Jefferson Davis' last home nearly burned to the ground.

[hireddutchcutthroat]

Authorities investigate possible arson at historic Beauvoir

http://www.al.com/newsflash/regional/index.ssf?/base/news-7/1086620355111430.xml

[hireddutchcutthroat]

Re: Jefferson Davis' last home nearly burned to the ground.

Sorry, I didnt see Kevins thread...I was seeing red. :baring_te

[VMI88]

I Wonder If It Will Be Called a Hate Crime?

Somehow I doubt it . . .

[markmason]

Re: Jefferson Davis' last home nearly burned to the ground.

It won't be called or labeled anything because nobody will stand up and do something about it. :sarcastic

[Michael Semann]

Re: Jefferson Davis' last home nearly burned to the ground.

As a member of the SCV, I have often thought that we would be better off using our time and membership to monitor and police our historic landmarks against vandalism (with cell phone and camera, not ala Guardian Angels, of course) in light of the ever increasing cases of late, rather than picking up trash by the roadside and having what amounts to "Bake sales" to bump up camp membership etc. We need to get our priorities in order here.
Something has GOT to be done about this, and since the authorities have no real interest in catching these B*****ds, it will fall to all of us to do so.

[Dale Beasley]

Re: Jefferson Davis' last home nearly burned to the ground.

Folks,
Please everyone call the Attorney Generals Office in Jackson, Mississippi....and demand that something be done about this. I have called from Kuwait....

[dusty27]

Re: Jefferson Davis' last home nearly burned to the ground.

"It won't be called or labeled anything because nobody will stand up and do something about it."

"Something has GOT to be done about this, and since the authorities have no real interest in catching these B*****ds, it will fall to all of us to do so."


What are you guys basing your assumptions on?

[coastaltrash]

Re: Jefferson Davis' last home nearly burned to the ground.

Seeing as how I live 5 miles from the home I figured I would throw my $0.02 in the bucket here.

#1- The Biloxi police Dept. and Fire Dept (along with the ATF) have classified this as arson and are seriously investigating this. Keep in mind the land is going with a huge overhaul for gardens and along with the kind of new Presidential Research Center on the grounds it is and, will and always has been a major tourist stop in the area.

#2- The doors are burned pretty bad and the scars go up on the ceiling of the outside doorway. I don't know what it looks like on the inside yet, but once I hear about it or see it with my own eyes I'll drop a note.

[Vuhginyuh]

Re: Jefferson Davis' last home nearly burned to the ground.

#1- The Biloxi police Dept. and Fire Dept (along with the ATF) have classified this as arson and are seriously investigating this.

Thank you for some good news...

[Michael Semann]

Re: Jefferson Davis' last home nearly burned to the ground.

Mike Chapman,
We are basing our assumptions on the fact that: A. These types of crimes more often than not are caused bythe same little juvenile delinquents, gang members, bored teeny boppers/college kids, frat pranksters etc which have come to light in those cases where they have been successfully apprehended, and B. Traditionally these types of crimes (which display considerable malice aforethought and planning, especially in the case of Arson) usually result in a slap on the hand type of penalty, do in no small part to the fact that the guilty party/parties are usually under the legal age. This is when they are investigated with any rigor at all- efforts that are afforded more "important" breaches in the law according to the authorities. It is up to those of us who truly care to make sure that this doesn't just get swept under the carpet like so many others cases of vandalism have had happen to them in the past.
This appears to have taken the place of "Cow Tipping" among the less intelligent members of our communities, alas. We have had the same thing happen here in W. Kentucky in some of our 200+ year old cemeteries, with tombstones being knocked over/destroyed by the same type of pin heads that are likely doing this to our historical landmarks.
There appears to be a lot of this sort of thing happening lately, I won't venture to guess whether they are connected in any way . We might be dealing with copycat type crimes. Never the less, it has to stop, and the only hope we have of that happening , is for the authorities to take these crimes seriously, and to implement stiff penalties/sentences.

[dusty27]

Re: Jefferson Davis' last home nearly burned to the ground.

Michael,

I'm not defending the actions of the criminals. I'm questioning why you appear to be pessimistic about the crime being solved. Does the local law enforcement department have a history of ignoring such crimes? In your response, you even say that some of these crimes are solved.

I think we owe the locals some time to make an arrest before implying they aren't doing their jobs.

I have bookmarked the newspaper site and will report any related stories.

[rick atwood]

Re: Jefferson Davis' last home nearly burned to the ground.

Gentlemen,

Rest assured everything that can be done will be done. Beauvoir is a national treasure of such proportions that this thing will not be left unsettled. One thing the ATF is good at is investigating arson. The exposure alone will drive the politics toward resolution and justice. The people responsible for this crime will go to jail.

As a native Mississippian, I'm eternally grateful to the man that saved this national shrine. I hope he is properly recognized for his actions.

[Michael Semann]

Re: Jefferson Davis' last home nearly burned to the ground.

Mike,
I didn't interpret your inquiry to mean that you were defending the culprits at all, If it sounded that way, I apologize. I am simply calling the situation, and likely outcome the way I see it. The fact is, that these type of cases go largely unsolved, and acts of vandalism, especially those targeted towards monuments of a more Southern connotation, go to the bottom of the list of priorities by law enforcement, prosecutors, and local politicians.
When there is a successful prosecution of these crimes, the punishment is rarely adequate to detour further acts.

[Cpt Boone]

Re: Jefferson Davis' last home nearly burned to the ground.

Mr. LeMasters was taken by the Beauvoir Board President Rick Forte to Hattiesburg, MS to the SCV Convention, applauded, and given lifetime passes to the property. Link to the article follows.

http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/news/8865804.htm

[dusty27]

From the local paper June 10th

The Coast almost lost an irreplaceable treasure

Biloxi and the Mississippi Gulf Coast came within minutes of losing a local, state and national treasure on Saturday. I was in Mississippi and heard the news first-hand.

Beauvoir was a part of the Mississippi Gulf Coast long before any of the current residents or any of the current buildings. It became a historic building as the residence of President Jefferson Davis in the late 1800s. The last home of President Davis and the Jefferson Davis Presidential Library are nationally recognized as important historic sites.

The significance of these grounds to the local and national presence of Biloxi is more apparent now than ever. The residents and businesses of Biloxi should take note that this is an irreplaceable treasure that is an important part of our nation's past, the present and the future.

I look forward to my trips to Beauvoir for many years to come. I hope that Biloxi has as much appreciation for Beauvoir as I, so that it will continue to be shared by the many who visit there every year.

My thanks to the residents and businesses for your support of Beauvoir. I want to especially thank the brave firefighter who saved this structure. Together we can assure that it is here for many years to come.

BERTRAM HAYES-DAVIS
Great great grandson
President Jefferson Davis
Colorado Springs, Colo.