The morning times., 1896-05-18
PRINTERS AND BooKBINDERs
HE CAPTURED JEFF DAVIS.
Messenger In the Agricultural De
partment Prevented His Escape.

Messenger in the Agricultural De-
partment Prevented His Escape.
William 2. Stedman, the man who ac-
tually captured Jefferson Davis when the
President of the late COnfederacy was
trying to escape, is now a messenger in
the Agricultural Department. where he
was appointed by Secretary Morton two
or three years ago. Mr.. StedDan is a
resident OF OwOSsO. Mich, and has been
aged in farming since the war. He
is an unpreteDtiouS man, but talks and
writes well, and his recollection of the
historical events in which he was the
second actor OF importance is very clear.
The story he tells is that while at Abbe-
vile, Ga, on May 8, 1865, Col. PritChard
of the Fourth Michigan Cavalry met Col.
Harnden of the First Wisconsin, who in
formed him that Jefferson Davis and some
other refugees from Richmond had crossed
the river the night before; that he had been
following them for two days, and claimed
the right of way. Col. PTitChard aCCeGed,
and offered to lend a part Of his regiment,
which Col. Harnden declined. and pro-
ceeded south on the trail or Mr. Davis.
Pritchard afterward learned that there
was another road in the same direction,
and. taking 90 Of his best mounted men,
started to follow it. That night they aC-
cidentalIy ran upon the camp of Mfr.
Davis party. which they surrounded and
waited for da Wight.
"As l sat by in the morning said Mr..
Stedman, some of our men went 70 the
tent door, but were met by a woman, who
asked them 10 keep out. as there were I'M
dressed women within. Soon after she in
qulred If we would let her servants go after
some water. Consent was given, when out
came tall person with a wOmdn's water
proof overdresS on AMI small brown shawl
on her head. tin pail on the right arm. and
a negro woman leaning on the left arm.
Tue tall person was STOPPING over as If TO
appear shorter. / concluded it must be
| Davis in disguise and as the guards did not
| halt them, 1 rode around, recognized Davis
| and told him his disguise would not succeed.
| A man of the name OF Andrew Bee, a wete,
! who wa cook for Col. PritChard. came up
on the run. grabbed both hands into the
| front of the dress that Davis had on, Jerked
| 1t open and said TO him: Come out of this,
| you old devilp
Davis, at this attack, Strengthened up
| and showed anger. 1t the same time he
put his hand TO his back under his dress 1
| thought he was after a revolver, and COW
| cred him with my carbine. But Mrs Davis
| threw herself in front of the gun and cried
| out tina her husband was not armed. Davis
| then took off his dress and shawl, threw
| them on the ground and started back to his
| tent The clothing is now in the War De-
| partment.
when Col Pritchard dcameupshortlyaf after
! Davis was sitting on log across the road
| from his tent, calm and cool. Col. Pritch-
| ard asked him what his name was. He
| answered:
"'You may call me what you please
"Col Pritchard placed the prisoner in my
| charge, and as we sat by the fire soldier
by the name of Lynch came up leading a
fine bay horse and said: 'Jeffie, here is
your horse; you won't need him any more;
| won't you give him to me?'
Davis did not answer, but Col. Lubbock,
one of his attendants, became very angry,
and declared that he would not see his
| President insulted' Lunch responded
with an oath: What is he President Off
Lynch and one of his officers afterward
Quarreled about this horse, and on Saturday
morning shot him. Lynch is the same man
who got Mrs. Davis valse containing
her yaluabies, said to amount to several
thousand dollars He hid it near Macon,
and went there and got it after he was
discharged from the army.
"There was no violent language used
In my hearing, except by Andrew Bee
when he tore open the waterproof on Mr.
| Davis