guards from shooting him every time he
wen. out. The way he was fixed they
couldn't kill him without killing one of the
other men and perhaps more. After JEFF.
collared me one of his guards drew his pic
ture on the wall, representing him dangling
on the end of rope with an inscription not
very complimentary to jeff. underneath it.
1t made the old fellow furious when he saw
it, and of course it was blamed on me. He
called the attention of the officer of the
guard to it, but didn't get much sympathy
from him."