The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1888-10-06
JEFF DAVIS, ARREST.
The Curious stpry II iatcd by u Promi-
ncnt Alnbnnim Gentleman.


ncnt Alabama Gentleman.
Jefferson Davis has han good manv
narrow escapes, but ono of them las
ncv,r bcrn tod in print. and the chief
actor in the affair has ncv,s cared to
talk about It, Somewhere along In
the 6fics the Mobiles M English fam.
lily residing In p 'nnsylvania. decided
10 move Southwark. They selected
r me. G.l. rs their objective point,
aud started on their journey, after
making the necessary disposition OF
thcip goods.
The Nob,o' had some family jewels.
md aboutSl 0O9 in cash. How to carry
these yaluablcs safely bothered thcm
not II little but they pack I'd tho money
and jewels in an oldrfasli med T. 'glish
hand chest, and took hem along The
travellers landed at Charleston and
took the next train for thci, destina-
tion. S,me extra far, was demanded.
aud in paying it they had TO open th cir
chest and expose their treasure. Sharp
eyes were OH tho wa ch, aud the gilt
ter of the contents OF the chest attract
cd attention.
As u matter Of prccaution the chest
was confilcd to Miss Mary Noble, who
sat in n secluded section of the car
with her back to the door. At
Branchvillo. S. G.. two gentlemen
boarded the train. One was q young,
wiry man. and the other was tall and
slender, past tile meridian of life, and
of distinguished appearance.
When Augusta was reached The two
strangers went on to Atlant,. and the
Mobiles discovered that their precious
chest was missing. The conductor
was clamorously appealed to. and he
instantly gave it a. his opinion that
"he one.eyed man had stolen it,"
Hes bad-looking fellow" said
the conductor.
The chest had evidently been
snatched out of the rear window of
the car, as the suspected man took his
departure at q moment when Miss
Noble's attention was fixed in some
other direction.
After consultation 1t was decided
that Mrs. and Miss Mary should pro-
ceed to Atlanta and cause the arres t
of the supposed thi,f while Mr. Noble
and the others remained in Augusta
awaiting, not very confidently, the re-
suit.
Mrs. Noble succeeded in tracing the
two men to their stopping place in
Atlanta, aid identified them rs soon
as she saw them. Al her request they
were arrested and carried to police
headquarters, where the asto nishing
discovery was made that the "one-
eyed man" was President Pierce's
Secretary of War. Jefferson Davis.
and his companion was his private
secretary.
Mr.. Davis was in good humor.
and OF course the two gentlemen
were ut once released with many apol-
ogirs.
Before leaving. Mr.. Davis told Mrs.
Noble and her daughter that he re-
gretted their loss. and he rendered
them twenty-iollar gold piece rs
an evidence of his sympathy. Mrs.
Noble declined to acc ,pt the gift, but
Miss Mary spoke up and said:
yes. take it. That is some Of our
money that the old rascal tookv'
Mr.. Davis smiled and pressed the
money upon Mrs. Noble. who finally
took it, and carried it to her husband
in Augusta.
Suspicion was then directed to the
conductor. but his sudden death in tho
course Of few days stopped further
Investigation.
After the election of Mr.. Davis to
the presidency of tho Southern Con-
fcderacy. Mr.. Noble. then prosper
ous contractor. visited him ut Mont
gomery and talked with him about
manufacturing counon.
Mr. Davis asked him several ques-
tions. and then referred to the loss of
the chest. H. Introduced Mr.. Noble
to Mrs. Davis and told the Story of the
arrest. Mrs. Davis laughed heartily
over the accident anil with her hus-
hand took quite an interest in the
Mobiles from that time.
Noble went to work and made hum
dreds of cannon for the G ,nfederacy.
Later he + Funded and built up the
hourishing city of Admission in Ala-
hama. In The midst of his prosperity
he is still devoted 10 the "one-eycd
man" who was once supposed to be
the author of his great st misfortune
.auisLnu lAknl CIR N Y SIN