Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1909-10-07
STORY OF MAN Who
FORGED DAVIS IRONS
Blacksmith Tells Tale of
! COnfederaCy' S President

W1lkesbarre, Pa, Oct. 6.-Claiming
that he made the shackles with which
President Jefferson Davis, of the
Confederacy, was ironed while a pris-
oner in Fort Monroe, Henry Charles
Arnold, the village blacksmith of
Granville Center near here, this week
told a newspaper man the interesting
story. He was a blacksmith then, and
has followed his trade ever since, and
he yividly remembers his experience
with the notea prisoner.
He contradiets the story that Davis
submitted to the irons meekly, and
tells how force had to be used to get
them on Said he:
Il am the son of William Arnold,
and was born in New London county,
Conn, on July 4 Ga singular date) in
the year 1910. When the war broke
out did not hesitate in responding
to the call to arms, and / became
stationed at Fort Monroe, where /
worked as blacksmith Well, l re-
member toward the close of 1866,
when President Johnson issued a
statement, in which he offered a re-
ward of 100000 for the capture of
Jefferson Davis, president of the
Confederate States, and it was GER
tainly enjoyable news to the occu-
pants of the fort when it was an
nounced that Mr.. Davis had been cap
tured by Col Pritchard, of the Fourth
Michigan cavalry, at Mitchelville, Ga,
Michigan cavalry, at Mitchelville, Ga.
Tells the Whole Story.
Leading up to the arrival of Mr..
Davis at Fort Monroe, the blacksmith
said: Gen. Nelson Miles was then in
charge in Washington, and it was he
who issued the orders that shackles
should be placed about the ankles of
the Confederate president, and it was
Capt. Tidlaw who ordered me to make
them. Capt. Tidlaw was of the Third
Pennsylvania heavy artillery, which
never took part in an active battle.
'As the captain and myself entered
the room where Mr.. Davis was con-
fined the latter was lying upon an
iron bed. He was reading an Episco-
pal prayer book. Seeing the shackles
in my hand, Mr. Davis said:
My God, you're not going to iron
me?' To which Capt. Tidlaw replied:
Yes; it is the orders from Washing
tom
"Mr. Davis said: Such is unneces-
sary, for you have everything guard
ed, even the windows
But the captain replied that such
were the orders from Washington
Mr.. Davis got up from his bed. He
spoke of the disgrace he would expe-
rience if the irons were placed on
him.
Telegraph to Washington and see
if the orders are not a mistake said
Mr.. Davis.
Capt. Tidlaw, turning to me, said:
"Go on with your work
Il got down on my knees and start
ed to place the shackles, but Mr.. Davis
resisted. Several moments passed,
during which the president said that
it was unlawful to place a man in
irons. | told him to lie down on the
floor, and he turned to me and re-
marked: Who made you spokes-
MANI At that instant several men
were passing on the outside, and I
told the captain to call them in, which
he did, and in few minutes Mr..
Davis was lying on his back on the
floor, while l fastened the shackles
about his ankles.
Would as Soon Be Shot.
"Mr. Davis said: You might as we'll
shoot me as to put on those irons,'
but nevertheless they were soon on.
About one week later Mr.. Davis
complained of feeling sick. Several
physicians were called to attend him,
but he declined the services of all
with the exception of DIR. Craven Of
Now York, and the latter ordered the
irons taken off, which was done by
me. After the shackles had been re-
moved Mr. Davis was transferred
to another building, where he was
strongly guarded.
One of the men who often took Mr..
Davis out for his daily exercise was
Loren Leonard, now dead, husband of
Sophia Leonard, who corroborated
the story. Mr.. Arnold said that at the
close of the war he accompanied Mr..
Leonard to Granville Center, where
he has lived as the village black
smith ever since.