The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-11-08
DAVIS CASE
NOW CENTER
Of ATTENTION
TWO PROMINENT BARLOW MEN
BEING TRIED FOR KILL.
ING NEGRO
The Verdict Will Probably Not Be
Reached Much Before
Monday

Barlow, Fla, /, Nov. 8.-Practic-
ally all Of yesterday in the circuit
court was taken up with the intro
duction of testimony in the Davis
murder trial, a Jury having been Sc.
cured on Thursday night. 1t is like.
ly that the presentation of testimony
will be finished today and the case
argued and given to the jury. in
which case there will in all proba5il.
ity be verdict tonight or tomorrow.
In this case the following named
men are serving as jurors: NJ. Fl.
Collins, w. r. King, B. P. Cason.
A. e. Parker, E. G. Flannagin.
VIM. B. Anderson, Kline o. Warn.
e. II. Garland. c. F. Merritt, w.
A. Harris, N. Fl. Booth and w. S.
Lawler, Jr.
The defendants, James r. Davis
and son Harold, are being tried for
murder, the charge being that on
Jan. 20, 1913. they killed Tom Law.
a negro. in West Barlow. Mr.. Da-
Wis lives one miles north of Barlow
He is one OF the best known farm
ers of the county, and is a man in
good circumstances His son Is
boy about twenty years old or
younger
The evidence given by the States
principal witness, Yorick Law.
brother Of the deceased, was about
as follows: That on the night of
Jan. 20, about Z O'Clock, james r
Davis and son Harold, drove up to
Tom Laws gate in Mr., Davis auto
mobile and called Tom out; tnat a
quarrel took place at the gate be-
cause the negro had not worked fer
Mr.. Davis for the past tive weeks,
was in debt to Mr. Davis and re
fused to pay hin; that in the quar-
rel Mr.. Davis struck Law over the
head with his pistol, making bad
bruise and causing his head to
bleed; that thereupon the Dayiscs
followed Law into his yard and just
before he reached the door of his
house both fired upon him with pis-
tolls and killed him, the deceased be
ing pierced by FIVE bullets.
This witness testimony was con
siderably shaken by showing tnat his
testimony given on the trial was dit
ferent in material points from that
given at the coroner's inquest. and
in addition several white citizens
swore that they would not believe
old Yorick on his oath
At the adjournment of court YES
tcrday afternoon, Mr.. Davis was be-
ing cross examined upon his drect
testimony. His examination will be
concluded this morning.
Mr.. Davis testified in substance a.
follows: That Tom Law had been
employed by him for eight years. and
that he and his family thought a
great deal of the old negro and had
favored him in many ways; that he
went to Laws house purely for the
purpose of finding out what was the
matter with the old man and had
not the least intention of having any
trouble with the man; that being In
the habit of bringing money back
from town at night to pay of hands
he frequently carries his pistol with
him. that after he had called the
negro out to the gate and had fin
ished talking with him the negro be-
gan to talk insolently to him and
abuse him; that he cursed the negro
and that thereupon Law drew his
knife to cut him, and to protect him
self he hit him over the head with
his pistol and that then Law went
a short distance and got his axe and
was advancing upon him to strike
him when he and Harold opened FIRE
on the negro and killed him. The
fight before the jury will come upon
this plea OF self defense and upon
the effort OF the defense to entirely
break down the States witnesses.