New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-03-04
HOW HE KILLED TOM DAVIS.
JAMES T. HOLLAND TELLS HIS STORY.


The members of the Texan delegation in the
Court Of Over and Termner yesterday were in high
sprits The pride OF Abilene, the man VINO got tuo
drop " on the notorious swndler big Tom DAVIS,
testified In his own behalf, and when he bau hl9nou
there was not Texan present who did not pehe'e na'
he would be tIiumphntlay acquitted ana ge' fo0oP
when he got home among those VINO are cap"p" VI
ornreoiatin, him Colonel Fellows, in his Cross exam
naon so far as he went did not succeed in gethg Tue
prisoner to deviate in any materlai Polh'e iioin w
original story and when sn Adjournment was 'Aon 'S
felt as confident as that Holland VIII DC acq eu
Colonel Fellows will have another chance TO-DAY 10 sc'
Holland mixed as to his testimony III me DaNS
has onv character for vorcay left when 'ac tra TER
inmates it will not he the fault OF HohShu 5 Ia"!eIs
Tine trial Yesterday with the reading by MI free
OF Tie Davis's evidence at the coroner Inquest '
the ry might have another opportunity Of noting what
variations The Davis introduces into his story each
time he tells it, To make the display more effective Mr.
Price tried to portray to some extent The DaVlSs
voice and manner The Davis is pietureSqe anu
dramatic villain. hard to initiate and Mr. PIlce ala no'
succeed nj all we'll
Then Hollands lawyers undertook to show what an
exceedingly good peuccablc honest amable and indus
trious young ther client is by leadlne pakers
dozen deposons from people living in AM aoout he
town OF Abilene Texas, Hollands home HOiahu
himself at first listened these eulogiums on MS char
meter with some show of didence as became goOd ana
modest yoang man, gradually he lifted his eyes from
the floor and expression Of comp accncy settled on MS
rosy little face TLen Judge Van Brunt suggested tha'
as the nterrogatories all alike ana the answers az
OF the same tenor it wOud time and be Just as
Effective Il Duly few read AS samples here ana
there and for the rest only stated of those
who vouched for Mr. Hollands good character. hoi-
lands LAWYERS consented this but they would not
bate word Of the deposition OF Governor eianu Vi
Texas. still it turned out that Governor Ireland had
only a slight acquaintance with Holland. HIS Kno"I
,dce OF his character rested entirely hearsay ev-
sepce But what little he had heard was to his credit
James T. Holland was given a chance TO tell his own
,tory ard MakemOn, tho Texan lawyer, hell ed hi
As he sat in the chair lie had not at All the ap-
pearance OF a man who would voluntarily SEEK quail
rel He seemed small u the first place. His mus
acne like his chin weak aud ndel ute. His cheeks
were thin but southern sunshine and southern Deezes
had put color into them than could be eadrat"d
by six montss' confinement in the Tombs. Altogether
he looked like inOhensve rural sort OF young ma,
,uch as can found by the thousands in country stores
Tho Davis presented striking contrast to him. lie
is the sort Of blackguad that lovers oi artistic Nhy
would 90 into ecstascs over, tall, broad -shOudered,
thick chested, with swaTtby complexion, Iuxuiiant
and graceful mustache, and his hair jet black But
his black eyes are in creamy yellow Instead OF
white giving wOlfsh aspect. As eyed the little
Texan, his face looked the embodiment OF hendlsh
hatred gaining in intensity by the cleaning white teeth
which shO we'd between his half Iared lips There was
murder in his glance, but the Texaus only smiled de-
lsively when they looked at hm They say that he Is
all bark and no bite"
Holland seemed first rather confused by his novel
position and the three hundred pairs OF eyes
which from all parts OF the court room were concen-
trated upon him. His almost iCaudiDle and
he was frequently adured 20" speak up but when he
had answered the preliminary Questons ana got on
ground which more directly concerned his chances OF
