The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1883-05-02
4 DOMESTIC TRAGEDE
HOT FOR UNDUE INTIMACY WITH ANo-
THEIR MANS WIFE -

a.
Der of Congress from the Eighth |
Kentucky District, shot Walter Dae
Wis as he was stepping from a smok-
ing car on the Cincinnati Southern
railroad this morning. The ball |
went through Davis's head, produc
ing instant death. The cause al
legged is undue intimacy of Davis
with Thompson's wife. Davis was
a prominent man of Harrodsburg,
and an intimate friend of Thomp
sons family. This friendship was
made stronger by his marriage to
close friend of Phil B. Thompson,
ir. Mrs. Thompson acquired the
habit of using strong intoxicants by
using liquors some years ago when
recovering from an illness. When
Thompson started for Washington
last November Mrs. Thompson &C
companIed him to Cincinnati, but
was to go home the same night.
She met Davis in the street. He
supplied her with liquor, and took
her to the st. Clair hotel to his
room. Later in the night the
Waterman found her lying in the
corridor. The proprietor would
have put her in the street, but for
her recognition by his wife. She
was put in Miss Buckner's room.
Next morning she was overwhelm-
ed with shame on discovering her
disgrace, and left the hotel Miss
Buckner wrote to Thompson, tell
ing him of his wife's disgrace, but
said nothing of Davis's conduct.
Whereupon Thompson refused to
further recognize her as his wife.
Last Tuesday, on his return from
Washington, Mr.. Thompson first
heard in Cincinnati of Davis's part
in his wife's disgrace. To-day he
met Davis for the first since his re-
turn. The latter had opened the
door to the car in which Thompson
was about to take a seat, and sa-
luted him. Thompson, with an
oath, said, elbow dare you speak to
me-" and Immediately drew his pis-
toll. Davis attempted to draw, but
changed his mind and pulled the
door shut. As Davis was going
-rdown the steps Thompson fired and
Davis fell dead, rolling down the
embankment. The train stopped
and Thompson got off, saying he
would go back to Harrodsburg to
give himself up. He returned on
the train that carried the dead
body of Davis. Going to the court
house, where circuit court is now in
session, he addressed Judge Hardin
as follows:
"May it please your Honor, |
know that it is not customary I'M
4 der circumstances of this kind for
persons situated as I am to make
any remarks to the court; but I
feel that in justice to myself, and as
due to the community in which l
have lived SO long, and by whom l
have been henored so often, that l
should make brief statement of
the facts and circumstances of the
unhappy and unfortunate affair.
| In November last / was on my way
to Washington, and my wife ac-
companied me as far as Cincinnati.
There l left her in charge of lady
friends, expecting her to return that
evening to Harrodsburg My wife,
untor tunately, is addicted to an evil
habit, which Mr.. Davis, the deceas-
ed, well knew. On that evening he
met her in Cincinnati, and prevailed
on her to remain until the next
morning. Finding at which hotel
she stopped, he registered there un-
der an assumed name, and while
there piled her with whisky until
she was completely under its infiu-
ence, when he accompanied her
ostensibly to the theater. They re-
turned to the hotel at 9 o'clock that
evening, she in a besotted condition
from drink. She attempted to go
to Mrs. Buekner's room, and he in
sisted on her going to his room,
when, yielding to his command, she
went, remaining there with him for
more than an hour He turned her
out in a helpless condition, thus ex-
posing my own dishonor and her
! shame. Afterward she was taken
to Mrs. Buckner's room by the
Waterman and the proprietor, in an
unconsciously drunken condition.
My domestic relations are all bank
rupt and broken up. My little
daughter, whom / love better than
life itself, is exiled from home, and
an outcast from society, in conse-
quence of Davis. Night after night
my daughter has sobbed herself to
sleep on my breast. Not all his
blood is worth her tears, and though
he had thousand lives he could not
atone for the broken happiness of
my household and the misery he
has caused me. throw myself up
on the justice of my countrymen,
and feel that every man who loves
his family, and has the courage to
defend them, will justify me in my
course"
AS Mr.. Thompson finished his adj
dress, which was delivered in a dig
nified, manly way, Judge Hardin
arose, and, with evident emotion,
said:
cit is not proper, perhaps, for me,
as Judge. to express the feelings OF
sympathy l feel as man. | shall,
therefore, hold Mr.. Thompson over
in the sum of So, 900 to answer any
Indictment that may be found by
the grand jury"
Another Life Saved.