Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-05-26
THE rHompsoN-DAvIs MURDER.

The outcome of the Phil. Thompson
murder trial in Kentucky was exactly in
line with expectation. Mrs. Thompson
was addicted to the use of liquor, to the
extent of becoming frequently intoxicated.
Congressman Thompson, her husband, left
her at Cincinnati hotel with a woman
who has had her own domestic romance,
eliminating in a divorce, and was not
friendly to Mrs. Thompson. Davis,
mutual friend, called on Mrs. Thompson,
and they went out together, the woman re-
turning intoxicated. The other woman
reported to Thompson the conduct of his
wife, and stated that she had been seen
leaving Davis room in the hotel. Thomp.
son FASTENED from Washington, met Davis
in Harrodsburg, Kentucky, and shot him
to death, without giving any intimstion of
his intent. He then went before magis.
trate and avowed his crime. His plea was
that his friend Davis had betrayed his
wife. 1t does not seem to have occurred
to him that the accused party was entitled
to be heard. The wife, under the most
solemn oath, had already denied the ac-
cusation. Davis had as Indignantly de.
nounced it also, but Thompson shot him
without warning, was put upon trial and
promptly acquitted 1t was hardly posi-
BILE to have expected any different result.
The Court, jury and community were all
on his side, and his female friend presented
the wife's conduct with all the dark
standings it would bear. Thompson knew
of his wife's drinking habits he knew
that she and Davis had been friends
from childhood. His escorting her out was
proper enough; that both returned to
the hotel drunk was shameful But for
all that Thompson was not justified in
numbering Davis, in orphaning his chill
dren, and widowing his wife. Just prior
to this murder, the Louisville Courier-Jour.
nal had announced its intention to enter
upon crusade against the free use of the
pistol, and the taking of the law into pri.
vate hands. But the killing changed its
views. Social influences could not be
withstood, and now it declares, {. The shot.
gun is mightier than the Courts. It is a
universal leveler. 1t simplifies and cheap.
ems the law, and brings it TO the door of
the poorest when need is, and long may its
policy prevail, and 30 on to the end of |
sickening chapter. OF course, this muir.
der will be held up as vindication of the
virtue Of woman, an example of the pro-
lection the freside has, all of which is the |
shabbiest nonsense, however truly it may
accord with Kentucky ideas of "honor,"
which include the inalienable right of men
to judge of their wrongs, and meet out
punishment to those who offend them. |
Thompson has now killed his second, we |
believe his third man, and is, of course, a |
more distinguished citizen than before, if |
that is possible. Only one more section is
needed for the Kentucky code of honor,
and that is the recognition of the right of |
Kentucky wives to arm themselves with
shot-guns and go out and scatter the brains
of all woman with whom their husbands |
when drunk or otherwise are found Ger
tainly if, as the father of the murderer
thanked God, Kentucky wives can now
be protected" Kentucky husbands should
enjoy like protection at the hands of their
wives