The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-09-23
VALUED RELIC OF
THE LOST CAUSE
Safe That President Davis Used
During the War
GOES TO THE WHITE HOUSE
Postofflce Department Donates 1t to
the Confederate Memorial Liter
airy soolcty-orlginally Be-
loneed to Government.
From the Richmond Times-Dispatoh.


Through the untiring efforts of Mrs. Liz
zie Cary Daniels, corresponding secretary
of the Confederate Memorial Literary so
ciety, assisted by Mrs. Joseph Bryan, the
president, and other officials Of the So
ciety, on the one hand, and the kind con-
slderation for heroic southern womanhood
of Postmaster-General Cortelyou, Secre-
tary of the Treasury Shaw and Rich
mond's young postmaster Mr.. Royal E..
Cabell, on the other hand, this far-famed
society is soon to be in possession OF a val
ued relic of the loved cause that was lost.
The headquarters of the society, known
as the Confederate White House, 1t hav-
ing been the residence of President Jeffer-
son Davis during the four years of the
war between the states, is rich in its accu-
mutation of reminders of the great war
for human rights 1t will be all the richer
five or six weeks hence, when the literary
Bociety obtains possession of the JEFF. Da-
Wis safe"
This famous safe was originally the
property of the United States government,
then it became the property of the Con-
federate States of America, and as such
was used for three years or more by Mr..
Davis, and in 1t he stored for safekeeping
from time to time some of the most i'm
portant documents that bore upon the sto-
ry of the rise, life and fall of the South
ern Confederacy.
Safe With a History.
When Richmond and all Virginia be-
came part of the Confederacy, the newly
established government took immediate
possession of all the property and assets
of the United States government to be
found in the borders of Virginia. Among
other things found in the federal building
of this city were six iron safes of the
make of that early day. Five of these
were very old-fashioned even at that Pc
Rod and were locked and unlocked with
large keys. One of them, however. had
what was then the very latest improve
ment in safe manufactured combination
lock. This combination loek-safe was
placed in the office of the president of the
Southern Confederacy for his private and
official use. Only three persons knew the
combination-Mr Davis, his private secre-
tary and Mr.. Mann s. Quarles, of this city,
who was then teller in the Confederate
States treasury. The safe was in Mr., Da-
Wis executive office in the postofice build
ing, and was used by him until the morn
ing of April 2, 1865, when he left Richmond
for Danville and the south.
Thought They Were Valuable.
When the Confederacy fell. all property
found in his possession including the SID
safes referred to, became the property O.
the United States government. The of
ficials who took possession of the post
office building found 1t impossible to ge
into either one of these six safes, and they
dared not blow them open with explosives
lest they should destroy important docu
ments or other valuable contents thai
might be therein
The fact is. however, that there was
absolutely nothing in the safes except II
The combination safe, which Mr.. Davi:
had used and all that 1t contained were
the old fashioned keys which unlocked tbs
other five On the morning of April End
when Richmond was evacuated, all o.
these safes were emptied and their con
tents, whatever they may have been, box
ed up and shipped south. Mr.. Quarles ther
locked five of the safes, placed the keys
in the combination safe and threw th'
combination. Mr.. Quarles left Richmond
soon after this. but returned in a few
weeks.
Reopened and Found Empty.
The morning after his return Mr.
Quares was standing in front of the oil
Spottswood hotel when he was approach
ed by federal officer, who addressed hin
by name This officer informed Mr.
Quarles that 1t had been learned that n,
was the only man who knew and coulC
restore the combination of the safe ane
save the trouble and risk of breaking /
open. Mr.. Quarles readily consented to d.
so. and, finding the combination worked
as well as before he threw open its doors
and handed the keys to the other fiv'
safes to the officer. Much to the fedora
officers disgust. the safes were founC
empty.
In rehablitatlng the federal building af
ter the war this combination safe, which
had been used by the President of tn,
Confederacy, was turned over to the post
master. and it has been used in the post
office ever since. and there 1t has beer
known as the JEFF Davis safe"
Good Women Found It.
The attention of the officers of the Con
federate Memorial Literary society having
been called to this interesting relic of
cause, the memory of which they arr
seeking to perpetuate, they n few months
ago made application to Mr.. Royal e. Ca
bell the postmaster, to ascertain upoI
what terms it could be secured.
Mr.. Cabell Immediately took the matter
up with Postmaster-General Cortelyou
who expressed desire to donate 1t to tn,
bidding the donation of any government
property, and requiring sale by auction o.
otherwise of anything the government haC
TO dispose Of
Mr.. Corteyou. however, referred tn,
matter to Hon. l.. M. Shaw secretary o
the treasury, and these two officers. afte
many expressions of admiration for BRAY,
southern women, decided to act in spit,
of law. and notified Postmaster Cabel
that as soon a new safe could be made
to meet the requirements of the postoffice
ne could turn the JEFF Davis safe owe
TO Mrs. Lizzie Cary Daniels. to be takei
in charge for preservation by the Confed
crate Memorial Literary society. In orde
TO do this. several weeks were consumed
in the unraveling of governmental rec
tape, and there was much correspondence
but the unraveling is now all completed
and within month or more Mrs. Daniels
and her sister officers will duly install tn,
famous JEFF Davis safe in the Confeder
ate White House on Clay street, the HON,
of the society, where 1t will remain fol
the inspection of generations to come.
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