Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-12-07
MR.. DAvls'S LAST HOURS.
He Passes Away as Quietly and az Gently
rs a Sleeping Infant.
fBy telegraph TO tho DisDatch.l

fBy telegraph TO tho Dispatch.l
New ORLEANS, December 6.-From the
beginning of his fatal illness Mr.. Davis bad
insisted that his case was quite hopeless,
though the dread of pain or fear OF death
never appeared to take the slightest hold
upon his spirits, which were brave and
even buoyant from the beginning of tho
attack. In vain did the doctors strive TO
impress upon him that his health was I'M
proving. He steadily insisted that there
was no Improvement, but with Christian
resignation he was content to accept what
ever Providence bad 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 morning,
when he playfully remarked 10 Mr.. Payne !:
II am afraid that ! shall be compelled 70
agree with the doctors for once and admit
that L am a little better"
FAVORABLE SYMPTOMS.
All day long favorable symptoms con-
I timed. and late in the afternoon, as late as
| 5 o'clock, Mrs. Davis sent such cheering
messages TO Mrs. Stamps and Mr. and Mrs.
Farrar that they decided for the first time
since Mr.. Davis had been takenill TO attend
the French opera.
At G o'clock last evening, without any
assignable cause. Mr.. Davis was seized with
a congestive chill. which seemed TO abso-
| lutely crush the vitality out of his already
enfeebled body. SOweal was Mr.. Davis that
| the violence Of assault soon subsided for a
lack of vitality upon which 10 prey. From
| that moment to the morning ot his death
the history OF his case was gradual sink
ing.
HIS LAST WORDS.
At o'clock Mrs. Davis administered some
medicine. but the ex-Presidcnt declined 10
| ~ocotxro tba x,-bnla lgaa She nrrpd npOu
him the necessity oftaking the remainder,
| but. putting II aside with the gentlest OF
gestures, he whispered, Pray excuse me.
These were his last words. Gradually he
crew weaker and weaker, but never for an
| instant seemed to lose Consciousness Ly-
| ing peacefully upon his bed and without a
| trace of pain in his look he remained for
| hours. Silently clasping and tcnderly ca.
ressing his wife's hand, with undaunted
| Christian spirit he awaited the end. From
| the moment Of the dread result of the con-
| gestivo chill those gathered around his
| bedside. who had been watching and noting
with painful interest every change OF the
symptoms for the past month, knew well
! that the dread messenger was even ut the
! door.
HURBYING TO HIS BEDSIDE.
! About half-past 10 o'clock Associate-Jus-
/ tice Fenner went 20 the French Opera
| House 70 call TO Mr.. Davis's bedside MIR.
! and Mrs Farrar and Mrs. Stamps. As soon
as the message reached them they hurried
/ to the bedside OF the dying ex-President.
/ Bv hali-past II o'clock there was assem-.
! bled IN the death-chambor Mrs. Davis,
/ Messrs. Challie and Bickham, Associate
Justice and Mira. Fenner, Mrs. Mamie
! Smith. grandniace of the dying eX-Prcsi-
! dent, and Mr. and Mrs. L. II. Farrar.
! Finding that Mr.. Davis was breathing
somewhat heavily as he lay upon hls back
! the doctors assisted him 70 turn upon his
right side With his cheek resting upon
his right hand like o sleeping infant. and
| with his LEFT hand dropping across ms
| chest, he lav for fifteen minutes breathing
softly but family.
