Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1889-12-13
DEATH OF JEFFERSON DAVIS.

the Southern Confederacy, died at
12.45 o'clock last Friday morning at
the residence of his lifelong friend, j.
u. Payne in New Orleans. The an
nouncement of the event created
profound sensation, although the
death of Mr.. Davis had been expected
at any TIME within the last month.
Four weeks ago, while travelling Oh q
river steamboat, he caught cold and
his condition became so serious that
his physicians refused to allow him to
return to his home in Mississippi.
Mrs. Davis was sent for and immedi-
ately Joined her husband and re
manned with him until the end. Mr..
and Mrs. Davis were as devoted to
each other as when in their youth
they eloped to be married.
For three DAYS before his death Mr..
Davis had been getting steadily bet
Ter. and was much improved, so the
physicians thought. All day Thurs
day the favorable symptoms con-
tinued, but at 6 o'clock in the even
ing, without any assignable cause,
Mr.. Davis was seized with conges-
tive chill which seemed TO absolutely
crush the vitality out of his already
enfeebled body. So weak was Mr..
Davis that the violence of the assault
soon subsidized for lack OF vitality
upon which to prey. From that mo-
ment to the time of his death he sank
gradually. :.
At7o'clock Mrs Davis administered
some medicine, but the ex-President
declined to receive the whole dose.
She urged upon him the necessity OF
taking the remainder, but putting 1t
aside with the gentlest of gestures, he
whispered, Pray, excuse me. "
These were his last words. Gradu-
ally he grew weaker and weaker, but
never for an instant seemed to lose
consciousness. Lying peacefully upon
his bed, and without a trace Of pain
apparent in his features, he remained
for hours. Silently clasping and ten
DERBY caressing his wife's hand, he
awaited the end.
Finding that Mr. DAVIS was breath
ing somewhat heavily as he lay upon
his back, the doctors assisted him to
turn upon his right side: With his
cheek resting upon his right hand,
and with his left hand dropping
across his chin, he lay for some fifteen
minutes breathing family. More and
more feeble became his respirations
until they passed into silence, and
then the watchers knew that the
father of the Confederacy had passed
away. After death the face of the
deceased, though looking slightly
emaclated, showed no trace OF suffer
ing.
1t is believed that the foundation
Of the eX-President' last illness was
malaria, complicated with acute bron-
chitis. Careful nursing and skilled
medical attendants had mastered the
latter, but it is supposed that the con.
gestive chill, the immediate cause OF
death. was attributable to a return
of the malaria.
The news of Mr. Davis's death was
promptly telegraphed to all the lead
inc cities of the South, and Thousands
Of messages expressive of respect for
the dead Confederate and sympathy
with Mrs. Davis have been received.
EVERYWHERE in the South there were
public manifestations of sorrow. Flags
were at half-mast on the State Houses
in Atlanta, Montgomery, Richmond,
Jackson, Raleigh, Nashville, and
Columbia, and on public buildings
in many other cities. a fund was
started in Atlanta TO erect monu-
ment. Montgomery sent an appeal
to Mrs. Davis to have the remains
buried there under the Confederate
monument. the corner stone of which
is to be ornamented with llfe-slze
bronze statue of Mr.. Davis, Memphis,
Richmond, Jackson, Miss, Atlanta,
and Macon made similar requests
| The Legislature of South Carolina
adopted resolutions OF sympathy with
Mrs. Davis. abiding to her husband
as the most distinguished statesman
| of the South and as ''one OF the ablesl
and purest the country ever had.
The Virginia Legislature also appoint
| The confederate Survivors Associa
ton at Augusta and the Society of the
Army and Navy of the Confederate
States at Baltimore arranged fol
memorial meetings in those cities
| Meetings of citizens were arranged
for in other cities. At Augusta,
Charleston, Raleigh, Lynchburg. Nor.
folk, Savannah, Memphis, Jackson
Miss, Columbus, Ga, and elsewhere
shops were draped in black and bells
were tolled.
jefferson Davis was born on June 8
1908, in what was then part of Chris
tan county, but is now Todd county,
Kentucky. His father was planter,
and moved, while Jefferson was a
boy, to Wilkinson county in Missis-
sippi. The boy received some aca-
| demic education at home, and then
went to Pennsylvania University in
his native State. At 16 he received
a West Point appointment and en-
tered the Military Academy in the
same class with Robert E. Lee and
Albert Sidney Johnston. Graduating
| in 1928, he was assigned to the infant
nv, and three years later won such
distinction as a staff officer in the
Black Hawk war that he was promo
| ted in 1888 to the rank of First Lieu
tenant and Adiutant in new regi-
ment of dragons. This gave him
two years of active service on the
frontier in expeditions against the
Pawnees and other hostile Indians.
Mr.. Davis had a taste for military
life and appeared likely to make a
good record in the army, but he was
ambitious of distinction in civil life,
and accordingly after seven years of
service, he resigned his commission in
the summer of 1885. \ love affair had
its influence also, for shortly after
leaving the field he married the
daughter of Zachary Taylor, then a
Colonel in the army, and later Presi-
dent. Returning to Mississippi he
became a cotton planter, few miles
from Vicksburg, and lived for eight
years in retirement, devoting much
of his time to careful study with ref
ence to public career. His first ap-
pearance in politics was as delegate
to the Democratic State Convention
of 1S43, and he at once enrolled him
self as follower Of Calhoun.