The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1903-03-27
TITLEw's STATEMENT.
nan Who put shackles on the Pres
ident Of the Confederacy Tells the.
the Story With All of It's Horrible

UetallS-dlS OoHSv1ApU ivi -.
Washington, March 19. DR.. Ell
mer r. Reynolds, senior vice COM
mander of local G.. A.. r. post,
has in his possession a statement by
Capt. Jerome B. Titlew, who put
Jefferson Davis in irons during his
Imprisonment at Fortress Monroe.
The statement, according to DR..
REYNOLDS, was written eleven years
ago, and he has the only copy.
There was considerable news
paper talk that there was an ex-
petition forming to rescue DAVIS.
On May %, 1865, was detailed as
officer of the day, and reported to
Gen. Miles. The general said he
had special orders for me as to
Jefferson Davis, having heard it
rumored that morning that Davis
was to be rescued. Gen. Miles
showed me part of letter he had
from Secretary Stanton, in which
he said that if he thought the safe
ty OF Davis required it, he could
put irons on him, or words to that
effect, The matter was left OPP
tional with Gen. Miles as to wheth-
er or not Davis should be put in
irons.
READING PRAYERS.
GAS | entered Davis was sitting
on the end of his cot reading his
prayer book. AS he looked up |
said: Mr.. Davis, l have an un-
pleasant duty to execute. At the
same moment, seeing the black
smith with the irons, he said: You
do not intend to put letters on me?'
sThose are my orders. Those are
orders for a slave; no man with
soul in him would obey such an
order. | shall never submit to such
an indignity, was Davis answer.
He then asked if Gen. Miles had
given that order, and said he would
like to see Gen. Miles. Davis asked
that the execution OF the order be
postponed and l should telegraph
to- the President in his name. l
said: Mr.. Davis, you are an old
soldier and know what orders are.
Davis replied that he was soldier
and knew how to die, and pointing
to the sentinel said: Let your men
shoot me at once.
DAVIS STRUCK HIM.
''As the blacksmith stopped to
place the clasp of the shackle "a
round his ankle Davis struck him a
violent blow that threw him on the
hoor. He recovered at once and
made for Davis with his hammer,
and would have struck him if | had
not caught his arm. A moment :
after that | saw Davis and one of
he sentinels struggling, both hav-
ng hold of the musket, Davis Just !.
below the shank of the bayonet
The next instant the sentinel had r
wrenched the musket from Davis
hands.
I knew and saw there would be \
rouble, so I ordered the officer of
he guard to go out and get four of
he best men to the guard without - -
ifie arms. AS the men advanced :,
Davis struck the foremost, but all
our instantly closed on him and
h0Yed him on the cot. 1t
yas allsthe four men could do to
old him while the smith riveted a
he clasp around his ankle. His
elper holding sledge hammer.
ust as l was going out Davis raised :
rom his cot, threw his feet on the =
DOR and with the Changing of the \,
hahn he gave way. Davis shed
ears, but not a word had he to say.
sHACKLEs REMOVED. .,
On the 9th or 28th of May the tr
hackles were taken off of Davis lie
nd he never wore them after that. Il
IN the oath OF June Gen. Miles gave ri
ermission for the prisoners to have II
ooks from the post library, and on fe
hat day Gen. Miles accompanied ra
lie to Davis quarters. As we en- 81
cred I remarked to Davis that the Sc
eneral had given him permission is
, have books out of the library, til
avis then deliberately turned his Sc
ack on Gen. Miles. He said: II til
oppose you have Bancroft in the er
brary." Gen. Miles then remark va
/: "Who is Bancroft" Davis W.
irned his face toward the general to
18th the very picture of contempt. ra
at once said: "We have Ban me
OTIS History of the United 6,
a