The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-01-22
Notable Gathering Yes
terday Incident to
Presentation.
SEVERAL FINE
ADDRESSES MADE
List Includes Original Draft of
Bail Bond That Set Confederate
President Free-Miss Lee
Present and Charles
Francis Adams
Sends Regrets.

Valuable papers bearing upon the life
OF Jefferson Davis, President of the Con-
federate States. were presented to the
Richmond Museum yesterday afternoon
by Miss Mary Ritter Shea of New York
City. The occasion developing into a
most notable Confederate gathering,
drawn together In the wake of the great
Lee centennial. and animated to marked
degree by the spirit of that memorable
occasion.
Miss Shea, who Is spending the winter
at the Chanberlin Hotel, Old Poirr,
reached Richmond yesterday morning and
went at once to the Jefferson Hotel. She
Is. as every Richmonder knows, the
daughter OF George shea, OF Ireland, af-
with Charles O'Connor, defender OF JEFF
ferson Davis at the time OF his trial.
His daughter inherited from her father
valuable papers and letters relating to
the Davis trial. These. together with n
Bible, used by Mr. Davis, weru enclosed
in the folds of worn Confederate flag,
the Bible bearing the inscription in Mr..
Davis's handwriting: ITO George Shea,
from his friend and felow-citizen, JEFF
fers. Davis
Original Bail Bond.
The papers were letters giving accounts
of Mr.. Shea's efforts in behalf of Mr.
Davis, OF his visits toefMr. Davis at
Fortress Monroe and of the latter's final
release from imprisonment. The origi-
nal draft of the bail bond which set
Mr. Davis free was also included in
the collection.
large number of the members OF the
Confederate Memorial Literary Society
and the Hollywood Memorial Association
gathered to welcome Miss Shea, many
gentlemen adding to the numbers OF those
present, Judge George L. Christian. Mr.
W. B. Freeman, General William Ruftin
Cox and DR.. c. W. z. Brock being noted
among these. ta
Miss Shea, who possesses frank. cor
dial charm of manner united to a. gra-
cious and dignified personality. was in
stantly and Thoroughly at home amid the
throng Of Virginia women assembled in
her honor, at the head of whom stood
Miss Mary Gusts Lee, daughter of Cen
eral Robert e. Lee. and regent of the
Virginia room at the Confederate Mu-
scum; beside here Mrs. ]. Taylor Ely
son. vlce-regent of the Virginia room.
DR.. Jefferis Speaks.
Lieutenant-G Governor j. Taylor Ellyson.
as presiding officer OF the meeting, in
troduced in n very graceful and appro-
PIRATE manner the Rev. VIM. NJ. Jefferis,
d. D., who proceeded to I'LL every Con-
federate heart with fire by the exceptions
ally fine manner in which he discharged
the honorable duty laid upon him by
Miss Shea.
He began his presentation remarks by
saying that his presence In the Museum,
the former home of Jefferson Davis, re-
minded him OF a recent Interview he had
in Honolulu with former Queen Liluoka-
lani. He greeted her as Queen of the
Hawaii Islands.
"Ah, no." said Liliuokalani, 81 am no
longer Queen
Your Majesty replied the Arch
deacon, "a thing is never settled until;
1t is settled right. Force of arms has
placed you temporarily In your present
position. but there Is a tribunal at which
wrong Is rghted. and until your time
of righting comes you are mono the less
a queen"
Following ont the line OF his reasoning.
the archdeacon took up the subject of
Mr.. Davlss imprisonment and his suf-
ferings. He declared that Mr.. Shea said
to his daughter. then a child: Mary.
this is all wrong and l must try and
right IT. He told how Mr.. Shea and
his daughter visited Mr.. Davis in prison:
how they very nearly lost their lives by
n mistake OF the sentry on the occasion
Of one visit how. finally, Mr.. Shea's
eloquent and convincing arguments pre-
vailed with Mr.. Greeley and other in
luential men; how the bail bond was
signed, and Mr.. Davis freed.
The archdeacon. in a vivid outburst of
eloquenoe paid a splendid tribute to
Jefferson Davis and Robert +. Lee. He