The Republican journal., 1872-11-21

| by his friends, and Il physician was called
to attend him. Strange to say. he re-
covered, but tor weeks after arriving in
St. Louis. and becoming sufficiently con-
! VaeScent TO walk the streets, carried both
of his arms in a sling.
Davis remained away from town some
time, but finally reappeared here, and
Officer Patrick McDonough, seeing and
recognizing him, arrested him, but in the
attempt was stabbed, and rather badly
wounded in the side. The man shot, for
some reason best known to himself, re-
fused or failed to appear to prosecute
him. and that case was dismissed on a
nolle prosequi How the case against
him for assault with intent to Kill upon
Officer McDonough was disposed of the
| Democrat informant did not remember,
but Davis was probably released on bail
and jumped his bond.
| In the fall of 1859, or the spring OF 1860;
| Davis travelled or worked for some months
with one William Clifford. Il professional
| gambler, who is said to have been open
| hearted aud generous to a fault. HIS
| splendid appearance. fascinating manners
and genial ways made him favorite with
all who knew him, and the police or
others never appealed to him to assist the
destitute OF unfortunate without receiving
generous contribution. Although as
| quick to resent real or tancied insult as
Davis, and a much more powerful man,
the pair never quarreled until one night
when both were to Il considerable extent
intoxicated. Some di sagreement then
| arose between them. and Clifford struck
Davis, OF applied some epithet to him
tsat aroused all the evil passions in him.
He said nothing at the time, probably
| being unarmed, but, in walking up town
that night. met an officer with whom he
was acquainted, and after narrating the
quarrel, declared with an oath that before
the week was over he would cut off Cliff
tord's ears. The officer remarked, you
are drunk, now, Davis; 20 home and 20
to bed. and you will think bette: of it in
the morning" Davis asserted with savage
| earnestncss that he was not drunk, and
that the officer would see that he kept his
word and revenged the insult He then
passed on, and the officer saw nothing
more Of him until two days atterward,
when he was brought into the station
house and placed on the hod-ovcr book
to await the result of Il knife wound he
had inflicted on Clifford
The latter was drinking at the bar of
he Astor House saloon, on Franklin
avenue, when Davis, seeing him through
the door, entered, and, walking up to the
counter. called for glass of beer and in
vited Clifford TO Join him. Clifford re-
gretting his hasty words at their last
meeting, acquiese,l, thinking chat i mu-
tua understanding and apology would
follow. As he reached out his hand for
the beer, Davis caught up his own mug
| and threw the contents into Clif1iord's
face.
The latter sprang toward him to resent
the insult, when Davis quickly drew a
large knife and plunged ii into his body,
Scverng the intestines and causing a
wound that proved fatal in two or three
days. Davis was tried for the murder
but was acquitted on the ground Of self
defence, as Clifford either tried to draw
some weapon or strike him with the beer
glass before he was stabbed.
Davis is also reported to have found a
New Orleans gambler altogether to init
mate with his woman. and, taking him
ASIDE one evening, he informed him that
the woman was the same 10 him rs a wife
would be. and that he had purchased the
house and furniture for her. He con
cluded by saying that he did not partcu-
larry blame him 0he gambler,) rs he did
not understand the case. but he requested
him to never revisit his house This the
gambler promised and Davis said he was
satisfied. He. however added that, should
the gambler forfeit his word, he would be
less amiable on a second occasion for con-
versation on that subject. The gambler
did keep away from the house for while,
but one night, when he supposed Davis
up the river, returned by appointment,
and had Just seated himself for a wine
supper and tete-a-tete with the object of
Davis affections, when Davis himself
walked into the room, and, after knocking
the interloper down with II poker, sliced
off the end OF his nose with IL bowie knife,
remarhing that he would forever spoil his
good looks He then disarmed him. and,
when he had recovered sufficient CON
scousness to walk ushered him ont of
the door before the mpzzle of Il pistol.
Davis died five or six years ago while on
trip through the South, but whether he
tell by the hand OF some man equally des-
pcratc. or died of disease, was not stated