The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1907-05-11
AWFUL BUTCHERY
MANIAC SHOOTS DOWN FAMILY
OF SIX PERSONS.
DOUBLE BARRELED SHOTGUN
One Of the Most siood-curdIins Deeds
Recorded in the Annals Of
Crime for Years,

Crime for Years.
San Walter Chiefly Da-
Wis, a carpenter, in a fit of insanity,
shot and killed a family of six persons,
with whom he resided, at Ala Pierre
street, in this city.
The dead are:
Orson r. Bush, aged fifty-seven, his
wife and their young son.
w. s. Beard, a carpenter, with rela-
tives in ST. Louis and Denver.
NJ. f. linton, a surveyor, recently
from New York
Mrs. Lillian d. Carothers, an elderly
woman, who boarded in the house.
Davis and his victims all resided in
the house, which was conducted as a
boarding house by the Bush family.
Davis home was in Farmersville, near
Visalia. this state, where he has wife
and six children. He has been work.
ing here as carpenter since the fire.
The shooting was done with dou-
ble-barreled shotgun. Davis, who slept
in the same room with young Bush,
arose shortly after O'Clock and after
arming himself with the gun. shot his
two roommates and then visited each
room in turn. killing the occupants.
He fancied that the people in the
| udu ulSu Il plot 10 XIII nlIll
and take his money. The shot attracted
a large crowd and rush was made
upon Davis as he was attempting to
reload his weapon and he was overpow
cred and turned over to the police and
taken to the detention ward of the hos
pital.
The bodies of his victims were taken
to the morgue.
One lodger in the house escaped. She
was young girl of seventeen. Davis
pointed the gun at her and was pre-
pared TO shoot when he said she re-
sembled his daughter, SO he spared her
life
After killing Bush and Beard the
maniac took box of shells from a
shelf and walked down the hallway
where he met Mrs. Lillian d. Caroth-
srs, an elderly woman, who had heard
the first two shots and had come to
her doorway to find out what was the
matter. He shot her. and with the re-
naming shell shot Mrs Orson Bush.
Nj. e. Ninton, a government surveyor,
who had recently come here from New
York, was killed as he lay in bed
Orson Bush, Sr., was a tallyman in
the employ of the Dieckman Lumber
Company and had gotten up early in
order to prepare his coffee before go
ing to work. He heard the shooting
and rushed upstairs, where he was
met by the murderer.
The appearance of the hallway indi
fates that Bush had made a desperate
fight for his life. His body was found
as it had fallen at the head of the
stairs. Seventeen-year-old Annie Bush
came running into the hallway and
met Davis, whose shotgun was stil
clutched in his hands. He turned the
gun upon the girl, aiming at her head.
She was too dazed to move or speak
and could do nothing but stare at Da-
gis. The madman faltered and his
hands trembled. Then the girl found
voice to say: please don't kill me-"
and the shotgun dropped from Davis
hands.
Il cannot do It," he said. "You are
good girl. Besides, you look like my
| own child, and | would see her face il
killed you"
When policemen came to arrest Da-
Wis he fought like a demon and riot
call was turned in. Seven officers re-
sponded in an automobile.
Mrs. Bush received last Sunday from
Davis the following note. which gave
premonition of the tragedy:
You have killed my sons and my
nephews, but you have not all of them
yet. You expected to kill me tonight
Perahps I'll kill myself"