Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1872-11-21
Helena, Montana, Thursday, November ~, 1879

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The wounded man was assisted TO bed by
his friends, and y physician was called to at
tend him. Strange to say, he recovered, but
for weeks after arriving In 81" Louis, and be-
coming sufficiently conyalescent to walk the
streets, carried both Of his arms in, q 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, refused or failed to appear
to prosecute him, and the case was dismissed
ON a aolls f,sVseq,ti. How the case against
him for assault with intent to kill upon OIL
Ger McDonougll was disposed of, the Demo-
erdt informant did not remember, but Davis
was probably released ON bali, and jumped
his bond, mimi .+. .af..s,mans ...F ri -,
In the fall OF 1859 or spring of 1860, Davis
travelled or worked for some months with
one William Clifford, d professional ganl-
bier, who is said to have been open-hearted
and generous TO q fault. His splendid APP
pearance. fascinating manners and genial
ways, made him a favorite with all who knew
him, and the police or others never appealed
to him to assist the destitute or unfortunate
without receiving Il generous contribution.
Although rs quick to resent a real or fancied
insult as Davis, and q much more powerful
man, the pair never quarreled until one night
when both We're to considerable extent In
,toxicated. Some disagreement then arose be-
tween them, and Clifford styuch Davis or APP
Piled some epithet to him that aroused all the
evil passions In him. He said nothing at the
time, probably being unarmed: but in walk
ing up town that night met an officer with
whon, 10 W QretlaiNtai and altar no rrnt
ing the circumstances of the quarrel, declared
with an oath that before the week was over
he would cutoff Clfford's ears.ss The officer
remarked, ''fou are drunk now, Davis; 60
home and 80 to bed, and you will think bet
ter of it in the morning" Davis asserted
b with savage earnestness that he was not drunk,
and that the officer would see that he kept
his word and revenge the insali. He
then passed on, and the officer saw no moro
of him until two days afterward, when he
was brought into the station-hOase and placed
on the hold-oyer book to await the result of a
knife wound he had inflicted ON Clifford. In,
The latter was drinking at the bar of the
Astor House saloon, on Franklin avenue,
when Davis, seeing him through the, door,
entered, and walking up to the counter called
for a glass of beer, and invited Clifford to
join him. Clifford regretting his hasty words
at their last meeting, acquiesccd, thinking
that u mutual 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 Clifford's face.
The latter sprang toward him to resent the
insult, when Davis quickly drew large knife
and plunged it into his body. severing the in
testines and causing Il wound that proved fatal
in'two or three days. Davis was tried for the
murder, but was acquitted on the ground of
selt-defense, as Clifford either tried ttl draw
some weapon or strike him with the beer
glass before he was stabbed. hi ts ..r.rs5ro s.,9
IL Davis is also reported to have found New
Orleans gambler altogether too intimate with
his woman, and taking him aside one evening
he Informed him that the woman was the
same to him as q wife would be, and that he
had purchased the house and furniture for
her. He concluded by saying that he did
not particularly blame him tthe gambler, } as
he did not understand the case, but he request
ed 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 find
him less amiable ON second OCCASION for
conversation on that subject. The gambler
did keep away from the house for time, bat
one night, when he supposed Davis up the
river, returned, by appointment, and had just
seated himself for awine supper and tete a tets
WIN tne oo)ect OF LAWS aHect0ns, when
Davis himself walked into the room, and,
after knocking the intcrloper down with q
poker. sliced off the tip of his nose with u
bowie-knife, remarkins that he would fox-
ever spoil his good looks. He disarmed him,
and, when he had sufficiently recovered con-
seriousness to walk, tsheTed him out of the
front door before the muzzie of pistol.
Davis died five or six years ago. while on u
trip through the South, but whether he died
by the hand of man equally desperate, OF died
of disease, was not stated. st Louis Den,o-
crQt. ..i....s.t r.-.. ,-. Z