The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1892-08-19
SAM DAvIsEs BY THE DOZEN.
In the Missouri Backwoods Christian
Names Amount to Nothing.


Names Amount to Nothing.
While passing through the state
house the other day, the writer ran
across a gentleman VINO was a conspicu-
Gus figure in western Missouri about the
time the war commenced. He was
sheriff of one of the back counties and
as such had to deal with bad and dam
gerous men. At table, the question
came up as to the number of persons
who went under assumed names, and
those who had other names thrust upon
them. He said that in his part of the
state nearly every other person had
some assumed name.
But" ne continued, 1.-The most
laughable exhibition of aliases | ever
saw | met in the fall of 1860. Our grand
jury had made a presentm ent against
one Samuel Davis for stealing so mepigs,
and the papers were placed in my hands
for service Davis lived over i n the next
county. at or near a town named Jim's
Hollow and to this place ! went
There were fifteen houses in the
place. and in five of them whisky
was sold and gambling was car
ried on. After taking a survey Of
the places, ! made up my mind that
had curious crow d to deal with, and
governed myself accordingly Selecting
the saloon hav ing the largest crowd,
walked up TO the bar, called for cigar,
and after smoking n few minutes IN
the proprietor aside and inquired II M
knew n man living there named Samuel
Davis.
Samuel Davis? Let me see. What
other name did he go by? There are
six Samuel Ia vises living in this town,
and unless you ca n tell the name the
boys gave him you might "a well look
Tor oranges on an iceberg. Now, there
is old Sam Davis, who at one time lived
in Texas and who has been pounded up
in 50 many fights that his back stands
up like the hump On to camel. The
b oys call him odd Hump Davis" Then
there is Sam Davis. who used to be an
overseer of a nigg or plantation in South
Carolina. Well, one day, as the story
goes, he attempted to maui an old slave
and the fellow tuned on him and like
to ''chawed' all he skin off his face,
and ever since TINT time he has been
known as Skin Davis" You see that
little old man ov.r there on that beer
keg with one ear gone? In 1S49 he was
one of the most prosperous farmers in
these parts. but tne day circus came
this way, and ne fell in love with
little da ncer, soll his farm, went after
her. spent all his money-then at
tempted to kill h,r, but the little heel
kicker would not have it that way, and
sent the keen etge of carvingknife
through his ear. Now the boys call him
"LopEared Davis" That tall fellow
leaning against tie counter with one
half of his nose gone used to have
wart on the end of it as big as a
goose egg. One cay big fellow from
the mountains came down here. filled
himself up with old rye. and when that
nose and wart got in his way he pulled
out an old navy Ind shot the wart and
part of the nose off, and now in four
counties he is KIN own as "Short-nose
Davis" You see that corpulent man at
the third table playing cards, with no
hair on his head. In 1859 he went across
the plains to California in search of
gold. He didn't find much gold but
struck an Indian trail, and several old
bucks struck him, and when they parted
the bucks had all his hair and he had
some knowledge of the Indians. Since
that time he has been known as Bald
head Davis" That little man sleeping
on the bench makes his living gathering
uckleberries, and we call him "Hucls
Berry Davis SO you see, stranger, if
you want to find Samuel Davis you
must first know his nickname
II remained around this place Ave
days, and made the acquaintance of the
entire Davis tribe and their families.
but failed to get my man, and after
wards the county commission err of my
county secured the services of one of
the best local detectives, and he re-
manned in Jim's Hollow for over
month, but failed to locate the samuel
Davis who stole the SOW and pigs
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