The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-02-10
GENERAL MILES
AND JEFF DAVIS
Daughter Of Leader of Lost Cause
Abuses Union Officer.
MORE ABOUT SRACKLES
DAVIS FOUGHT WITH GUARDS
AND BLACKSMITH.

Colorado Springs, Feb. 9.-Mrs. ].
Hays, daughter of Jefferson Davis. to-
day gave the following interview TO
Gazette representative with reference
TO the statement made, by General Mel
son A. Miles:
Il was surprised to receive a marked
edition of the Richmond Wa.) Times
Dispatch of Friday. Feb. 8, with an
article by Lieutenant General Nelson
A Miles headed Miles Says Davis
Tried to Escape
The article is a tissue of faIsehood
from beginning to end. General Miles
is right in saying jefferson Davis did
not surrender when Richmond was
captured. 1t would be a poor leader
OF his people who would do so. as long
as even the ghost of escape remained;
as long as there were men left with
spirits as dauntless as his own. Will
ing to fight for their cause and their
rights.
Did Try to Escape.
When Mr.. Davis was captured and
LEFT with but one man to guard him,
ne did make an attempt to escape. and
but for an unfortunate accident he
would probably have succeeded.
General Miles. however. with his
usual evasion of the truth neglected
TO say where this effort was made
and leaves it to be supposed il was
made in his cell at Fortress Monroe
instead OF in the woods of Georgia.
Immediately after his Incarceration Mr.
Davis was ill enough to make it neces-
Sary 10 have DIR. John Craven in at
tendance, and was, guarded day and
night so vigilantly that even a young
er stronger and healthier man would
nave found escape impossible.
Mr. Davis was brought by General
Miles to Fortress Monroe on the ed
of MAY.
Orders Were imperative.
Mr.. Davis requested to see General
Miles, not believing the United States
government had ordered shackIes put
upon prisoner OF state, Captain Tit
10 told him to submit with patience.
as he, being a soldier, was bound to
execute orders. Mr.. Davis then an
sN cred:
" These are not orders for soldier.
They are orders for a jailer for A
hangman, which no soldier wearing a
sword should accept l tell you the
world viii ring with this disgrace when
the war is over The south is con-
quered- and il is for the sons of Amer
lea, as well as for my own honor and
NE, that ] plead against this degra-
dauon- Kill me rather than inllict on
me ana on my people this insult worse
than death. There must be some mis-
take. General Miles can telegraph No
such outrage as you threaten me with
IS on record in the history of ma
tons.
Davis Resisted.
Captain Tito, feeling he was DOW
eriess to do anything but obey the
orders General Miles gave him, saying
they were orders he had received from
Washington, told the blacksmith to do
his duty. Captain Tito called in
sergeant and a file of soldiers, and the
sergeant advanced 10 seize Mr.. Davis.
when Mr. Davis resisted him, and so
great was the agony of shame he en-
cured II lent to him an extraordinary
strength, 50 that only after he was
dssailed and held down by four power
ful men, could the blacksmith put on
the Shackies. General Miles refused
TO have the shackles removed, in spite
OF the fact that he was allowed by As
SlStdnt Secretary OF War Charles \
Dana TO use his discretion, as General
Miles himself states in his article Mr.
DAVIS would have certainly died under
the fortunes General Miles inflicted up
on him, in denying him the necessary
quiet his extreme nervous exhaustion
demanded, as well as from the starva-
ton incident to his inability 10 eat
the coarse food General Miles ordered,
mad not Dr. Craven insisted on Cen
eral Miles allowing him to send special
~ prepared food from mis- own table
Il am sure the testimony ] offer
proves General Miles unmanly, brutal
cruel-aH that an American soldier
should not be-and a disgrace TO his
state"