The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1913-10-09


Napolueon. He had planned a gen.
eral uprising of the negro slaves
had provided arms for them and
planned that in the Saturnalla OF
blood and fire which would follow
their revolt his henchmen should
glut their plunder-lust unrestrain-
edly. The plan would have succeed
ed too, if it had not been that Muir
rell himself was captured just be-
fore the uprising was to have taken
place.
"Murrells organization extended
over many states and included hun
dreds of the most influential citi-
zens. Sheriffs and their deputies,
county and criminal judges, jailers
and physicians were among them.
This was one reason why members of
the Murrell gang, once apprehended,
seemed to slip through the fingers
of the law without effort or stay.
One of the ablest of Murrell's
lieutenants was a powerfully built
Welshman named William Davis.
Davis, in one of his fights between
the gang and a party of civilians at
a camp meeting near Jackson, Tenn,
lost three fingers from his left hand
and was thenceforth known as Two
Fingered Davis
After Murrell's capture and the
disclosure of his plans number of
people quietly disappeared from their
accustomed haunts. Among them was
Two Fingered Davis. Nothing was
heard of him for about dozen years.
"One night about ten years after
the capture of Murrell, man rode
up to the residence of planter near
Hickman. Ky. whose name / believe
was Evans, and asked to stay over
night. His request was granted, and
next morning, the two having fra
ternized over the fact that both hail
ed from Wales, the stranger was hir-
ed as overseer on the Evans plan
tation.
Here he remained for little over
two years. His enormous physical
strength. quickness of decision and
knowledge of planting made him an
unusually capable overseer. The man
was not without personal attractive
ness, and in the end Sallie Evans,
second daughter of the old planter,
fell in love with him.
The Evans family were properly
outraged al the proposition of the
overseer to wed daughter of the
house. but the overseer, who was
known as John Williams, was SO gen.
uine a man and so unquestionably
in love with Sallie, and the girl was
so infatuated with him, that their
scruples were finally overborne and
the wedding day was set.
Shortly after this took place, Jim
Evans, cousin of Sallie's, who liv-
ed in McNairy county Tennessee.
came on a visit to the family. This
young man recognized the overseer
at first glance and Immediately
sought his uncle.
"'Do you know who that man is?'
he asked, pointing to the big fellow
who was out in the barn showing a
colt to Sallie.
Why, that's John Williams an
swered Mr.. Evans; that's the man
Sallie is to marry next month. What
do you think of him.
Think of him. You watch me!
answered the young man.
without another word he strobe
I'D to the overseer and accosted him:
Hello, Davis.
The overseer dropped the halter
and whirled on the young man, at
the same moment reaching toward
his hip pocket for his revolver. Be-
fore he could draw it young Evans
fired, but unfortunately his bullet
went wild. A moment later he was
weltering in his life blood, with TWO
Fingered Davis's bullet through his
heart.
AT the first indication of difficult
tv old Mr.. Evans had run up toward
the little group, and as he neared
them he caught a heavy stick OF
cordwood from a pile which he pass
ed. At the same moment that Davis
fired he flung this with all his might
straight at the overseer's head.
Davis ducEed his head, and at
the same moment threw up his left
arm to guard it from the billet. The
heavy stick struck him squarely on
the point of the elbow, crushing the
joint and splintering the bones Of
both arm and forearm. Davis crashed
70 tho oroun6 like log