Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1893-04-14
TO SHOOT JEFF DAVIS.
A CHAPLAIN CHOSEN TO DO THE
WORK.
How the Confederate Leader Mar.
rOwiy Escaped Death After His
CaPture-Saved by His Little Girl.

/ s'"s hOihShbouo pOiiOus
The story of the capture of jeff
Davis has been printed often, and with
facts varying 50 greatly that the North
ern or Southern reader cannot help
but find some account to suit him. 1t
is hardly probable that it will ever be
known whether or not he was in femi-
nine attire when captured, but this is
OF minor Importance in comparison
with the fact, now FOR the first time
published, 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 mock court
martial, sentenced to be shot, and only
the appearance of his little daughter
prevented the appointed executioner
from pulling the trigger that would
undoubtedly have sent bullet
through his heart.
The determination to avenge the
assassination of Lincoln by summarily
ending the career OF Davis, writes J.
w. Stevenson in the st. Louis Globe.
Democrat, was the result OF regular
but unofficial trial by a number OF
the officers on board the United States
steamer PontOosue, 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 we'll known throughout the coun.
try as the oldest chaplain in point Of
service in the navy. Ensign Kane
had served in the navy from 1861.
He was capital shot, the hero OF
many adventures, and, like many
others, at that time believed the
scriptural injunction for the forgive.
ness 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
capture 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 Col.
Pritchard, of the Fourth Michigan,
and eighty men, were kept on guard
on board the steamer Emile, and
afterward on the steamer Clyde, to
which the party was transferred in
Hampton Roads. Among the prison
ers besides jeff Davis were his wife
and sister and three children; Alex
ander H. Stephens, Mr.. Reagan, post.
master general Of the Coniederacy
Clement C. Clay and wife, Gen.
Wheeler and staff, Coils. johnson and
Lubbock, of Davis staff; Maj. Morand,
Capt. Moody, Lieut.. Hathaway and
several privates. The party arrived
opposite Fortress Monroe ON May 10,
and orders to land were not received
until May %. In the meantime the
feeling against Davis reached fever
heat. There were demands that he
be shot from thousands of people of
the North, and threats OF death on the
lips of soldiers still in the South, who
believed Davis should be hanged 10
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
prisoner 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
be averted by summary action. This
was the finding by the improvised
court martial. consisting of group of
officers off duty, and Ensign Kane
was appointed to kill Davis at the
first chance. The opportunity came
on May %. The Pontoosuc and Clyde
were then lying within 800 yards of
each other. Ensign Kane and num-
Der of his brother officers met in his
room. The scene that followed is
described in his own words.
Jeff Davis" he said, "was sitting
in steamer chair on the deck OF the
Clyde. 1t was a clear day and could
see him as plainly az if he had been
only 100 feet away. loaded an En-
field rifle ! had picked up at the
battle OF Fort Fisher, and resting the
muzzle in an air port, aimed it at the
heart OF Davis. / feel confident |
could have sent a bullet to the target,
but some influence prevented me from
pulling the trigger.
"'I can't do it, said to my com.
rades, but they urged me to fire, and
told me l would be justified in doing
so. 1t would be murder, said, and
one of them answered, Think OF the
death OF Lincoln With that took
aim again and even touched the trig-
ger, but a psychological force, now
think was of divine origin. prevented
me from doing the act which would
have ruined me forever after. | still
hesitated, however, and was still
aiming, when the little daughter OF
Davis came on deck with a lady, who
was probably her mother, and ran into
her fathers arms. 1t was then i'm
possible to shoot without endangering
the life OF the little girl, and laid up
the gun. A short time afterward, and
before the child had left the arms of
its father. the vessels drifted apart,
making it impossible for any of the
other officers to do the shooting.