Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-08-01
A BAD MAN FROM TEXAS.
Incidents In the Career of "Toothpiok"
Davis.


evening when the conversation turn
ed on bad men" Of the west, says the
Denver Republican.
Texas has had many" remarked
Bruce, land few, dare say, excelled
Davis-Jim Davis, commonly called
Toothpick Davis-and whose name Is
doubtless familiar to all Of you.
II recollect him first at Austin. After
| ward used to see him in Galveston.
where he ran a faro game and gen.
eral gambling house-a gambling house
Of the kind that might justly be called
Of the better class. Davis was a giant
Of q man, over six feet in height, broad
and burly as well.
"One time went out tarpon fishing,
possibly a mile or two from shore, when
I noticed Toothpick and another man
cruising about at a little distance from
me. Suddenly Toothpick's partner.
who was stepping gaily about in the
boat. fell into the water.
"In wild effort to recover his friend,
Toothpick fell after him. The boat,
which was sailing bit free at the
time, without being steered, got her
head into the wind and stood there
tapping her sails.
when Toothpick fell into the water
we pointed our boat for him. but as
we approached he waved his hand and
yelled:
a. sDop,t atom FOR mo. oova Tim He
can't swim q lick and he owes me over
$1,000
1T was about three days later when
chanced to meet Davis in the bar
room Of the hotel. After extending his
hand and thanking me for saving his
life, he said:
"'But about Jim. You know he owed
me $1,000. Well, what does the fell
low do? AS soon as he recovers his
breath he lands on me, and says that
| he must be in a streak Of luck be-
cause he didn't drown, and that, II
| I'd stake him against a faro bank, he
could win 100000. The worst Of II
| Is that he actually made me believeit
Well he lost $1,000 of my money. and
now he owes me S2,600-see? 1t would
have been better II he had drowned
so I am not so grateful as was. y"
| II think" said the drummer for q
Kentucky liquor house. II used to see
something of your friend Toothpick
out in Texas, too. 1t was when the
| branch Of the Missouri, Kansas and
Texas railway was extended from Par
son, KAN, to Dennison. 1t went through
a section practically pre-empted by
| the marauding halfbreeds, the rustlers
and criminals who subsequently had
| to emigrate to No Mans Land, In the
| Texas Panhandle. While this road
was in course Of construction the bold
| monte men, as fine a coterie Of GRIM
| inals as ever went unhung, swarmed
hyenalike about the tent towns to prey
/ upon the railway laborers. Shooting
/ was as common as swearing. The
officials lived In cabooses with extra
timbered sides-sort of fortress on
| wheels.
/ "Col. Edward Lynde had the con-
tract for the road. He was a fine look
ing man, 1.-the, active, alert and a
stranger to fear.
"Col. Lynde engaged Davis to bring
100 yoke Of oxen to the present city
Of Eufala to carry supplies south. But
Toothpick simply rounded number of
Texas steers, and yoking these up with
difficulty started out. The second day
out there was a grand stampede, In
which wagons were overturned and
confusion reigned supreme. Tooth
pick made not the least attempt to
remedy matters, but rode away south.
"Lynde started after Davis with a
big muleteer named Jim. A fifty mile
chase brought them up with Davis
was was accompanied by Mexican;
Toothpick reached for his guns, but
was covered by Big Jim. The Mexi-
can ATTEMPTED to throw q murderous
knife, but dropped 1t with an oath when
he got bullet in his wrist. Davis was
tied up with ropes like a trussed chick
en-, thrown into q wagon and hurried
back to the end Of the line, where he
was made to square accounts.
Zone night about q month after this
Colonel Lynde drove into the hamlet
Of Avoca, and jumping from the buck
board, 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 account
ed q man Of experience and all heard
Of Toothpick's boast that he would
fix Lynde at the first opportunity"
"Lynde never carried a gun, but he
had one thing-nerve. He walked over
to Davis and pushed him aside, re-
marking in loud voice he would shoot
him on sight II he crossed his path
again. He then proceeded upstairs
to bed. Then the gang proceeded to
liquor up and man was shot In the
room directly beneath him.
Early next morning Lynde went In
to the office, which was long, narrow
room with a railing at one end, when
suddenly there was a commotion In the
street. Davis burst In the door and
reeled In with revolver In each hand,
and with a deep oath, asked for Lynde.
That worthy leaped over the railing
and drawing his huge, old fashioned
pocket knife, started for Toothpick,
shouting, I've got you now! Davis
turned and fled as IL spurred by the
devil himself.
HE got killed finally 1t was some
where up in Gunnison county, be-
lieve, over in the 'Tincup' mining dis
trict Toothpick was playing faro bank
one night, and went broke. He turned
to a mild eyed little fellow who was
sitting on his left and said
" Stick $50 on the queen for me,
pard.'
1.-The mild little man complied and
the queen lost. Toothpick borrowed
another $50 from the mild little man
and lost 1t in the same way. Then
Davis strolled out, but In half an hour
returned with $40. He played and
soon ran his $40 up to five or six hum
dred Then the meek little man, who
had loaned him money, went broke.
4" I'm broke, Davis said he; sup
pose you pay me that $780,
" Go away from me- said Davis
savagely. Don't bother me now
But didn't talk that when loan
ed it to you,' demonstrated the little
man.
You keep on bothering me about
that $780, said Davis, with dark
frown, and I'll make you look SICK
"Then the dealer, with his eyes
swapping in an ugly way, pointed
steady finger at Davis, and said: You
cash in what chips you have; you
can't set another bet on this layout,
Ia