Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-07-30
TO A HIGHER COURT.
j. w. Davis Lies in His Cell
Corpse.
TO THE GREAT WHITE THRONE
He Has Appealed for Final judgment on
HIS Case.
He Breathed His Last in the Arms of
His Mother at 1:15 - The Cause,
Congestion of the Srain-The
story of His Crime.

AT 7:15 last evening ! ". Davis, under
sentence of death for the murder OF &. &.
Evans, died in his cell in he hospital ward
of the county jail of congestion Of the hraln
He had been in his usual good health and
spirits Up 10 the time the Scaffoiu, upon
which he was I, die was erected, and when
he was told it was nee SSarH he should be
removed TO his old cell in the Hospital ward,
he simply remarked: 1T i not necessary.
The hammering would not annoy me, but
nevertheless. change was perceptible
70 thc keen eyes of the attendants. ami
though lie apparently kept up his nerve. =
was manifest that he was doing 50 with =
great effort Al this point he seems 10 have
suddenly lost all hope, and when the seal
fold was finished and tested he seemed 10
relapse into me,iitative, thoughtful mood.
and declined To see any one except the min
listers, his mother and attorney.
The intense mental strain under which lie
had been laboring proved too much and the
overwrought nervous system gave way, re
sultiug in an epileptic lit, the severe
muscular contraction of which resulted
III wrenchin& his leg, which had been
broken last winter causing the most eNcru-
ciating agony, The only way lit which ii
could be checked sufficiently TO
afford him any reasonable amount
Of ease, was by the admin
istration of opiateS, and it was necessary
that the attendants assist him whenever II
was necessary or he desired To turn or move
on his bed. Tuesday he was quite INV, the
services of physician being necessary
during the greater portion of the day. Yes
terday he was thought to be little better,
though the feverish condition seemed to he
unchanged and the Improvement was so
slight as to be scarcely noticeable.
On Tuesday night the death-watch, VITO
has kept HIM unucr constant surveillance
since the death warrant was issued. notice.
an inCeSSant picking at the bed clothes. and
remarked to 4 GAZETTE reporter yesterday
afternoon that he thought Davis was worse
than it was thought.
Since the attack he has taken very little
nourishmen until yesterday morning, when
he ate couple of eggs, but with little APP
parent relish. He spoke very little even TO
his mother the few remarks he did make
being incoherent. He acted as aman daZed,
half unconscious The whole appearance
of the man was that Of one whose nervous
system had collapsed
As he lay upon his narrow cot last night,
cold and stiff in death, his thin underShrt
open at the throat, exposing his magniti-
cent torso a splendid specimen OF
physical manhood, one could not
but feel conscious of thrill!
of qualification at the thought that the rope
had not yet been received that was 10 hang
him. Angel Azrael had stepped in and
served perpetual injunction upon the exc
cution. and the soul Of J. ". Davis, crime
stained though ii may have been,
had gone to plead its cause before the ON
nipotent Judge upon the great white throne,
where exact and impartial justice will be
done, and the final decision be rendered BY
that tribunal from which there is 10 appeal.
The time of the funeral has not yet been
fixed. though the body will be turned over
to friends for interment.