Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-09-06
TOM DAVIS.
The Career Of the Sawdust Man Muir.
dercd by Holland, the Texan
In New York.
Davis start in the Alleged Counterfeit and
snwdust Business-- The CROOKS Hire.
lings and their Daring Deeds.

| New YORK, Sept. 2.--But few mel
knew anything Of the history Of Tom pa
Wis, the gambler, who was shot and killed
by Holland from Texas, and an inycsti
CATION later into the peculiar enterprises
which employed his talents, and the va.
rious crooks whom he ruled, proves that
the dead man was In this city, so far as
his governing power was concerned, the
par Of Dickens Fagin In "Olycr Twist
Men who gamble at the race track, or bel
their money at the faro table, know but
little Of Tom Davis, and believe him To
have been square and above board
The records at the police headquarters
and the archives Of the Society for
the Suppression Of Vice demonstrate
that he was more OF crook than gam
bier. Davis was, in fact, one OF the first
men in this country who played the ''saw-
dust" game, as his peculiar kind of VIII
lainy is called by the fraternity. lie made
the acquaintance, Ave years ago, OF a man
named Elsie, living on Third avenue,
near Twenty-sccond street. Elsie owned
a Zone dollar store" aud these two men
began the sawdust business together. II
has been asserted that Tom Davis had no
education. The circular which he wrote
them In 1869, remains to-day the stand
ard for these Illegal transactions. Elsie
went TO jail. Half a dozen co-workers
went with him, but Davis escaped and
has spread the same identical circular
far and wide throughout the country.
Jim Holland, who was
KNOWN As "nIG JIM
and whose headquarters were at 2I5 Car
mine street, was Tom Davis principal
helper. Then he had "Tommy" Lee,
who operated from u private Office on
Park Row; Dan Morton, whose letters
came TO 427, Hudson street, and George
Butler, who was sent to jail for thirteen
months, seven months ago. These men
had not even the necessary amount of
genuine money to effect sale, and their
illltcracy prevented them from properly
taking up the merit OF their money Thus,
Tom Davis met each victim and arranged
the Details while his hirelings sent the
circulars aud got the answers. 4 fresh
aud brilliant crook appeared on The scene
two years ago, who went under the name
OF George Byrncs Butler, and he
usurpcd his namesake's affections In the
breast Of Tom DAVIS. His wight name
was s. L. Stone. It was this rascal who
declared that more secrecy should be
thrown around the transactions In the
beginning and less In the end Therefore.
he Inserted In each circular a small piece
of green cardboard, and ordered that the
victim should, when meeting him or Da-
Wis, display II as an evidence that they
Were dealing with the right man. lie did
not, moreover, believe in "panclsr and
created what has become known as
TIlE "REER rmcR"
and the cool and collected Tom Davis
was the first one TO play IL. 4 man
named Mapcs of Easton, Pa, answered
one of the circulars. lie brought with
him S50,o00 In good money. Davis met
HIN 1T Chatham square, looked at the
green card, and led him to saloon near
the bewery. They entered and saw But
Ter sitting AT beer table. Davis called
for beer, and while he whispered to
Mnpos, looked susplciously TO Butler
"Gentiemen. the latter said, 81 fear |
disturb YOU" and he left the table. Be
tore he did so, he deposited on
the shelf underneath where the
beer glasses are sometimes held, a we'll
tillod envelope bound with red string.
Davis took from his inside pocket an onvel-
opecNaolly similarand counted outS20, 900
worth OF genuine money In Sl00 bills.
Mupes examined them and said they were
worth $4,000. As soon as he said this
llhNNls, In an abScnt-mindcd way, called
for sNmc heor. The MATTER was hurrying
ITO the table and Davis glanced ut him sns-
piolonaly, quickly packed up the money i,
bound the envelope with the red string
and dropped the parcel in his lap, at the
same dime winklng at Mapos. The ycrilant
believed he understood, for rs soon as the
waiter was gone nm envelope tied with a
red htring was handed 10 him and he gave
Eom Davis $4,000. Both men arose and
walked into the strickland Crook Dutlcr
walked up 10 the table, picked up The
SsQl00O, envelope aud had n drink. Names
had acme of with Il bundle of blink
paporS. unfortunatolyfor Butler Names
went TO the authorities, and although
Tom baNis had taken ono of his sudden
dives into obscuriW and could not be
found, Butler served eighteen months
Tor hroony. The cunlnns part OF the his
tory al I,ayis Is that despite the fact that
he hatSo,many crooks under his thumb,
lir LIVED IN iKhlR.
OF another rascal, BSnny AIayuire. Ma.
guirc@ alive and prosperous to-day, ANA
any ge@tlcmnn desiring 10 purchase the
very BEST goods can and him In Ease
tlith stst,at, near the BNwery. There Is
where bis business otllee rs, but he lives
IN u bnsN0nsstone house or Eighteenth
street, neGr Broadway. Maguire TODAY
controls 4 clique of these M,Gvthles inst MS
Davis did The most brilliant OF Ma.
guirc's meG MAS William tqrguson, now
10 jail. lie gaceived hlslciGese. at M, 1855
Third avcnHs. end met his Eriaads at the
Pullman house, A rivalry had ior a long
slime existed between Mcguire and
MavlS Establishments, Elsll one
0gy Fcrguson met one 81 Davis
naln and attempted TO sell lGn some
gusiS The supposed countYyangn rot
his bands on the aaod money, daoT n re-
yoieer aud waikes with his Own and
SaOai worth of Maailire's fortune. As a
Saw-afst man Tom nayis had 40 saglal,
and asa bnnko steeYeY, no one, not even
'''Hungip Joe, was a. good an ade1H MS
he Ahalt year &Eo Davis opeAaad