Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va) 1886-1890, 1889-12-07
CON B TO HIS REST
EX-PRESIDENT DAVIS PASSES
PEACEFULLY AWAY.
ACUTE? ENDING OF 4 BUSY LIFE.
The Cause of His Denth-iIis Last
Words-The Friends at His Bed
side The Place Of Burial
Not Yet Selected.

l.
10. 10 noon today.
From the beginning Of his fatal i'll
nessMr. Davis had insisted that his case
was quite hopeless, though the dread
of pain or fear of death never ap-
peared to take the slightest hold upon
his spirits, which were brave and
even buoyant from the beginning OF
the attack.
In vain did the doctor strive to
impress upon him that his health was
improving He steadily insisted that
there was no improvement, but with
christian resignation he was content
to accept whatever providence had in
store for him. Only once did he
waver in his belief that his case
showed no improvement and that
was at an early hour yesterday morn
ing when he playfully remarked to
Mr.. Payne: II am afraid that | shall
be compelled to agree with the doctors
for once, and admit that l am little
better" All day long favorable symp-
toms continued and late in the after
noon, as late as O'Clock, Mrs Davis
sent such a cheering message to Mrs.
Stamps and Mr.. and Mrs. Farrar
that they decided for the first
time since Mr.. Davis has been
taken i'll to attend the French opera.
Ate O'Clock last evening, without any
assignable cause. Mr.. Davis was seized
with a congestive 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 moment to the morning OF ms
death the history of his case was
gradually sinking. At O'Clock Mrs.
Davis administered some medicine,
but the ex-president declined to re-
ceive tine whole dose. She urged up
on him the necessity of taking the
remainder, but putting it aside with
the centlest of gestures. he whispered,
F." PRAY excuse me-" These were his
last words. Gradually 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 in his look he remain
ed for hours. Silently clasping and
tenderly caressing his wife's hand,
with undaunted christian spirit he
awaited the end. From the moment
of the dread assault of the congestive
chill. those lthered around his bed
side who had been watching and not
ing with painful interest every change
of-symptom for the past month knew
we'll that the dread messenger was
even at the door.
About 1870 O'Clock Associate JUS
tice Fenner went to the French
Opera house to call to MFR. Davis
bedside Mr.. and Mrs. Farrar and
Mrs. Stamps. AS soon as the message
reached them they hurried to the bed
side of the dying ex-president.
By half past II o'clock there were
assembled in the death chamber Mrs.
Davis. Messrs. Chaille and Biekham.
Associate Justice and Mrs Fenner,
Mrs Mamie Smith, grand-niece of the
diving e1- president, and Mr.. and Mrs.
Z H Farrar.
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 IKE
a sleeping infant, and with MS lett
hand dropping across his chest, ne lay
for some fifteen minutes breathing
softly but family. More and more
feeble became his respirations till they
passed into silence. and then the
watchers knew that the silver cord
had been loosened and the golden
bowl broken. The father OF the con-
federacy had passed away "as calmly
as to a nights repose, or flowers at
the set of SUM-
DESPITE the fact that the end had
come slowly and peacefully, and after
She had been face to face for hours
with the dreaded reality, the blow fell
with crushing force upon the afflicted
widow. AS long as there had been
work for either head or hands she had
borne up bravely, and not until the
nses for her tender mini-trations were
lost did she seem to realize the terri
bile force of the blow that had fallen
! upon her. Knowing her predlspositlon
to heart affection, the doctors were at
once gravely alarmed. They prompt
f; w administered composing draught
and at "a late hour this morning she
was resting quietly 1t is believed that
the foundation for the eX-president's
last illness was malaria complicated
with acute bronchitis. Careful nurs-
ing and skilled medical attention had
mastered the latter, but it is supposed
that the congestive chill, which was
the Immediate cause Of his deathswas
attributable to return of malaria.
| tf+or daotb the face of the deceased.
though looking slightly emaciated,
showed no trace OF sufferlng-more
nearly resembling that of a peaceful
sleeper than of the dead. When the
family had partially recovered from
the terrible shock, Mr.. Farrar went to
the Western Union telegraph Oh &c
and sent dispatches to Miss Winnie
Davis. who is in Paris with Mrs. Pull
tier. Mr.. Davis son-in-law, in Col
orado City, and also notified Governor
Lowry. of Mississippi, as he deemed it
but right that the executive of that
state should know of the death OF one
of its most distinguished sons.
Senator Jones, who started from
Iowa some days ago to pay q visit to
his old friend and comrade, did not
arrive Yesterday as was expected, and
when he reaches this city today he
will only behold the remains of him
whom in life he esteemed, and to see
whom he travelled from far Off iowa
to the Sunny South. Mrs. Hayes, Mr..
Davis daughter, who was due here
Yesterday, was detained last night at
Fort Worth and is not expected to be
/ :. A. o;+xy until Saturday morning