The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-05-19
SAVED BY HIS DAUGHTER
HOW CHAPLAIN KANE ONO E
TOOK AIM AT JEFF DAVIS.
Story Told for the First Time of a Plot
to Kill the President of the Confeder
acy While He Was Prisoner.

time some startling event OF the stirring
scenes between or and '65, which
afterward becomes a part Of the history
of that momentous period.
The story of the capture of Jeff
Davis has been printed often and with
facts varying SO greatly that the North
ern or Southern reader cannot help but
find some account to suit him 1t is
hardly probable, says the New York
Herald, that it will ever be known
whether or not he was in feminine
attire when captured, but this is Of
minor importance in comparison with
the fact, now for the first time pub
lished, that when the head of the
Southern Confederacy was imprisoned
in the United States transport Clyde,
prior to being transferred to Fortress
Monroe, he was tried by a mock court
martial, sentenced to be shot, and only
the appearance of his little daughter
prevented the appointed eXecuuoner
from pulling the trigger that would
undoubtedly have sent bullet through
his heart.
The determination to avenge the
assassination of President Lincoln by
summary ending the career of Davis
was the result of a regular but un-
official trial by number Of the officers
on board the United States steamer
Pontoosuc, then acting as guard Of
the transport Clyde. The man who
was selected to carry out the plan was
Ensign James J. Kane, now chaplain
at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and well
known throughout the country as the
Oldest chaplain in point of service in
the navy. Ensign Kane had served in
the Navy from 1907. He was a
capital shot, the hero Of many advent
ures, and, like many others at that
time, believed the ScripturaI require
ment for the forgiveness of enemies did
not extend far enough to save the life
of Davis.
The movements Of the party that
captured Davis, from the time the cap
ture was made until the prize was safely
landed at Fortress Monroe, were
shrouded in mystery 1t was feared
that the Union soldiers would kill him
at any opportunity, and Colonel Pritch-
ard, of the Fourth. Michigan, and
eighty men were kept on guard aboard
the steamer Emile and atterward on
the Clyde, to which the party was
transferred in Hampton Roads. Among
the prisoners besides Jeff Davis were
his wife and sister and three children;
Alexander H. Stephens, Mr.. Reagan,
Postmaster General of the Confeder-
acy; Clement c. Clay and wife, Gen
eral Wheeler and staff, Colonies John
son and Lubbock of Davis staff, Major
Morand, Captain Moody Lieutenant
Hathaway and several privates, The
party arrived opposite Fortress Mon
roe on May 10Th, and orders to land
were not received until May 23d. In
the meantime the feeling against Davis
reached fever heat. There were de
mands that he be shot from thousands
of loyal people of the North, and threats
of death on the lips of soldiers still in
the south, who believed Davis should
be hanged to avenge the death of
Lincoln.
Much Of the talk Of the officers on
the .Pontoosuc was naturally about the
closing scenes Of the war and the prls-
oner whom the ship was there to guard,
The chance that Davis might escape
the death punishment was looked upon
as a possible disgrace to the honor of
the Republic that could only be averted
by summary action. This was the
finding by the improvised court martial,
consisting of a group of officers off duty,
and Ensign Kane was appointed to kill
Davis at the first chance The oppor.
tunity came on May 23rd The Pom
toosuc and Clyde were then lying within
800 yards of each other Ensign Kane
and a number of his brother officers
met in his room. The scene that fol
lowed is described in his own words
'Jef Davis" he said, "was sitting in
a steamer chair on the deck of the
Clyde. 1t was a clear day and | coulC
see him as plainly as if he had been bu
one hundred feet away. | loaded ar
Enfield rifle had picked up on thu
battle field of Fort Fisher, and resting
the muzzle in an air port, aimed it a
the heart of Davis. | feel confident
could have sent bullet to the target
but some influence prevented me from
pulling the trigger
81 can't do it, said to my comrades
but they urged me to fire, and told mt
l would be justified in doing So 81
would be murder l said, and one 0
them answered: "Thnk of the death O
Lincoln" With that / took aim sgai
and even touched the trigger, but
psychological force now think Was 0
divine origin prevented me from doing
the act which would have ruined IN,
forever after | still hesitated, how
ever, and was still aiming when the lii
tie daughter Of Davis came on dec
with a lady who was probably he
mother ard ran into her fathers arms
1t was then impossible to shoot withou
endangering the life of the little cir
and | laid up the gun. A short tim
afterward, and before the child had lie
the arms of its father. the VtSSe