The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-03-26
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
He Denies Current Tale, and Recalls Gree


New Orleans Special to ST. Louis Post Dispatch.
Some days ago the Cincinnati Enquirer pub
Hshed q letter from its correspondents, Gath,
containing a statement of how jefferson Davis
erner when the famous ex-President of the Con
federacy was a young lieutenant, stationed in
the Northwest. Gath asserted that the story
told him by Col. Smith, Horace Greeley's
son-in-law. who claimed as his informant an old
army officer named A. j. Center, of Connect
cut The story was in brief this When Davis
was lieutenant, stationed in Wisconsin, he and
Center were one day playing billiards, when
white man, doing work at the fort, broke his
yoke and asked Major Twiggs, the officer
n. *ran1n .e to .a;d get him out ,S
quarters and ask Lieutenant Davis to give you
one" The man did as he hidden. and, GO
ing TO where Davis was playing billiards, said
Lieutenant Davis, Major Twlggs told me TO ask
you to give me ox-yoke for my team" Davis
paid attention to the man, being apparently
absorbed in the game of billiards. The request
several times repeated without Lieutenant
Davis noticing IN any way the speaker, who, per-
ceivine he was being insulted gave the Iieuten-
ant a blow over the left eye, telling him to the
ground. The countrvmans blow stunned Davis,
and after he was brought to inflammation set ln
and effected the eye so it became useless. In
deed, Center said it was thought for a while
that Davis would go blind entirely, but the
damage resulted in the loss of one eye only.
When your correspondents met Mr. Davis yes
terday he was holding mis- shD in his hand and
seemed TO read it with a feeling of amusement
-
have naturally felt at being misrepresented.
"Of course" he said, these is not word of
truth in it from beginning to end. The writer
begins by making his authority for the story
Center, who was an officer in the Fifth Unit ed
States Infantry and gentleman incapable of
telling the falsehood attributed to him. He and
/ were at West Poins together, and although
we served in the Northwest later, at the same
time, we were never IN the same regiment. and
never stationed at the same post. We never
played billiards together for several reasons,
one of which is / never played a game
my life, and another that there
billiard table at any place where / ever served.
Maj Twiggs commander of the post when
/ charged with the construction of Fort
Winnebago and while many ox-teams were en-
ployed in the work, they all belonged TO the gov
eminent. and all teamsters were soldiers on ex-
ira duty. There was. therefore. countryman
who could have been sent for ar ox-yoke, and I
would have required no message to repair such
an accident to one of the yokes of which had
charge. The report of the attack made on me
by the snubbed countryman is base falsehood
The injury to one of my eyes, which now exists
was caused bv a severe Inflammation, which oc-
CURED in Washington when / was a United
States Senate there. IF this miserable SANDER
originates with the son-in-aw OF Horace Gree
ley, it is pity that kind and philanthropic man
should have SO disgraceful connection"
Mr.. Davis recalled with much gratitude the
circumstances of the signins of his bail bond by
Horace Greeley and of the sesf-sacrifcing devo-
ton to principle he showed on that occasion. It
will be remembered that Andy johnson refused
to grant Mr. Davis IN . benefit of the writ of
AaDCdS SoEp1S uu4Css eusbaluCu ny eOL1S Oh IuS
most prominent Northern men, and named a
those who should be his bondsmen Horace
Greeley and Gerrit Smith, of New York. and
Governor Andrew, of Massachusetts Mr..
OConor. Davis's counsel. applied Greeley.
who hesitated on account OF the heavy loss it
would be to him in the falling off in circulation
it would inevitably cost his paper. This was re-
ported to Johnson. who nevertheless persisted
IN demanding Greeley. and who in turn. finding
the President inhexible. signed Mr.. Davis's
bond. deaaring that he did it in the OF
justice. liberty and humanity. Greeley said
Mr. Davis. lis often reported to have done this
account OF friendship for me and at the inn
portunity of my wife, and wish TO state that
both stories are untrue and that never spoke
to him IN my life until after he had signed my
bond, whan went mp to him and shook hands
with him.
DIR. Davis Is looking better Just now than for