The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1886-09-30
A NGRDER MOST FOUL.
THE KILLING OF MRS. DAVIS, OF
ANDERSON, BY HER HUSBAND.

THE kaaLlNG OF MRS. DAVIS, OF
ANDERSON, BY Her HUSBAND.
4 Defencgless Woman Shot Dead IN the
Midst her Chiidren--A narrowing
Tale of e,el Wrong, eliminating in ii
ANDENsoN. S. c.. September 2l.-
Early Saturday morning Jasper Davis
bruta!ls murdered his wife. The scene
of The tragedy is near Shutdown. seven
teen miles north of Anderson, and not
near I,ercetown. as reported i'll the
teleyraHiof Saturday:
Davis aud his wife have not lived III
harmony for several years. About two
years. .sgo they separated, the wife keep
ing the FIVE children and supporting
them blythe sweat Of her brow. During
the time they have been apart Davis
has n'2ae repeated efforts to induce his
. wife TO live with him. On account of
his worthless character, indolent habits
and piist ill-treatment of her and her
childreuSthe plucky little woman obsln-
ately refused to live with him again
under any circumstances. In his en-
treaties DAVIS has persisted with charac-
terlstic doggedness. Finding all his ell
forts i'll this direction futile. he has
recently several times threatened to
take her life.
! Knowing the man SO well, and fear
Ing lest he might execute his threat
nlIler the cover Of darkness. the determ-
incd and praiseworthy woman has for
some time past, as precautionary mea-
sure, been spending the nights at her
brothers., near whose house she lived.
Friday night Of last week DAVIS went
to DIr Moore's, with whom Mrs Davis
was spending the night. as has been her
custom. (Mr. Moore is the brother of
the deceased. and renewed his pleadings
| for her consent. to live with him, Sic
steadily refused. and some time during
the night the licndIsn murderer left the
house With Tciil-iuld plans for the eNccu-
| ton ofhis diabolical threat.
Early Saturday morning the troubled
woman, with her children by her side:
and little dreaming of the terrible late
that awaited her. or the ticndish purpose
of the villain that had SO sullcnly lett
her, left her brothers. and started for
her home and daily work. They had
not proceeded very far before clear
shot from well-loa.led gun broke the
stiffness of the morning. The poor
woman threw up her hands, uttered one
shrek, retrcated q tcw feet and tell to
the ground. She was a corpse at the
feet Of her children.
Mr.. Moore heard the report of the
gun. ahS remembering sss!.ht threat OF
Davis. feafedsflie wopsta He rail- to
the side his sister He was too late:
s;ila INC ts5I.s.e woman vas dead. &Dayis. had
Esccretcd, himself ia the woods by the
roadside and fired the fatal shot without
moments warning to his innocen.
victim. He used a double-barrelled
shotgun. 1t was loaded with squirrel
shot Tie shot took effect in the face
and ..dc Of the head. one entering the
eve and penetrating the brain.
Before the arrival Of Coroner Nance,
Trial Justice w. j. Sitton, held al IN
quest over the dead body. and the jury
rendered verdict in accordance with the
above facts. The gun the murderer
used was stolen from his brother-in-law.
Mr.. Owens. Davis is still at large.
The shocking tragedy for time appar-
emily paralyzcd the community. The
murderer had time to make his escape,
but was hotly pursued by a determined
posse. Late Saturday afternoon he was
at one time almost surrounded. but under
tho cover OF night made goud his escape
into an almost impenctrablc swamp.
The indignation of the entire cOmmuni
tv finds its full expression in the deter
mined and unccasiny efforts OF old and
Young to capture the murderer.
Threats of lynching arc boldly made.
but it Is hoped that the sober second
thought OF the older citizens will check
that spirit, and that the miserable
wretch. if caught. may have fair trial
before the Courts Of his country. 1t Is
stated that Davis was at one time in the
! Asylum. If that is true and he be
/ brought TO trial. whatever facts may be
developed the public may be assured
that there will not be i'll Anderson
! County a repetition ofthc famous Fer
guson case in Abbcvillc. The insanity
dodge can't save Davis. The murderer
has been captured.
cuhpI ecTON SHAKEN AGAIN.