James Jones, formerly bodyguard i
of Jefferson Davis, w ho is now Iir- j
ing in Washington, at the age of |
ninety, is confident that he buried j
the seal in Georgia, having received
it from the hand of President Davis.
At that time the injunction of secre
cy was laid upon him by Mr. Davis,
Baid Jones.
r or nuy years me people ui uie j
south have speculated gver what had
become of the seal after the evacua
tion of Richmond by the Confedera
cy. Its disappearance and the mystery
surrounding have been subjects of
enthralling interest at all gatherings
of the gray veterans, and many theo
ries of its whereabouts have been put
forward and had their share of be
lievers. At the last general reun
ion. in Macon. Ga., it was suggested
that the seal had been buried in the
cornerstone of the Confederate non
unient in that city. There was even
talk of removing the stone.
There is little doubt of the gen
uineness of the seal that now reposes
In a vault of the Jefferson hotel in
Richmond. Va.. having been pur
chased from Rear Admiral Selfridge
for *3,000 by Epps llunton. Jr.,; Wil
liam H. White and Thomas P. Bryan,
all of Virginia. It will be sent to the
English firm of engravers who orig
inally made the seal to have its gen
uineness verified. The contract of
sale contains a provision that If it is
not pronounced real It may be re
turned.
Whether any credence Is 13 be
placed in the gossip that the great
seal left Richmond in 1865 hidden in
the bustle ot Mrs. Walter J. Brorn
well, wife of an officeholder of the
Confederate state department, it has
had an interesting history.
