The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-07-23
STORY OF 4 BAD MAN FROM TEXAS Incidents in the Career of
 Tooth Pick" Davis HAD TILTS WITH THE LAW ..s Was Bluffed Several Times By Other Men of Nerve, But He Died
 With His Boots
HAD TlLTS WITH THE LAW
Erom the Denver Republlcan.

Bruce Mayor, travelling man. of many and varied experiences, and a number of others were chatting the other evening, when the conversation turned on "bad mem of the west.
 Texas has had many" remarked Bruce, "and few, I dare say, excelled Davs-Jim Davis. commonly called Tooth pick Davis--and whose name is doubtless familiar to all of you.
 T recolect him first at Austin. After ward I used to see him in Galveston, where he ran a faro game and a general gambling house gambling house of the kind that might justly be called of the better class. Davis was giant Of a man, over six feet in height, broad aud burly as well.
 l "One time I was out tarpon fishing, possibly mile or two from shore, when noticed Tootpick and another man cruising about at little distance from me- Suddenly Tootpicks partner, who was stepping gaily about in the boat, fell Into the water.
 l "In Q wild effort to recover his friend, 1 Tootpick fell after him. The boat, which was sailing a bit free at the time, with out being steered. got her head into the wind and stood there Tapping her sails. l "When Tootpick fell into the water we l pointed our boat for him, but as we ap- preached he waved his hand and yelled:
 {" Don't stop for me; save Jim. He cant swim lick and he owes me over S16O0'
 | Tt was about three days later when chanced to meet Davis in the bar room of 1 the hotel After extending his hand and thanking me for saving his life, he said: But about Jim. You know he owed me $1600. Well, what does the fellow do2 As soon as he recovers his breath he l lands on me, and says that he must be 1 in a streak of luck because he didn't | drown and that, if I'd stake him against faro bank, he could win $10o,0O0. The worst of it is that he actually made me believe It. We'll he lost 5000 of my money, and now he owes me $2600-seef | It would have been better if he had l drowned so I am not so grateful as l l was.' "
 Drummer Knew Him.
 q think" said the drummer for Ken- lucky liquor house, T used to see some. thing of your friend Toothpick out In Texas, too. It was when the branch of the Missouri Kansas and Texas railway was extended to Parson. Kan, to Denni- son. I went through a section practically | pre- -empted by the marauding halfbreeds, the rusters and criminais who subse- quently had to emgrate to No Man 8 Land, In the Texas Panhandle. While this road was in course of construction the bold monte men. as fine coterle or crim- inas as ever went unhung, swarmed hye- nalike about the tent towns to prey upon the railway laborers. Shooting was Ss common as swearing. The officials liyed in eabooses with extra timbered sides sort of fortress on wheels.
 "Col. Edward Lynde had the contract for the road. He was a fine looking man, 1.-the, active, alert and stranger to fear.
 "Colonel Lynde engaged Davis to bring 1O0 yoke of oxen to the present city of Eufala to carry supplies south. But, Tooth- pick simply rounded a number of Texas steers. and yol<ing these up with difficulty started out The second day out there was a grand stampede, in which wagons were overturned and confusion reigned su- preme. Toothpick made not the least at tempt to remedy matters. but rode away south.
 "Lynde started after Davis with a big muleteer named Jim. A fifty-mie chase brought them up with Davrs, who was ac- companied by a Mexican. Toothpclk reached for his guns, but was covered by Biz Jim. The Mexican attempted to throw murderous knife. but dropped 1t with an oath when he got a bullet in his wrist. Davis was tied up with ropes like a trussed chicken. thrown Into a wagon and hurried back to the end of the line, where he was made to square accounts.
 "One night about month after this, Colonel Lynde drove into the hamlet of Avoca, and jumping from the blackboard, hastened into the hotel. The bar was full of smoke and border men, and in the midst of the largest group stood Davis. Every man was accounted man of ex- perience,' and all had heard of Toothpick' s boast that he would fix Lynde at the first opportunity
 Lynde Had Nerve.
 "Lynde never carried a gun, but he had one thing-nerve. He walked over to Davis and pushed him aside, remarking in a loud voice that he would shoot him on sight if he crossed his path again. He then proceeded upstairs 10 ped. Then tho gang proceeded to liquor up,' and man was shot in the room directly beneath him.
 Early next morning Lynde went Into the office which was a long, narrow room with a railing at one end. when suddenly there was commotion in the street. | no ,-;e b,,ret in tho door and reeled in with