The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1883-10-20
Clutehed by JeG Davis.


ming Mill Company, was a member
of the Third Pennsylvania Heavy
Artillery, which was statiOnd at
Fortress Monroe when jefferson
Davis was taken there, soon after
his capture. Mr.. Kisner was de-
tailed, among others, to stand
guard over the Rebel Chief. In
an interview with Mr. Kisner the
other evening he gave az interest
ing account of what occurred dur
ing this period of nearly a year.
"Did | never tell You how old
Jeif took me by the throatf" he
asked, while he shook all over
with laughter. "Well, ii was
something in this way. There
were two sentres in Jeff's room
and this night | happened to be on
duty. Davis was lying on bis bed,
apparently trying to get q nap.
and our orders were to pace his
room constantly, but under no
consideration speak or enter iuto
any conversation with him. My
shoes, which were then new,
screechcd as | passed his bed
aud this seemed to annoy him.
Once as | passed him he turned
to me and growled out, Il wish
you'd make less noise.' replied,
Il wish you'd keep quiet Then
he turned over with his face to
the wall, and | kept walking on,
back and forward, past his bed.
In a minute or two he growled
again, cant you keep quiet 2 To
this | replied, cant you hold your
jawf Then he got up and com
menced to walk the floor, mad as
a Gagged lion. ! passed him and
turned to 60 back, when ! met
him about the middle ef the room.
just as | was about to repass him
he suddenly sprang at me and
with his left hand caught INC by
the throat. ] struggled to got
loose, but he held me as though |
had been in q wise. | could not
use my gun, as he held me close
to him. | struggled for breath,
bat he had shut of my wind. The
scuiilc drew the attention of tn 4
other guard in n moment and aleo
the officer outside, when he rat.
tied 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, aud
though he only held me a moment
or 80 ii seemed like an hour.
"Before this occurred, an old
reb outside, who had the privilege
of bringing JET his meals, used to
bring in lots of fried and stewed
oysters and many other things VIC
soldiers could't get. lle nearly
always brought more than old JEFF
could eat and JEFF used to give MS
lots of good things, but after thit
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 9
spunky old cuss, | tell you. HC
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 fifteen minutef
or half an hour. These officers
and men had to surround him tc
keep the guards from shooting
him every time he went out. The
way he was fixed they couldn't
kill him without killing one of tht
other men and perhaps more. Al
ter JEFF collarcd me one Of Tho
guards drew his picture on tb'
wall, representing him dangling
on the end of a rope, with an in
scription not very complimentaT,
to JEFF underneath it. 1t mad,
the old fellow furious when HI
saw il and of course it was blame,
on me. lie called the attention
, of the officer Of the guard to il
but didn't get much sympath.
. from him.
S-S-1
Scuyler ColfaH saws Presiean