Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1888-03-03
JEFF DAVIS ARREST.
The Curious Story Related by Promi-
M nent Alabama Gentleman.

The Curious Story Related by Proml-
f nent Alabama Gentleman.
Jefferson Davis has had good many
narrow escapes, but one of them has
never been told in print, and the chief
actor in the affair has never cared to
talk about it. Somewhere along in
the fifties the Mobiles. an English FAM
lily residing in Pennsylvania. decided
to move Southwark. They selected
Rome. Ga, as their objective point,
and started on their journey, after
making the necessary disposition Of
their goods.
The MOBILES had some family jewels,
and about "a 600 in cash. How to carry
these valuables safely bothered them
not little, but they packed the money
and jewels in an old-fashioned Z ,glish
hand chest and took them along. The
travellers landed at Charleston and
took the next train for their destina-
ton. Some extra fare was demanded,
and in paying it they had to open their
chest and expose their treasure. Sharp
| eyes were on the watch, and the gilt
ter of the contents of the chest attract
ed attention.
As matter of precaution the chest
was confided to Miss Mary Noble, who
sat in secluded section of the car
with her back to the door. At
Branchville, S. c.. two gentlemen
boarded the train. One was a young.
wiry man, and the other was tall and
slender, past the meridian of life, and
OF distinguished appearance.
When Augusta was reached the two
strangers went on to Atlanta, and the
Mobiles discovered that their precious
chest was missing. The conductor
was DANGEROUSLY appealed to- and he
instantly gave it as his opinion that
''the 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 a moment when Miss
Mobiles attention was fixed in some
other direction.
After consultation it was decided
that Mrs. and Miss Mary should pro-
coed to Atlanta and cause the arres t
of the supposed thief 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, and identified them as soon
as she saw them. AT 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 at once released with many apol-
ogies.
/ Before leaving, Mr.. Davis told Mrs.
Noble and her daughter that he re-
GREETED their loss. and he rendered
them II twenty-dollar gold piece as
an evidence of his sympathy. Mrs
Noble declined to accept the gift, but
Miss Mary spoke up and said: i#
Eyes, take it That is some Of III
money that the old rascal tookr'
Mr.. Davis smiled and pressed the
money upon Mrs. Noble, who finally
took it. aud carried it to her husband
in Augusta. ,g Is 9.
Suspicion was then directed to the
conductor. but his sudden death in the
course of few days stopped further
investigation.
After the election of Mr.. Davis to
the presidency Of the Southern Com
federacy, Mr. Noble, then prosper
Gus contractor. visited him at Mont.
gomery and talked with him about
manufacturing common. os..i
Mr., Davis asked him several ques
lions, and then referred to the loss Of
the chest, He introduced Mr. Noble
to Mrs. Davis and told the story of the
arrest. Mrs. Davis laughed heartily
over the accident. and with her hus.
band took quite an interest in the
Mobiles FROM that time.
Noble went to work and made hun
dreds of cannon for the Confederacy.
Later he founded and built up the
tlourishing city of Admission in Ala
bama. In the midst Of his prosperity
he is still devoted to the sone-eyed
man" who was once supposed to be
the author of his. greatest misfortune
--Anpiston (AlG.) Cor. N Y SIN.
Harold de Murat first officer O