San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-04-21
A SUSPICIOUS DEATH.
NIGHT BE MURDER, SUICIDE OR
ACCIDENT.
S. W. Davis, The Old Cabinet Maker, Has
His Career Ended And The Cause Of
His Death Is Not Clear.

S. w. Davis. who, as announced
in yesterdays Light was dying under
suspicious circumstances at l o'clock
yesterday afternoon, succumbed to the
inevitable at $3.50 o'clock D. m. yes
terday in his small cabinet shop in the
corner of his yard at l2S South Mes
quite street.
The doctors attending thought his
death resulted from excessive drink,
but after they left small vial was
found just outside of the little shop
labeled morphine and his death is now
surrounded by mystery which will not
| be cleared away until Coroner Shook
hears the testimony in the inquest
| which is to be held tomorrow.
The old gentleman had lived unhap-
PLY for quite a while With his wife.
the couple frequently engaging in
quarrels Every time one of these
unhappy events occurred he had hab-
it of going off and getting on a spree
to console his injured feelings.
Sunday night he went with his wife
to church at the tent revival on Oma-
ha street, just block away and after
returning they had some warm words,
which resulted in the old man repair
ing to his little cabinet shop in the
corner of the yard, where he spent the
night on a cot.
Monday morning upon getting up he
secured a flask of whisky and cOntin-
ued drinking all day until by night
fall he was pretty we'll intoxicated.
Just before dusk he took a short
walk and returned about $50 o'clock
bringing another flask of whisky with
him, which, after taking drink
he deposited in small
bunch of bushes in a vacant lot in the
rear of his yard, but within reach of
his fence, enabling him to secure it
without going outside. This. she
says, he visited several times during
the night.
She saw him enter his room at the
time he came home Monday night
and says she spoke to him but receiv-
ed no answer She did not see any
thing more of him, until yesterday
morning about II o'clock she was pas
sing the door of his shop, and heard
groans issuing therefrom.
This attracted her attention and she
entered the place to find him still
stretched out on his cot. Upon calling
to him and receiving no answer she as
certained he was seriously i'll and |
sent Immediately for Rev. VIM. Smith, |
who. upon arrival, had Doctor A. S. |
Mcdaniel called in. The doctor began |
to work on the patient in an endeavor |
to save his life but it was discovered |
that he was already dying and medi-
cal aid was of no use.
Shortly DR.. w. L. Barker also ar
rived. and both physicians were pres
ent at the time of his death, but he
never regained consciousness enough
to speak after being discovered by his
wife.
Coroner Shook was then summoned
and he viewed the remains issuing
a certificate of burial and setting to-
morrow for holding the inquest.
He was 63 years of age, had lived
in San Antonio for the past % years,
following the trade of cabinet maker
and furniture repairer, was a Confed-
crate veteran and was at one time a
member in good standing in both the
Masonic and the I. o. o. F. lodges.
He was the third husband of his wife
and they had never had any children
although his wife has several children
by her former husbands. He had
a grandchild, a boy about IA years of
age. living with them.
Both of them were regular atten,
dants at the South blackberry Street
NJ. z. church.
He was inferred this afternoon at 2
o'clock. !