Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-03-31
JEFF" "DAVIS'S
CAPTOR EDEAD.
Casper Knobel, of This
City, Succumbs in Sol
diers' Home, Tenn.
SURVIVED BY SON HERE
With George Rinke, of De.
troit, Philadelphian Trailed
Confederacy Head

Casper Knobel. a Philadelphia Civil
war veteran and one of the captors Of
Jefferson Davis, president of the Con-
federate states of America, died today
at the Mountain Branch Soldiers Home,
johnson City, Tenn. He was seventy
four years old and had been III for some
time.
MI. knobel is survived by son.
Charles c. Knobei. S02i Torresdale ave-
nue.. VIXEN he aided in capturing the
famous Jeff. Davis Knobel was only
Zo years old. He was accompanied at
the time by George Rinke, of Detroit.
The two boys in blue trailed the Presi-
dent of the Confederacy to a little camp
near Hawkinsville, Ga.
Creeping through the unaerbrush TO
a tent in which Mr.. Davis and his FAM
lly mad taken refuge. they aroused Mr..
Davis and told him he was under arrest
knobel and Rinke received a share
or the money offered for Davis's cap
tura The rest went TO the members Of
the Fourth Michigan Cavalry, Knobel's
company, which had been sent out from
Macon to find Davis. Rinke and Kno-
bel went over the story of the, capture
OF Davis the last time they met in order
TO agree as to details.
In relating the capture of Davis some
time ago knobel said he and Rinke had
been separated from the company to
avoid Confederate soldiers in the neigh
borhood, 1t was early on the morning
of May 10, 1865. They were riding along
country road, Knobel astride a male,
which replaced horse that had been
shot from under him.
Our party had traversed but a short
distance when We discovered a dying
campfire" says Knobel. I'VE rode along
silently and soon made out through the
trees the tents of the Davis party. The
first person We discovered was a sleep
ing colored man who had evidently been
left TO guard the small camp. The mill
tary guard was nowhere I'm sight. AS
soon as we made out the tents we
charged, and, even If do say SO, it was
good one. Once alongside of the col
ored man. we discharged our Iieces In
the air as a signal to our comrades.
"I dismounted while George Rinkle
held my mule" Knobers narrative con-
tinues, land tore open the flap of the
first tent. 1t proved to be the one
occupied by Mr.. and Mrs. Davis and
their family. ] reached in and took from
the tent pole a satchel and handed 1t to
George. We found in 1t later shirts, COZ
lars and baby garments. etc" g.
After describing a mistaken attack
upon each other by two of the Union
scouting parties. Knobel continues his
story. He Was left on guard with Jeffer-
son Davis, his wife and the children, and
clears up the celebrated story that Davis
tried to escape by Disgusting himself in
women's clothes.
ut was just at this time" says
Knobel. that Mrs. Davis seized shawl
and threw 1t over her husbands should
ers, and out of this incident grew
cruel story that the Confederate Presi-
dent tried to escape in woman's cloth
ing. Mrs. Davis. l think, had no idea
of aiding her husband to escape. 1t was
simply thoughtful effort to protect him
from the raw morning air"
jefferson Davis and his wife were
taken to Macon. and later to Washing
ton knobel continued In service until
June II of that year. when he was mus
tered out. He left his home in Switzer-
land on learning of the Civil War in
order to get a chance to fight