Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-08-20
CAPTURE OF JEFFERSON DAVIS.
Tho True story rs Told by sIrs. Da'S-
Snlfs-Persecuiions.

Many falsehoods have been uttered IN
regard TO the capture OF Mr.. Davis, whlcn
have been exposed in publications Dy per-
cons there present-by Secretary hegah;
by the mombers of my personal stan. anu
by the colored coachman, Jim Jonos;
which must have been convincing 10 All
who desired TO know the truth. We were,
when prisoners. subjected to petty pillage
and TO annoyances such as military gentie-
men never commit or permit.
While the camp Was being plundereu'
which was done with great celerity, there
was shrek dreadful TO hear. and our
servants told Us it came from poor crea-
ture who, IN prying up the lid OF trunk
with a loaded musket, shot OF his own
hand. Out Of this trunk the hooped skirt
was procured. which had dnever been worn,
but which they purported 10 have removed
from Mr. Davis's person. No hOoped skire
could have been worn on our
journey, even by me, without great
Inconvenience. and / had none Will III
me except the new one IN tne
trunk. | have long since ceased To comDht.
falsehood when il has been uttered anu
scattered broadcast much less distance
than this one has been borne on the wings
of hate and vilificatlon, and now rest the
case. though could the torture wanton'Y
inflicted when he was a helpless prisoner
have been averted from my husband oy
any disguise | should gladly have tried %
persuade him 10 assume 1t; and who shall
saw the stratagem would no. have been
legitimatey would have availed myself
of a Scotch cap and CLOAK or any other ex-
pedient to avert from him the awful conse-
quences of his capture.
When we had travelled back q days
drive. as we were about 10 got into the
wagon man gallOped into camp waving
over his head A printed slip OF paper. One
OF our servants told us that 1t was Mr.
Johnson's proclamation of q reward tor
Mr. Davis's capture as the accessory TO
Mr.. Lincolns assassination. i was much
shocked but Mr. Davis was quite uncon-
cerned, and said: The miserable soOun-
drel who issued that proclamation knew
better than these men that II was tnlse. VI
course such an accusation must fall al
once. IL may, however, render these peo-
pie willing to assassipate me here"
There was perceptible change in the
manner of the soldiers from this time, and
the jibes and insults heaped upon US as
they passed by. Notwithstanding Colonel
Pritcbard's efforts to suppress the express
sion of their detestation, were hard 70
bear. Bitterest among these was an oih-
Ger named Hudson. He informed me that
ne intended TO take our poor little proe9.
as his own, and sOlicltude Tor the child
troubled Us more than HudsOn's insults.
Within short distance OF Macon we
were halted and the soldiers drawn up IA
line on either side Of the road. Our chill
dren crept close 70 their father. especially
little Maggie, who put her arms about him
and held him tightly, while from time "a
time he comfOrted her with tender words
from the Psalms of David, which he re-
peated as cheerfuly as il he were sur.
rounded by friends. 1t is needless to say
that a. the men stood at their ease they
expressed IN words unfit for woman's ears
all that malice could suggest. la about an
hour Colonel Pritchard returned, and
with him came a brigade who testified
their belief IN Mr.. DAVIS guilt in the same
manner.
Men may be forgiven who, actuated by
prejudice. exhibit bitterness III the first
hours of their triumph, but what excuse
can be offered tor one who, in cold blood
deliberately organizes tOrtures 10 be ln-
Acted and superDtends for over year
their application to the qulyerlng form OF
an emaciated. exhausted. helpless prisoner
who. the whole South proudly remembers,
though reduced 70 deaths door, unto the
end neither rccanted his faith, fawned
upon his prosecutor, nor pleaded for
meTcyf