St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-12-07
HOW DEATH CAME.
The Spirit of the Venerable Chief
tain Departed PainIessly.

tain Departed PainIessly.
NEW ORLEANS, Dec. 6.-JeffersOn
Davis closed his eyes in death at 12:45
this morning. surrounded by all of his
friends and relatives who were within
call. The handsome residence of }. q.
Payne, at the corner of First and Camp
streets, is at present an object of inter
est TO every friend of jefferson Davis,
because it is in the pleasant guest
chamber of this elegant home that the
beloved old Confederate chieftain
passed away. This residence, built by
Mr.. Payne. is one of the most comfort
able and lnteriorly artistic i'll all the
city. 1t is of brown stone stuccO, two
stories high, with broad verandas and
set in lovely grounds where camellia
bushes are spiked with bloom and
oranges grow in clusters on the trees.
The house has wide hall running
through the center. with drawing-rOOms
OIL one side, library on the other; and
on the iear corner of the house in a
LOVELY AND CHEEKY APARTMENT,
into which the southern sun streams
nearly all day, lay the patient and dis
tinguiShed invalid. 1t is wonderfully
pretty room, with rich-tOned, Persian
hued carpet on the floor, shades and
lace curtains at the four windows, two
fronting to the east and two 10 the
south. Pictures are on the walls, and
there are n lounge. easy Turkish chairs
and pretty carved tables and huge
carved oak Victoria bedstead, on which
the eX-president of the Confederacy lies
in the embrace of death. His constant
attendant has been Mrs. Davis, who has
never left his bedside since his illness
In rfaI, hntnn fl1IC
gentle minIstrant was always at his side,
and it she left him fory moment he was
fretted and uneasy until she returned.
Friends sent bountiful flowers.Of which
MIR. Davis was very fond, but these
were not allowed to remain in the sick
room for any length of time. At the
outset, iellies, fruits and all manner Of
invaIids' delicacIes were prOffered until
Mrs. Davis was compelled tu decline
them. The sick mans food was only
milk, ice, beef tea and rarely broiled
chop. Mr.. Davis remained i'm bed
all the time and was never left
alone, being guarded lovingly by
his wife and the capable QuadroOn
nurse Lydia, and Mrs. Davis own little
brown-eyed handmaiden, Betty, who
at all times had entree to the sick room.
But little talking was allowed, and
newspapers, letters and kilograms were
taboOed. On Wednesday afternoon,
reporter had few moments conversa-
tiOn with Mrs. Davis. She
WAS WORN AND WEARIED
with service at the sick bed, but which
she would not allow to any other. and her
step was tagging as she came Into the
dining room. She was very hopeful,
however, of her husbands ultimate re-
cOvery.
''Mr. Davis has always been an exceed
ingly temperate man" said Mrs. Davis. He
has never abused his physical strength, and
no one could have lived more moderately
than he. OF course, all this is in his favor. /
do not mean to say that there would be no
danger if q door were left open or the fire in
his room allowed to go out. He is as frail as
lily and requires the most attentive care.
That he has. ] believe he would not be alive
to-day, had this illness came upon him at
Beauvoir, where he could not possibly have
had the constant care of such physicians as
DIR. bickham and DR.. Chaille, and the intelli.
gent love, tenderness and luxury that sur
round him in this hOme.'
Mr.. Davis seemed much better during
the early part of yesterday, and his I'M
proved condition was remarked by the
doctors and his family. He had pain
in the bowels during the day. but this
serious feature appeared Just before
o'clock. Then the illustrious patient
was stricken with serious cOngeStive
chill. Doctors were not present at the
time but Judge Fenner'S family and
Mrs. Davis did everything to soothe the
sufferer. 1t was z O'clock before DIR.
Bickham and DR.. Chaille, two of the
most famous practitioners in the South,
arrived and consulted over the condi-
ton of the patient. His change was
surprise totally unexpected by even
those in constant attendance. and the
skilled eyes of the medical men saw in
it
THE BEGINNING OF THE END.
They continued with the patient un-
til his death, however, and made every
possible effort to avoid the lnevitab BILE.
Mr.. Davis remained in a comatOse con-
dition, and the attendants could see no
signs of consciousness. Mrs. Davis said
she occasionally felt return of the
pressure of the hand she held. although
he could neither speak nor make sign.
This was the scene in the sick chamber
as the hours passed. The only variation
was the arrival of Edwin III. Farrar,
husband of Mr.. Davis niece, and of
Judge and Mrs. Charles +. Fenner, who
had been sent for at the opera. At the
bedside when the end came were Mrs.
Davis, j. q. Payne, Judge and Mrs.
Charles Il. Eenner, II. ii. Earrar. Miss
Smith, grandniece of Mr.. Davis: e.
d. Fenner, a son of the justice; DR.. e.
j. Bickham and DIR. S. E. ChaiIle. The
lamp of life waned low at the hour of
midnight, nor did it flicker into the
brightness of consciousness at any time.
Eagerly yet tenderly the watchers gazed
at the
FACE OF THE DYING CHIEFTAIN.
His face, always calm and pale,
gained additional pallor, and at 1915, of
the morning of this 9th day of Decem-
Der, death came to the venerable
leader. There was nothing remarkable
about the death-bed scene. The depart
ure of the spirit was gentle aud utterly