The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1911-09-07
CHEATED DEATH SEVEN TINES
''Diamond Field Jack" Had Many
Close Calls With the Gallows.

His eyes were of a kindly blue, and
as he began to talk they were filled
with soft, faraway look that made
you feel the best of his life lay in the
past. But as he got we'll into the
story the eyes began to narrow ana
snap. You found yourselves sitting
tense on the edge of the upholstered
seats. You forgot you were in the
Savoy hotel.
You saw, along with him, that
sheep camp in Idaho a winter morn
ing Is years ago. You heard the
spat of the bullets as they buried
themselves into the logs of the cor
raj. You fought the battle along
with him. That was when Jack
Davis was a young man. He is so
years old now, and the cattle and
sheep "wars" of Idaho are of the
past.
Jack Davis, known in the West as
Diamond Field jack" was the first
man, he says, to find gold at Gold
field, New. 1t was he who opened up
the camp at Rabbit Creek, one mile
from the site of the present town.
His life has been that of soldier OF
fortune. He has been cowboy, revo-
luton maker in South and Central
America, outlaw and fugitive from
justice, protector of the weak and
avenger of the wrongs done to cattle
men by sheep herders in Cassia coun-
ty, Idaho. 1t was of only one incl
dent in this last series of excitement
that he had the time to talk about
this morning. 1t was of the seven
years of his life in which seven sep
arate dates were fixed on which he
was to be hanged.
cit was when l was a." he began,
81 was foreman for the Spikes &
Harrell ranch, in Cassia county. A
bitter war was being waged between
the sheep and the cattle men. Half
of Idaho was settled by the Mormons,
and the sheep men allied themselves
with them, so the war soon became
a fight between the Mormons and the
Gentiles of course, mean
ing the non-Mormons.
There was one man-Bill Tolman
by name-who was known to be one
of the destroying angels of the Nor
mon church, who had sworn to put
me out of the way. The county had
a Mormon sheriff and a judge who
was a sheepman, so he was fairly
safe in whatever he attempted. One
day received word that he was COM
ing to the ranch to get me. So l
made up my mind to meet him half
way. That was how I got the drop
on him about five miles down the
road.
when he tried to draw his gun l
beat him to. it and sent bullet
through his arm. That marked the
real beginning of the determlna-
ton of the whole crowd to put me
out of business forever. A little
later two sheepmen were killed in
fight with a cowboy and warrant
was sworn out for my arrest. l told
them I would give myself up, but
they knew they didn't have any case
against me and preferred to take me
by force. In that way they hoped
to embroil me in a quarrel and shoot
me legally"
Then Diamond Field Jack recount
ed several fights. He told how he
finally fought and forced the sheriff
to take him to the jail.
"seven times I was sentenced to
he hanged" he said with smile. i
appealed seven times and lost every
appeal. It cost the State s295,OOO
to prosecute me-
The board of pardons finally set
tied the matter. In 1902 Davis was
granted a pardon, just seven years
after he had been arrested first.
Mr.. Davis is in the mining business
now.-Kansas City Star.