Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-10-18
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IS ILL FOR WEEK
WIFE OF PRESIDENT OF THE CON-
FEDERAcY PASSES AWAY IN
NEW YORK CITY
Decided Change for Worse Comes At
ter Rally During EARLY Hours OF the
Day-Members Of the Family Sur
round Deathbed of the Woman.

New York, Oct. 17-Mrs. Jefferson
Davis, widow of the late president Of
the COM oderacy, who has been i'll for
a week at the hotel Majectic, died at
10:25 o'clock last night.
Death was due to pneumonia in
duced by severe cold which Mrs.
Davis contracted on her return from
the Adirondacks, where she had spent
the summer months.
A decided change for the worst was
evident Monday night and the attend
ing physicians announced that the end
was near. 1t was then believed that
Mrs. Davis could not survive the night.
but she rallied slightly during the
early hours of yesterday.
Shortly after o'clock in the morn
ing she had sinking spell. The Rev.
Nathan A. Seagle, rector of st. Steph-
ems Protestant Episcopal church, was
summoned An hour later it was an.
nounced that Mrs. Davis had lapsed In
to unconsciousness, which continued
to the end
Family Surrounds Deathbed.
At the bedside were Mrs. j. Addison
Hayes of Newark, N. j., the only sur
viving daughter Of Mrs. Davis; Jeffer
son Davis Hayes, a grandson. who is
a student at Princeton university; Mrs.
Charles q. Bateson, a niece; DIR. and
Mrs. Gustave Webb, the latter grand
daughter; and DR.. Robert, who, with
DR.. Webb, cared for Mrs. Davis
throughout her Illness.
]. Addison Hayes had been sum-
moned from Colorado Springs and was
hurrying across the continent, when
death intercepted him.
Story Of Her Life.
Mrs. Jefferson Davis was born in
Mississippi, in old Adams county, in
1920, her maiden name being Varina
Howell. She became the wife Of JEFF
ferson Davis before she completed her
eighteenth year. Hre father was dis
tinguished for his service in the battle
of New Orleans in the war of 1872, and
the Howell family was among the most
prominent of that section. She was
Mr.. Davis second wife, his first wife,
a daughter of Gen. Taylor, having died
a short time after their marriage.
When the civil war began she went
to Richmond and stayed there until
peace was declared. When her hus-
band was released from prison she
lived with him for the remainder Of
his life at their old home at Biloxi,
Miss. This was turned into con-
federate veterans home in 1899.
Declined Offer Of Assistance.
From time to time offers of financial
assistance we're made to Mrs. Davis
after her husbands death from socie-
ties through the south. She declined
all these and has preferred to remain
independent.
Mrs. Davis had a dispute with Gen.
Nelson A. Miles last year, when the
soldier was reported to have made re-
ference to letter supposed to have
been written by her thanking him for
his treatment Of her husband while
in prison. She declared she never had
written such a letter, and that the
treatment given her husband had been
anything but kind.
President Sends Flowers.
Washington, Oct. 1.-THE President
today sent a telegram to Mrs. j. Ad-
Olson Hayes, daughter of Mrs. Jeffer-
son Davis, expressing the sympathy Of
Mrs. Roosevelt and himself over the
death Of Mrs. Davis. He also sent
| flowers for the funeral.
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