The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-07-28
Offered for Fiends Who Assass.
inared a Man and Daughter.
GIRL FOUGHT HARD
People Are Greatly Incensed Over the
Horrible Crime. 1t Is Believed that
the Young Lady Was Criminal.
ly Assaulted Before She
Was Murdered.
Was Murdered.

Was Murdered.
Citizens Of Miami, Florida, and sur.
rounding country, are greatly incepsed
over the brutal murder Of O. e. Davis
and his daughter, Miss Elsie Davis,
whlch occurred recently. Rewards
have been offered by private parties,
organizations and the citizens general.
y ranging from 500 to 81, 900 for the
lends and evidence to convict. Mr..
Davis and his daughter lived about
four miles west Of Miami and were In
the habit Of coming to Miami quite
frequently, in fact almost daily
Mr.. Davis was a nurseryman, having
u fine grove Of orange and grape fruit
trees, which yielded q good return for
his labors In the past years and did
quite an extensive business In budding
and selling both nursery stock budded
and In the seeding state. He was o
man OF about 81 years Of age. He was
oorn In Delaware county, Ohio, and
q lived IN the Vicinity OF Mama for
q past fourteen years. He was we'll
ilKed oy the pubic generally, but 1t Is
Thought that he must have had some
enemies, as his fine patch OF water
melon vines was totally destroyed some
weeks ago by being pulled out Of the
ground. No trace of the perpetrators
has over been discovered.
Miss Elsie Davis was an exceedingly
attractive young lady; was about
eighteen years OF age, rather small,
with a lithesome, graceful figure, quite
pretty, with blue eyes and light brown
hair. She was very bright and lively
with a fondness for society and a de-
cided talent for the amateur stage.
She frequently appeared before the
Miami public In amateur performance
es Tor the benefit Of some local organi-
zation and always made q success OF
her part. On Sunday Mr.. M. s. Bur.
bank, a friend called at the Davis
home and knocked, but securing no
reply and seeing no one, concluded
that the father and daughter were
not at home, while at that time their
murdered bodies were welteripg in
their blood In their respective bedrooms
on the second floor.
YOUNG MAN SUMMONS HELP.
He went again on Sunday after.
noon, as he had to go on a trip with
MIR. DAVIS, and to tell him that he
could not go. He called a third time
on Monday morning and still not see.
ing any one went to the home Of one
OF Mr.. Davis sons, who lived near
and told him OF the circumstances of
his having called three times and
could find no n at htma. Mr.. Ed
Dayls went with Mr.. BurbanyI ana
not being welcomed as usual, te en-
tered the house, and to T.. ne
discovered the dead bodies Of his, wed
ones. He rushed back to Mans told
the terrible news and sought 81 .lpa.
thetic friends, who FASTENED to the
scene and found his surmise only too
true, that his father and sister had
been cruelty assassinated by an IN.
known foe.
The sheriff, corner and other officials
we're at once notified and the news
spread like wild fire throughout the
city. Crowds visited the spot OF the
foulest murders that have ever been
committed in Dade county. Mr.. Davis
vas lying in bed with a bullet hole
through his neck. From his peaceful
position IT, is thought that he was shot
'h'o ooiooP anu ilu IOU KNOW WIldl
end.l his earthly existence, though
there are indications that he was
strangled, too; also that he was the
first one murdered, as his daughters
room, which was quite near his, was
In disorder, showing that there was a
struggle. A large rug on the floor was
disturbed ana the bed clothing In q
tumbled condition. ~
Miss Davis seemed to have been
thrown on the bed with her head to,
ward the foot and her hair over. her
face. She had been shot I'M both
breasts, n ball passing through her
body n the mattress and lodging
In the floor under the bed. 1t is the
same number as that used by her
father and his pistol which 1T ally
was kept on the first floor cannot be
found, therefore IT is generally baliev.
ed that the murderer or murderers
used MIR. Davis pistol to kill both
himself and his beloved daughter.
Nothing in the way Of money, level.
ny or silver seems to have been remoy-
ed from house and the supposition Is
that the object was criminal assault.
Fonnd Negro In Room.
a special from Athens, Ga to the
Augusta Chronicle says win Howard,