The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-12-11
JEFFERSON DAVIS IS DEAD.
BREATHING HIS LAST WITHOUT PAIN
Surrounded BY His Wife and Family He
Calmly Awaits the End-History of the
Fatal IIlness-Sketch of the Life
of the Celebrated Leader.


illness Mr.. Davis had insisted that
his case was nearly or 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 his attack.
In vain did the doctors strive TO impress
upon him that his health was improving. He
steadily insisted that there was no improve
ment but with Christian resignation he was
content to accept whatever providence
did he waver IN his belief
that his case showed no improvement, aud that
was at an early hour yesterday morning. when
he playfully remarked to Mr. Payne: 81 am
afraid that l shall be compelled to agree with
the doctors for once and admit that am
little better"
All day long the favorable symptoms con-
tinued, and late in the afternoon, as late as 4
o'clock, Mrs. Davis sent such a cheering mes
sage TO Mrs. Stamps and to Mr.. and Mrs. Far
rar, that they decided, for the first time since
Mr.. Davis had been taken i'll, to attend the
French opera.
At 6 o'clock last evening, without any as
signable cause, Mr.. Davis was seized with
congestive chill which seemed to absolutely
crush the vitality out of his already enfeebled
body. So weak was Mr.. Davis that the vio-
Ience of the assault subsidized for lack of
vitality upon which to prey.
From that moment to the moment of his
death the history of his case was that OF
gradual sinking. At o'clock Mrs. Davis ad-
ministered some medicine, but the ex-president
declined to receive the whole dose. She urged
1pon him the necessity of taking the remainder,
but putting it aside with the gentlest of
gestures he whispered, pray excuse me-"
These were his last words. Gradually he
grew weaker and weaker, but never for an in
slant seemed to lose consciousness. Lying
peacefully upon his bed and without trace of
pain in his look he remained for hours.
Silently elasping and tenderly caressing his
wife's hand with undaunted Christian spirit
be awaited the end.
From the moment of the dread assault of the
congesiive chill, those gathered around his
bedside who had been watching and noting
with painful interest every change of symptom
for the past month. knew well that the dread
messenger was even az the door.
Mr.. Davis fatal illness began on the night of
Nov. 6. That night Mr.. Davis left New Or
cans on the Vicksburg packet Laura Lee,
bound for his plantation ("Brierfeld"), a short
distance south of Nicksburg and a few miles
inland from UrsinO, small land
ing on tn Mississippi side of the
river. He was suffering from a severe
cold his upward trip. and when the
Laura Lee reached UrsinO, Capt feathers, jr.,
owner aud captain OF the steamer, decided that
the ex-president was too Ill to go ashore, and
therefore carried him on TO Nicksburg. At
NIcksburg he partially recovered and as the
Laura Lee came down the river again he
was landed at Ursino and conveyed 10 his
plantation. After remaining two days on his
plantation, Mr.. Davis had grown worse again,
and Mr.. Trainer the manager OF his planta-
ton, decided to take him down to Matches for
medical treatment On the way down
TO Matches the patient developed
symptoms of acute bronchitis and
by the time the boat reached Matches he
III that il was deemed unsafe to take
him ashore, and he was carried up the river
again. Mr.. Davis was Immediately transferred
TO the T. p. feathers, and, still accompanied by
Mr.. Trainor. he was soon once more on his way
down the river As the feathers was already
pretty well loaded she steamed for New
Orleans with all possible speed, making only
four landings between Natchez and New
Orleans. Mr.. Davis arrived at New Orleans
Nov. 10 and since then has had the best medical
attendance the South could provide, but all to
no avail
Shortly after 10 o'clock Associate Justice
Fenner went to the French opeTa-hOuse to call
20 Mr.. Davis bedside Mr.. and Mrs. Far
rar and Mrs. Stamps As soon as
the message reached them they hur-
ried to the bedside of the dying ex-president
BY II 80 O'Clock there were assembled i'm the
death chamber Mrs. Davis, Drs. Chaille and
Bickham, Associate Justice and Mrs. Fenner,
Miss Mamie Smith, grand niece of the dying
ex-president, and Mr.. and Mrs. f. II. Farrar.
Finding that Mr.. Davis was breathing
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 hund like sleeping infant and with
his left hand dropping across his chest, he lay
for some fifteen minutes breathing softly but
family. More ana more feeble became his
respirations till they passed into silence and
then the watchers knew that the silver cord
had been lOosed and the golden bowl broken.
The father Of the confederaey had passed away,
"As calmly as 10 nights IIePOse,
Despite the fact that the end had come slowly
face to face for hours with the dread
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
sweet uses Tor her tender ministrations were
lost did she seem to realize the terrible force of
the blow that had fallen upon her
Knowing Of predispOsitiOn to heart
affection the doctors were at once gravely
alarmed for her. They promptly admin
istered composing draught and at late
hour this morning she was resting quietly.
1t is believed that the foundation of the ex-
presidents last illness was malaria
complicated with acute bronchitis. Care
full nursing and skilled medical
attention had mastered the latter but
it is supposed that the congestive chill, which
the immediate cause OF death, was attribut-
able TO a return of the malaria.
After death the face OF the deceased, though
looking slightly emaciated, showed no trace of
suffering more nearly resembling that of
peaceful sleeper than of the dead.
Jefferson Davis was born June 3, 1903, in Todd
county, Kentucky. soon after his birth his father
moved TO Mississippi. Young JEFF received an
academical education and was then ent 10 Transyl-
vania college, which he left at the of sixteen
by President Monroe. He graduated four years
later. He renal Ell in the army years.
ing with considerable dist notion in the Black
Hawk war and in various expeditions against the
Indians. He married q daughter OF Gen.
Zach TAYLOR, returned 70 Mississippi and became
cotton planter. He soon. however. became inter
ested in politics, and ia l545 elected 10 congress-
He bore conspicuous part in the discussions Of the
session the tariff the Oregon question, and the
prepare ions for against Mexico. On the Ore
g0n question, he said: IRON sire 10 son has de-
scended the love OF union In our hearts as in
and Camden, of Yorktown and Saratoga, of MOultrie
aud Pattsburg, OF New Orleans and Bunker Hill.
GrOupei together they form a monument TO the
common glory of our common country; and where
Is the southern man who would wish that that mon
unent were ess BY one OF the northern names that
constitute the mass?'
In July 1886. ne was elected colonel of the First
regiment Mississippi volunteers, and he
promptly led the regiment to Gen. Taylor on the
Rio Grande. lie distinguished himself at Buena
Vista, where mis- regiment sustained an Overwhelm-
ing attack BIZ superior numbers, and ne, badly
I'D cd In Ia fnffl fha