escaping the galOws, he gained confidence ana spoke
Clearly. He said that lie was born in Leon County,
Texas was thirty years Old. and unmarried. HIS
pareuts died when lie young. His earlier years
- farm He
from the age OF twelve until he was nineteen Then he
keIt books and sold goods for merchant ior hVe
years After that he launched out on his own account
and in succession tried many things from dealing in cot
ton 10 keeping saloon" But hc only owned the
saloon IS; he did no it himself Two years ago he
Engaged in the land and live stock business at Abilene
Ind he pIOspered at it SD that last summer no found
himself able to afford trip to New-Iork lie hrst
took il into heal that he would try to beat the saw
AUST swindle last june. A friend named Parks living
IN Abilene had visited NewYOrk and had been taken
IA" TO the extent of 1000 by the saTdust game
Packs had all his wits work to discover how he mad
ieen swndled He decided that it was al genuine money
which he had the swindeTs dfOI into the bhs D
That somehow they had managed to exchange the bag
with genuine money for bag filled with worthless stun
,tber at the cxprcss Office or the way thtucr. All
His Parks tod Holland. Holland determined to profit
b. his friends experience. He thought II wouIu De
rood stroke Of business to get lOOOO III exchange loi
1900 and If he once got the street with It, be felt
,ure that Texan git" would enable him to keep 1t III
tpite of the swindlers lie had heard nothing OF the
panel trick. He opened correspondence with the
,ndlers ana received circular and letter signed H.
Woodward" By this means he was Informed tlaI nc
,hould 90 to Philadelphia House Jersey CITY, pre-
riously telegrapbng when he would he there and he
Eas to recognize as Wocdwad's agent man who would
hse the pass "Orauge" When he left Abilene lie had
1875 ana a letter of credit Oh the Hanover National
Bank for $500. John L. Hin, city mashal of Abilene,
accompanied him. They reached the Summit House
W. Cdau IInllu rs
name vas registered j. F. Johnson" They had been
IN her only about ten minutes when there was
knock at the door When the door was opened man
advanced centre OF the room giving the password
,Or.nge" Holland repeated it and then the visitor
saw tnat be was WOOdwards agent An agreement was
male TO meet again at the Merchants Hotel, at IL
o'clock next morning After the shooting Holland as
tertaned that the agent was Daviss" capper Butler
He met them the Merchants Hotel as arranged
lie cautioned them against other dealers IN counterfeit
honey, some of whom Knocked down and robbed the:r
customers lie first TOOK Hill to the olice at NO ll3
Reade ST., and showed him lhe gOQls iheh ne 70,
turned and escorted Holland there Holland examined
Tie goods aud satisfied himself that tile money was
genuine He was told mat he cond aaye @ Td9oU3 OF m III
Haturday morning. He introduced himself as Mr.
ann son of the Old man." he said and do bust
ness for him The old man is Old and guess when ne
dies will get his stuff He SAID thai the % od lan
iatisred that they were all rlgnt -, a., e,o,. ,.
iiI made an appointment with Davis for sunday hut
'od ma" suspicious again, so he wrote IeItef
,acnatcd TO make the swinders think that they would
be easily swiudled suggesting meeting at the Mer
chants Hotel tIe next day. Monday August 81 Ihe
ietter had the desired effect Tom Davis called ana
SAID that every thing satisfactory Holland leaving
behind all his vauaes and money executing tne S1VH
which he expected 20 give for $4,000, went Win
TOm Davis to the Llice Butler was in the room
6hen they entered.
where's the old manl" asked Davis.
Up stairs with some bills that are not quite Dry
replied Butler. ,,.--, ,u.,o.
Davis then told Butler that he could go and Butler
left the room. The supposed urterfelt money was
spread out on the desk. Davis invited Holland 10 helP
him count IT, Together they counted the money ana
lied IL M in packages twOs hves and tens Then
DAVIS said: "Wel here's my goods where's your