! IN DEATHS EMBRACE.
| More and more feeble became his rcspi-
ration until II sank into silence. and then
| the watchers knew that the silver cord had
| been loosed and the golden bowl broken.
| The Father Of the COniederacy had passed
I away
"As calmly to nights repose as nowors at eel
o. sun"
Despite the fact that the end bad come
! slowly and peacefully and after she has
been face to face for hours with the dread
| reality tho 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 brayely, and not until the
| sweet uses for her tender mlnl5tration-
! were lost did she seem to realize the terri
ble force of the blow that had fallen upon
her
knowing her predisposition to heart af
fcction, the doctors were az once grayeA
alarmed tor her. They promptly admins
! tered composing draught and at late
| hour this morning she WAS resting quietly
Il .. Ill. fk.otsf fNrfrT ~
| ex- Presidents last illness was malaria com
plicated with acute bronchitis. Carefu
nursing and skilled medical attention mas
tered the latter. but it IS supposed that
! cOngestye chill, which was the immediate
cause of death, was attributaolcto 20 the re
turn Of malaria.
MS APPEARANCE.
After death the face of the deceased
, though looking slightly emaciated, SHOWED
no trace OF suffering, but more nearly re-
semhlod that of q peaceful sleeper thar
the dead. When tho family had partially
recovered from the terrible shock Nj
Farrar went to the Western Union tele
| graph Office and sent dispatches 70 Ms
Winnie Davis, who is in Paris with Mrs
Pulitzer: Mr.. Davis's sOn-in-law. who Is II
Colorado City. and also notified Goyerno
Lowery, OF Mississippi, as he deemed !
but right that the Executive Of that stat
should know Of the death Of one Of It
most distinguished sons.
Senator Jones, who started from Iow'
some days ago 20 pay visit 10 his ole
friend and cOmrade. did not arrive ye5ler
dav, as was expected, and when he reachc
this city to-day will only behold the re-
mains Of him whom IN hfe lac estecme,
and 10 sec whom he travelled from far u
Iowa TO the sunny South.
| pFr AqrvYg ASp FRIENDS
Mrs. Hayes, Mr.. Davis's daughter. wh'
was due here yesterday. was detained la9
night at F0rt Worth aud is not expected t'
be in the city until Saturday morning
Judge Hcnner and Mr. Farrar have The
affairs of the dead statesman IN hand, bu
the latter gentleman last night stated tina
be and Judge Fenner would not take any
steps looking to the funeral until they haC
| held q consultation with Mrs. Davis, wh(
lis mt present too much grieved by her So
we're loss to be approached on the subject
bir. Farrar is fully acquainted with al
the details OF Mr.. DavIss Will, but h'
stated that no did not know but that Mrs
DAVIS received some final wish from he
husband regarding the place OF burial. Dir
| Farrar did not know II the burial wOult
| take place in this city or elsewhere, anC
although he and Judge Farrar had been re
! quested to act as they saw lit in the prem
! lseS, MIS-. lldflS Hdl not ltltAIlLA'u MiAIi'
she desired tho interment 70 be made.
PROCLAMATION BY THE MAYOR.
Mavor Shakespeare has issued procla
nation announcing hr. DaYis's death, ant
asking the presidents Of exchanges ant
| commercial bodies and number a cltl
Zens to meet at the CITY Hall in order tina
proper arrangements may be made for th'
! funeral.
The Mayor saws: 1T is with deepest re
! gret that 1 announce to the people OF New
| Orleans the departure from this life o.
jefferson DAVIS. lie needs no eulogy iron
me. His life is history, and his memory 1
enshrined in the heart OF every man
woman, and child in this broad South. w
all loved him, and we all owe him mono
and reverence"
Messages have been received from At
hnta, Biloxi. Memphis, Louisville, an'
many other points. all expressing respec
for tine dead Confederate and sympath.
for Mrs. Davis in her aifiictiOn.
REMAINS TO LIE IN STATE.
The remains will probably lie in state o
the City Hall here previous to their re
moval TO Mississippi for burial. The gene
raj sentiment among ex-Confederates l
that the obsequies OF Mr.. Davis should b
the most imposing ever witnessed IN m
South. and it is believed that the ex-sol
diers at the funeral will be numbered b.
the thousands.
The illness Of Mr.. Davis had been watch
ed with deeD anxiety here. and arrange