Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1907-05-10
shoots Down DespoiIer

-
sensational tragedy at South Point
Wednesday night, when Iohh Davis,
8 Portsmouth ferry owner, entered his
home at midnight and found therein
DR.. G.. w. Mccoy alone with his wife.
During the fight between the two men
incident to the discovery, Davis fired
twice. both shots taking effect in DIR.
McCoy's head, the second bringin G
instant death.
All the parties concerned were of the
highest standing in the neighborhood,
and there never had been breath OF
suspicion until the fatal discovery was
made made.
Captain Tells Story
Captain Davis told the story of the
affair to a reporter at Fullerton, where
he had taken refuge in his fathers
house yesterday morning.
yesterday afternoon 1 received an
anonymous letter, w hich read:"Watch
your wife, for she is not faithful to
you. You ought to be at home.o
GAS soon as | read the letter | sold
my third interest IN the Emily, the
ferryboat had been running at the
upper Portsmouth ferry, and after set
ting up all my business affairs | took
the late G. & o. train home.
"When [ drew near the house,
which as you know, lis located opposite
Kenova, l proceeded cautiously, but
all the time laughing at myself and
calling myself fool for believing
anything in an anonymous letter
abort my wife, whom had never dis
trusted. 1 let myself in when l reached
the house, and proceeded to my wife's
room. What was my horror!
"Get out of there! ! said. DR.. Me Coy
sprank up and struck me blow in
the face. (Here Captain Davis show
ed the ugly bruise he had sustained.
The struggle between us was short.
I don't know what | intended to do,
but after we had struggled in the dark
ness for moment and realized that he
ould kill me if he could, some great
anger rose up in me, and before | knew
what | was doing / had drawn m y
gun and fired. DR.. Mccoy said my
God, you've killed mel" and L saw the
blood running down his face, / let go
| of him and he started to run. l fired
again and he fell. When | reached
him he was dead.
~ didn't stop to look where the bull
to my wife, who had covered her head
with the bed covers, and who had not
spoken word that heard. When
realized that | had killed the bespoke
of my home the first thought was to
make my escape, and that not through
towards fear. | ran down 20 the
river and found there skiff, in it l
| rowed all the way to Fullerton, dis
lance of nearly forty miles. When
reached here it was broad daylight,
but no one seemed to have heard any
thing about the trouble. some OF
the people who saw me looked at me
rather queerly, but most OF them went
on.
/ went up to my fathers house and
told him what I had done. He told
me I had done right. Pretty soon
there came telephone message say
ing that DR.. Mccoy had been killed at
my house. Then the news spread like
wiIdfire, for everyone seemed to know
about it,"
Asked whether he had any previous
suspicion of DR.. Mccoy, Captain Da-
Wis answered.:
"No; 1 always thought he was all
right. He has attended my family for
years, and we always thought of him
as friend and adviser, besides ply
stefan. don't know whether if had
it 10 do over again | would kill him or
not: | doA't know whether | am sorry
for the deed Or hot. can't seem to
get things collected in my mind. But
| do know that DIR. Mccoy did me q
terrible wrong, and if | had done as
badly | wouldn't blame man for
wanting to kill me"
Caytain Davis still bore the marks
of sleepless night and was laboring
under great excitement.
By his father'ss counsl, he agreed tc
come back to Catietlsburg and give
himself sp to the Ironton authorities
When seen, he was preparing to take
q. & o. train No, 6 for that point.
Mr.. Mccoy was the leading physi-
clan in the South point neigoborhood
He was genial and pleasant and pos
4 OnScad hn rnS ,,act of O LII w hn L now hi u,