The Saint Paul globe., 1905-02-28
TITLOW SAYS
MILES WANTED
DAVIS IR0NED
Man Who Carried Out
Order Talks
ACTION WAS UNCALLED FOR
No Official Orders Received
at Fortress Monroe
AGED PRISONER INDIGNANT
Veteran Living In St. Paul Refuses to
Excuse His Generals
Action
AGED PRISONER INDIGNANT

Gen. Miles never had official orders
to put irons on Jefferson Davis, ac-
cording to Capt. Jerome b. Titlow, who
has charge of the st. Paul city tool
house. Mississippi and Pennsylvania
streets. Capt. Titlow, Company X,
Third Pennsylvania heavy artillery,
was officer of the day at Fortress Mon
roe on the day the irons were placed
on the president of the Confederacy,
and personally directed the work of
riveting the chains on the prisoner
The putting of jefferson Davis in
irons has always been a sore memory
in the South and was given fresh vigor
by the recent discussion in congress
regarding Gen. Miles appointment as
inspector general of the Massachusetts
national guard. From congress the dis
cussion spread all over the country
Mrs. Davis and her daughter. Mrs. J..
A. Hayes, have made frequent charges
of cruelty against Gen. Miles which
have been widely circulated and Gen.
Miles has made an active defense.
TitIow Remembers Occasion
Capt. Titlow has had frequent oc-
casion to discuss this incident and the
events of that time are as fresh in his
memory as IL they happened yesterday
In 1903 Capt. Titlow wrote communi-
cation to the Army and Navy Journal,
in which he quotes Gen. Miles so-call-
ed official order, which Is identically
the same as the letter issued a few
days ago by Gen. Miles in response to
Mrs. Jefferson Davis challenge.
stanch Northerner, with brilliant
war record and an utter detestation
of the principles for which Jefferson
Davis stood, Capt. Titlow nevertheless
joins with Mrs. Davis in her charge
that the shackling of Mr.. Davis was
unnecessary and unwarranted.
Gen. Miles never had any official orders
TO put the irons on Jefferson Davis (said
Capt. Titlow yesterday. / was officer Of
the day on the date in question and re-
member every incident distinctly. Gen.
Miles called me into headquarters and
told me he had authority to place Mr..
Davis In irons and in confirmation of his
orders exhibited to me personal let
ter from Secretary of War Stanton, which
evidently was in reply to a communica-
ton from Gen; Miles, in which the sec
guarding of the prisoner requires it, you
may place him in irons, at your discre-
uon.''
Not An Officlai Order
/ can see nothing mandatory in that
and then again the letter was not official,
but private in nature. The matter at the
best was left to the discretion of Gen.
Miles and taking action on this discretion
he ordered me to place Mr.. Davis in irons.
i could see no necessity for this, even at
the time but was soldier, whose duty
II was to obey my superior and did So.
/ am aStonished that Gen. Mffes should
seek refuge behind "official orders" II
he thought that Mr.. Davis might possibly
escape from Fortress Monroe and put him
in irons. he should come out and make a
plain statement of the facts in the case
In that event his judgment might be
questioned. but not his heart. Now when
he seeks TO throw the responsibility on
Secretary of War Stanton and Assistant
Secretary Of War Dana, both OF whom are
What Irons Meant to Davis
At this day ii may appear to some that
the shackling of Jefferson Davis was a
trivial affair after the momentous events
that had taken place during the war, but
In reality this was far from being the
case. To him il was worse than DEATH
1t was an indignity that despite his years
and weakness he fought against with a
mad frenzy and the irons made deeper
wounds on his pride than they did on his
limbs. He felt that not only he but the
entire conquered South was being treated
TO the humiliation that is meted out TO
the vanquished and he never forgot the
bitterness Of the moment to the day he
died Small wonder then that his widow
and his daughter still cherish a natural