Walt Whitman in Mickle StreetKeller, Elizabeth Leavitt
General
Walt Whitman in Mickle Street
Keller, Elizabeth Leavitt
Poets, American -- 19th century -- Biography; Whitman, Walt, 1819-1892 -- Homes and haunts
The trial came off in the county court house, Camden, in April, 1894.
Mrs. Davis's witnesses came voluntarily to her aid--the tea merchant
only, and at his own request, being subpoenaed. There was the former
orphan girl, now a wife and mother, who told the story of the poet's
coming to the widow's door; of her many kind offices to him, and his
appreciation; of his repeated promises to repay her if she would come to
live with him, and his urgent appeals to her to do so. She gave the
particulars of the transfer into the Mickle Street house, and much that
followed after; the purchases Mrs. Davis had made, and the expense she
had been put to. The first professional nurse, Mr. Musgrove, came
forward that he might speak his good word for the late housekeeper, and
the second and last trained nurse (Mrs. Keller) was glad to testify in
public to the plaintiff's devotion to her distinguished patient, and his
great regard for her. Warren told the plain and convincing story of Mr.
Whitman's intentions, as expressed to himself, of repaying his mother
for the money she had spent. When asked how he knew that she had spent
her own money, he answered that he had recognized at least the new gold
pieces he had given her--the double eagles--which had gone one by one
during the last two years. Then when the defendant's lawyer asked, in a
very insinuating manner, what had become of the champagne left in the
cellar at the time of Mr. Whitman's death, the young artist who lived
next door told how some boys had made their way into the cellar one day,
had drunk the wine and become hopelessly intoxicated.
The friend who had kept house on the two special occasions, and who had
been a constant visitor there for seven years; neighbors who had seen
Mrs. Davis helping the old man in and out of his carriage and rolling
chair, and carefully covering and protecting him while he was sitting
out of doors; and others who knew of her unremitting attentions, all
spoke for her, while quite a number of citizens told her that her case
was so strong they would not volunteer as witnesses, but were with her
heart and soul. Among these was the young doctor.
On the opposite side were the two literary executors, George Whitman,
and a few others. The oyster man was there to tell of the quantity of
oysters he had taken or sent to the house--more than one man, a sick man
at that, could possibly consume; the object was to accuse Mrs. Davis by
suggestion of getting them for herself in a dishonorable manner; but
when on the stand the man could not speak, and after the trial went to
her and begged her pardon.
Much interest was manifested in the case, which lasted two days; the
court room was crowded at each session, and it was not difficult to tell
on which side lay the sympathy. Her opponents could bring no charge
against her; they could only try to slur her and belittle what she had
done.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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