The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-09-01
SPEEDY. RBTRIBUTION.
A Burglar Caught in the Act
Kills His PurSuer.
Captured and Hanged Two Hours
After His Victims Death.

A terrible tragedy was enacted the otner
morning at Huron, Ind, quiet little nam
let of two hundred inhabitants, on the Ohle
and Mississippi Railroad. Residents of the
place were startled about one o'clock IN tho
morning by cries for help. DR.. w. Z. But
ler's wife heard the cries and awoke her hus-
band, who Immediately went to the rescue.
He was soon joined by others, who, on or
irving near the point from which the cries
came, perceived two men struggling, but
failed to recognize either.
AS they approached one man drew knife
and plunged it into the other, after which he
fed. The crowd passed the fallen man and
pursued the murderer. Alter a short race,
and firing several shots, he was brought TO
bav in the grass near the railroad cutvert.
Returning to where the ful!en man lay they
discovered it was Mr.. John I. Davis, q
highly respectable citizen, and agent OF
the Ohio and Mississippi Kailroad
at Huron. He was then without the
power of sreech. There was cut about tour
inches long in the muscle of the right arm,
which had severed the main artery; cut IN
the neck under the jaw, and a bruise on the
forehead as if he had been struck by a rock.
DR.. Butler endcavorei to save his lie, ou5
he had rasel beyond human aid, having
bled to death. Mrs. Carrie King was the
first person to reach the victim, and his last
words were: Carrie, am dying. That man
murdered me-"
Alter securing the murderer the crowd
brought him back to where his victim lay
and asked him if he had killed that man. He
answered NO The shirt sleeve from the
left arm of the murderer was missing and
parties went out to search for it. They were
successful, and it was soaked in blood:
After finding he would be captured he had
torn it OFF and cast it away. lhey also
found Mr. Davis's clothes in the stock pen,
with his gold watch in the vest PocHeG
James Strange, Constable Of Spice valley
township, Lawrence county, arrived on the
scene and took charge of the prisoner When
searching him they found fine burglar saw,
spectacles and cases, two combs, palr OF
rubber shoes, caseknife without any stains
of blood, brick mason's hammer ana some
other articles. 1t was learned that he had
been lingering around the depot ana hau
asked several suspicious questions.
When Mrs. Davis heard of the arrest shc
desired that she might see the man. He was
taken to the residence, and she said:
wicked wretch! you are the man who
killed my husbanl!" She then said: THAT
man entered our bedroom, which is in the
part of the house facing the street on the
first floor. through tn3 1rOQC QOOT. ne biieo
to secure the money under my pillow and
awakened ME. l was too frightened to cry
out; yet, seeing me awake, he took MIR.
Daviss trousers and vest from the foot OF the
bed and fed. I awoke Mr. Davis, who i'm
medately started in pursuit of him That is
the last time I saw him alive"
The prisoners shoes were found In front OF
the Davis House, and be acknowledged that
they were his He was then taken back TO
where the victim lay, when a party of six or
eight masked men appeared and took him in
charge without any resistance. They took
him to a walnut tire, at the east side OF
Crim's store on Main street When asked
what his name was he said William Dunn,
of Cincinnati, Ohio, and that he was fifty
four years old. He was asked if he had any
thing else to say and answered NO" A
rope was quickly thrown over limb and
the murderer was swung into mid air at )
o'clock.
The body was cut down and Coroner in
Quest held. The verdict read: "Came to
his death by the hands of parties unknown.
He was placed in rude imitation rosewood
coffin and the remains were buried in field.
While returning from the scene on the pas
senger train L. P Stephens, son Of the Coun-
ty Clerk, and Q. P. Pierce, both of this place,
became involved in a quarrel. Stephens
struck Pierce with pair of brass knuckleS,
and Pierce drew knife, stabbing Stephens
in the side and abdomen, inaicting fatal
wounds.