The semi-weekly Republican. (St. Francisville, La.) 1872-1872, 1872-04-12

| a., AN S4AAAM-> w
AS THE Law ASSERTS.
[From tho Cincinnati oazctte 23l ultl
At about half past eleven o'cloe]
Yesterday morning considerable OK
cltement was occasioned in the Me
tropolltan Hotel, Oh Main street
nedr%he levec,A 10y tie persistent ring
ing OF the bell connecting room No
SO with the office. The first comers
upon entering the room whence the
loud summons came, witnessed q
ghastly sight. Seated upon the tel
was the male occupant of the room
James Q. Davis, as he had register
Ell himself, and i'll his arms lay the
Imp and almost life-less form of his
wife. Blood was issuing from his
mouth, and on her right lower Jaw.
Just under the bone, it had evidently
flowed pretty freely. A Colts navy
revolver lay uron the floor. A little
Mexican dog had sought to hide
himself in one corner of the room
but aside from this there was moth
ing i'll the appearance of the room
calculated to excite wondcr,ncut or
even more than passing notice.
The husband, penetrating the
meaning of the suspicion scowls be-
slowed upon him, at once explained
matters. lie said that he had been
sitting in the room in conversation
with his wife, and holding the dog
III his arms. His wife had requested
him to take the revolver, which was
lying, fully cooked, upon the mantle
piece, and shut down the hammer,
us the clamhermaid, in cleaning up
the room that morning, had been
afraid to touch it, and had mention
ed the subject to her Mrs. Davis.
This performance he attemntel tn
execute, but had very foolishly kept
the dog i'll his arms while doing SO,
having no thought Of the pistol going
oil. Il had done so, however, and
the ball had struck Mrs. Davis, who
WIS sitting in chair near him,
under the right jaw. She uttcrs d
shrek, then staggered to her feet,
and asked him to catch her and give
her some water, as she was dying
AS she sank into his arms, he knew
too well by the pallor which rapidly
stole into her face, and the fixed po-
sition her eyes assumed, that no care
of his could avert the fearful conse-
quences of lis carelessness, and in u
few-a very few moments the sha-
dow Of death had come down over
the sunshine Of life in the dear form
he SO tenderly clasped in bis arms.
Officers Colby and Taylor were
sent tor upon the discovary of the
affair, and they, upon reaching the
room, arrested Davis on the charge
Of murder. An investigation Of the
apartment resulted in the discovery
Of three deadly weapons, the fatal
revolver and two small derringers,
the latter being found in pair Of
old boots /; and with these weapons
in their possession, the officers, with
their prisoner proceeded to the Ham
mond street station-house. Davis
was locked up in the solitude of the
cell room, there being no other pris-
oners in custody at the time, and his
meditations were evidently of the
most painful nature, for subsequently
when visited by reporters, he was
found crying, silently, but ilaessant,
ly. He appeared sincere in his la
mentations, and all questions put to
him were answered simply and plain
ly. IIe is about twenty-six years Of
age, and a resident OF New York
city. He has spent the greatest part
Of his career with circus companies,
being generally engaged in the busi-
ness management. Until within a
week or two ago he has, in company
with his wife, been with Blcken-
stose's Cosmopolitan Circus and Me-
aagerie in the Southern country
His occupation has been that Of ring