Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-08-16
SAM DAVlSES BY THE DOZEN.
Christian Names Amount to but Little
in the Missouri Backwoods.

Christian Names Amount to but Little
in the Missouri Backwoods.
While passing through the state house
the other day the writer ran across a gen.
tleman who was conspicuous figure in
western Missouri about the time the war
Of the rebellion commenced. He was
sheriff of one of the back counties and as
such had to deal with bad and dangerous
men At table the question came up as to
the number of persons who went under as
sumed names and those who had other
names thrust upon them. He said that in
his part OF the state nearly every other per-
son had some assumed name.
But" he continued, 1.-The most laugha-
bic exhibition of aliases / ever saw / met
in the fall of 1860. Our grand jury had
made presentment against one Samuel
Davis for stealing some pigs and the pa
pers were placed in my hands for service.
Davis lived over in the next county, at or
near a town named Jin's Hollow, and TO
this place l went. There were fifteen
houses in the place. After taking a sur
vey OF the places, made up my mind that
had a curious crowd 20 deal with and
governed myself accordingly. Selecting
the saloon having the largest crowd, l
walked up to the bar, called for cigar
and after smoking few iainutes took the
proprietor aside and inquired if he knew a
man living there named Samuel Davis.
" Samuel Davis? Let me see what
other name did he go by? There are SIX
Samuel Davises living in this town, and
unless you can tell the name the BOYS gave
him you might as well look for oranges on
an iceberg. Now there is old Sam Davis
who ut one time lived in Texas, and who
has been pounded up in so many fights
that his back stands up like the hump on
A camel. The boys call him Old Hump
Davis. Then there is Sam Davis, who
used to be an overseer of "a plantation in
South Carolina. Well, one day as the
story goes, he attempted TO maui an old
slave, and the fellow turned on him and
like TO ''chawed" all the skin off his face,
ana ever since that time he has been
known as Skin Davis.
You see that little old man over there
with one ear gone? In 1910 he was one of
the most prosperous farmers in these part
but one day a circus came this way and ne
fell in love with a little dancer, sold his
farm, went after her, spent all his money,
then attempted to kill her, but the little
heel kicker would not have it that way
aud send the keen edge of "A carving knife
through his ear. Now the boys call him
Lop cared Davis That tall fellow leaning
against the counter with one-half of his
nose gone used to have a wart on the end
OF 1T as big as goose egg. One day big
fellow from the mountains came down
here, and when that nose and wart got in
his way he pulled out an old navy and shot
the wart and part of the nose off and now
in four counties he is known 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 lie had some knowledge of the
Indians. Since that time he has been
known as Baldhead Davis. That little man
sleeping on the bench makes his living
gathering huckleberries, and we call him
HuckelberTy Davis. SO you see, stranger,
if you want to find Samuel Davis you must
first know his nickname
Il remained around this place five days
and made the acquaintance of the entire |
Davis tribe and their families. but failed |
to get my man, and afterward the county |
commissioner of my county secured the |
services of the best local detective and he |
remained in Jim's Hollow for over month |
but failed to locate the Samuel Davis who |
stole SOW and pigs."-Columbus (O) Cor |
Chicago Tribune.