The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1872-03-30

had been afraid to touch it, and had |
mentioned the subject to her Mrs.
Dayis,. This performance he at
tempted to execute, but had very |
foolishly kept the dog in his arms |
while doing so, having no thought OF
the pistol going off. 1t had done so,
however. and the ball had struck Mrs.
Davis, who was sitting in chair near
him, under the right jaw. She ut
tered a 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 posi-
ton her eyes assumed, that no care OF
his could avert the fearful eonse-
auences of his carelessness. and in a
few-a very few moments the shadow
OF death had come down over the sun
shine of life III the dear form he so
tenderly ciasped in his arms.
Officers Colby and Taylor were sent
for upon the discovery of the affair,
and they, upon reaching the room,
arrested Davis on the charge of muir
der. An investigation of the apart
ment resulted in the discovery OF
three deadly weapons, the fatal re-
volycr and two small derringers, the
latter being found in a pair OF old
boots: and with these weapons In
their possession, the officers, with their
prisoner proceeded to the Hammond
street station house. Davis was locked
up in the solitude of the cell room,
there being no other prisoners in Gus
tody 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 necessarily. He APP
reared sincere in his lamentations,
and all questions put to him were an
swered simply and plainly. He 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 gener-
ally engaged in the business manage
ment. Until within a week or two
ago he has, in company with his wife,
been with Backenstose's Cosmopolitan
circus and menagerie in the Southern
country. His occupation has been
that of ringmaster, and his wife (whO,
until the date of their marriage, about
three months ago, has appeared as
Mile. LaRosal performed on the ira
peze under his name.
/. They left the show at Vicksburg,
Mississippi, intending to visit this
city for the purpose of perfecting ar
rangements for the coming spring
campaign. They arrived here in COM
pany with James Howell and wife
(dog exhibitors, with the same organ
ization) on last Mondany the eight
zenith instant. They had engaged
quarters at the Metropolitan, but on
the same evening, Howell and wife
departed for Marietta. Davis state
ment of the manner in which the act
was committed is given above, and he
seems to feel very deeply hurt at be-
ing charged with the murder of his
wife.
| About three o'clock in the afternoon
Coroner Underhill, having been mott
fed, appeared on the ground, and in
few minutes a jury was impaneled.
The room was visited, and stretched
upon the bed, in the position which
her husband had left her, lay the body
of the dead woman. She appeared tC
be about the medium height, and hel
age was Judged to be in the neighbor.
hood of thirty years. The coroner
! probed the wound, and after a care.
full examination gave it as his opinion
that the ball must be lodged at the
base of the brain, having penetrated
just below the lower border of the
right jaw. After the jury had wit
3 messed this operation, and satisfied
themselves as to the identity of the
woman, and the manner in which she
had come to her death, the inquest
was adjourned until to-day. In the
, meantime it is expected that sOmt
outside information upon the char.
acter of the parties, the harmony o
their relations toward each other, an(
similar points of interest will be forth
coming.
John Whitney, a circus manager
telegraphed from Dubuque, Iowa, tt
! the chief of police of Cincinnati, tina
the woman shot and killed by on,
) Davis few days since, in the latter
city, was his (Whitney's) wife, ant
that he would be in Cincinnati a
: soon as possible.-N o. Republican.
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