Vicksburg weekly herald., 1878-06-28
Htnhhed While A.Iaan.

I NAN WITH MANiA-A-PLTU sTABs HIs
BEsT FRIEND WITH BUTCHER.
KNIFE.
Philadelphia Tlmes.l
Yesterday morning about 6 o'clock
james Davis, while possessed by the
demon Of mania.a-potu, stabbed with Q
butcher.kn Robert I. Horn, Q young
man Of 10 years, whom be called his
best friend, the latter lying asleep at
the time In his room In the Friendly
Inn Lodging.house for Christian
Young Men, OF No. ], l,6l3 Market street,
making q dangerous wound. No
motive for the crime exists, Davis,
when interrOgaled after his arrest, say.
ing be did 1t because he loved him CO..
Born is about 10 years of age, gen.
llemanly, handsome blonde aud of
good parentage, his father having been
former Postmaster al EastOn, Pa. He
met with reverses some time since and
the young man came to this city to try
his chances. lie lodged at the Friendly
Inn, then known as the Model Coffee
House, q genleel place, superior TO the
general run Of 'uch places, aud soon
was created a-,islant clerk. Davis was
from New York and was formally a
hard drinker, but reformed for abo ut
six months aud went to New jersey
with q stock of books some time since.
While there he was arrested for some
ofense and, As he averred, his money,
$40, was taken from him and not re-
turned 10 him. He came back 10 Phila-
delphia and again became an inebriate,
and for q month past has been on q dc.
bauch. On Friday last he acted 90
strangely that one OF the attendants
started with him 10 the police STATEN.
He remarked on the way, Il feel bad
III kill somebody before I'm through
YET" This sanguInary idea stuck 10
his brain ever since.
Yesterday morning he rose early,
and while the man WAS making the
fires he stole softly down stairs to the
kitchen, grabbed up a large, keen.
edged and sharp.pointed butcher knife
from a table aud ran swiftly upstairs
to the third-story room. Here Horn
lay asleep, unconscious of the impend-
Ing blow, which was instantly after.
ward delivered, the knife being
plunged into his back under the right
shoulder blade, penetrating the lower
portion OF the right lung. Young
Horn awoke with sharp agony, but
dazed, and cried out. Davis sped
quickly down stairs aud out Of doors,
leaving the knife sticking in the
wound. Andrew McBirney heard
Horn shoYi, Whats this in me? I'm
cut" and ran upstairs and drew out
the blooG stained knife, which was
followed by q stream of blood. Davis
ran along the streets, in which only a
few old sIagers after their morning
"nips" we're yet stirring, and getting
to Eighteenth aud Race streets pulled
of his coat aud shirt, knotled the lat.
ter, tied It around bis neck, and then
climbing the lamp-pOst, tied it to
the Cross-piece securely aud tprAng
outward. David Mercer, employed 10
open Logan Square, happening along
at this junCture, and having presence OF
mind, aud seeing that the would.be su.
icide was becoming black in the face
aud strangliDg, without more ado undid
the knot on the cross-piece and let the
human tassle fall to the sidewalk. As
soon as Davis revived, and, ignorant OF
the bloody work be had done, Mercer
took him arou'l TO Lieut.. Creighlon's
Station.hou,c in Filbert street, above
Fifteenth, W ere tidings of the affair
were alread! known, aud he was locked
up. In conversation after his arrest he
replied nationally enough, apparently,
that be had cut Horn because be loved
him and was his best friend. He said
he contemplated committing the deed
with an OK at first, but on searching
the yard could not fad It and 60 fell
b ok on the butcher-knife. Magistrate
Pole committed Davis TO prison to
await the animation Of Horns wound.
At the hosr ital the physicians would
not express any opinion concerning it,
preferring to await the reaction and
chances OF subsequent Inflammation.
The physicians at the Pennsylvania
Hospital late last evening, while be-
lieving Horns wound to be serious,
said 1t was not likely to prove fatal be-
fore morning. Lieutenant Creighton,
as q precautionary measure, however,
accompanied Magistrate Pole to the
hospital, where Horns ante.mortem
deposition was taken, reciting the same
facts given above.