Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1910-11-12
DEATH RESULTS FROM
TRADEGY NEAR TOWN
John Evans Shoots John Davis in Leg
7 Saturday Evening During Quarrel
and Victim 5ies Next Morning.
From The world Of Monday:

From The World Of Monday:
As the result OF tragedy enacted
Saturday evening shortly after five
O'Clock in the ncighhorhood Of Stokes
school bouse, about FIVE or six miles
south Of this city John Davis, 35 years
old is dead from a gunshot wound and
his assaI ant, John Evans is in Jail
aGa1iug a hearing.
DAVIS was shot. at close range, in
Ike left leg just below the knee, The
heavy charge nearly severlng the leg
lie nearly bled to death before being
brought 10 the City Hospital Saturday
nigat, and he died Sunday morning at
O'Clock fol owing an anputation Of
the leg as the only hope Of saving his
lie
The tragedy was he outcome Of a
wordy quarrel concerning a promisory
note OF s25. Evans, a man of 50 years
~ed age who lives south OF Gerrards
Town and just over the line in Freder
lex county, Va. his daughter Mrs Jen
ME Fscus, widow of Joseph Fiscus,
and Davis were I'll in Martinsburg
Saturday IN business. While here
Evans paid the note in question, of
(Which his daughter, Mrs. Fscus, was
one Of the drawers but of which he
was rot an endorser.
Late in the afternoon the three start
cd FOR home, Evans and his daughter
IN Z stickwagoa and Davis in a two
horse wagon. When they reached the
gate at he lane that leads from the
main road 10 Mrs Fiscus' home the
quarrel concerning the promisorr note
NAich had begun in Martinsburg, was
renewed between Evans and Davis
.tyans accused Davis of treating him
bsGly II not helping to lift the rote as
be mad agreed to do and angry words
followed, each calling the other vile
names, ii is said Finally Davis pick
ed Up a heavy iren ring from about
the wagon and struck Evans a fear
fri blow over the eye, the lattor still
being n his stick wagon. Then Evans
sud mis- daughter hurriedly drove 10
her home
When they reached the barn Evans
says he saw Davis running across the
Geld towards the barn. Fearing that
Davis would heat him up worse than
The first encounter, Evans called to
his young son Robert to bring his shot
gun 10 him the latter having Just re-
turned from hunting Evans quick y
inserted a cartridge and waited the
coming of Davis. He says he warned
Davis to keep away but the LATTE kept
advancing, and when he got within
about fifteen feet of HIM he fired low
nurposely so as MOI. to kill Davis,
which, he says he could easily have
done Davis reeled and fell 10 the
ground Davis was taken to his home
about a mile away, fast growing weak
er from oss of blood, Dr.. Sperrow
was called, and when he got our there
sasou $50 o'clock Saturday evening
the man had nearly bled to death.
when he returned to town he called at
the City Hosp.'a al and advised that the
ambulance be sent out at once and
tthe man he brought to the hospi, all
Or oates and DR.. Minghni FASTENED
10 Davis home and brought him in,
arriving here af er midn. ght. There
vas a chance Of saving the mans life
by amputating his leg above the knee.
and that was accordingly done, Drs.
oates and Sperrow performing he OPP
teration and Or. VI nghini administer
ing the ether. But the man d,ed a,
O'Clock Sunday morning, as stated,
The body was removed later 10 the
rooms Of Undertaken Kogelschatz. The
hoGy was taken home this afternoon.
Davis leaves wife and four young
children: also his father. Glen Davis,
a bro her. Harry, and several sisters.
The funeral vii be held Wednesday at
10 a. M at the house and burial in a
graveyard nearby.
EVars Arrested.
Some time after the shoe ing Evans
went 10 the home Of his son William.
who lives near the scene of me trag-
edy. and put mp for the night Armed
with a warrant from Justice Lemen
Cons able Wild and Deputy Sheriffs
Lemen and Kettering went out Satur-
day night and arrested Evans calling
AAM JUL Ol D'N. i ufN ret lliF.A Win
Their prisoner about o'clock Sunday
morning and p aced him in jail. II
was from World reporter that
Evans first learned of Davis death
the interview taking place in the jail
Sunday afternoon Evans seemed sur
prised tina Davis was dead knowing
that ne had not shot him in . vital
part, his intention, ne said only being
10 wound him or else take a beating
himself Evans is partly paralyzed on
his left side, He has wife ami nine
chi dren. all grown up but two. lie
expressed no regret that he shoe Davis
only saving that he did 1t IN self de
fence.
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