Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1936-10-15
LELAND DAVIS, 18, PLEADS
NOT GUILTY OF MURDER

i uSH L6lduu LAWS, o. was dT-
Iraigned Tuesday evening at o'clock
before L. N. Seaman, J. p, on the
charge of premeditated first degree
murder, he pleaded not guilty. He
was arrested Saturday evening, fol-
lowing the shooting of his step
father, Emmett Ham. At, at the
| family home on the Happy Hollow
road, about a half mile from Malta
Eye witnesses to the shooting were
the slain mans wife, Jennie Riley
Ham; his son Emmett, jr., aged
Ill, and Delmer Humphrey. After
Davis entered his plea, Justice Sea-
man ordered him held to the grand
| jury without bond. If special
grand jury is not called, he will re-
main in Jail until the regular ses-
sion Of the grand jury, which will
be in January.
Tuesday, Walter Davis of Zanes-
vile, father of the accused, visited
him here at the jail.
While reports of what led up to
the shooting are somewhat conflict
ing, it would seem that it followed
an evening of quarreling, and it is
stated that the parties involved had
been drinking some. The deceased
and wife and two of their children
were at McConnelsville in their au-
tomobile, and in the alley between
the Price repair shop and Central
garage picked up Delmar Hum
phrey, and all went to the Buckeye
Grill, near the bridge, and there
drank several rounds of beer. When
they came out they met Leland Da-
Wis, Roy Ham, brother Of the de-
ceased, and Thomas Corey. Emmett
Ham going to Leland, is reported
to have said, ''all you can do is to
smoke cigarets and wear red shirts
Davis replied, cit is not costing you
anything" and it is stated Ham
told him to get his belongings and
get out of their house. Emmett
Ham and wife and two children
and Humphrey drove to the En-
NETT Ham home; about 1 5 minutes
later Leland Davis and Roy Ham
went to the Ham residence. Davis
said II came to get my clothing"
and Roy Ham remarked that Le-
land could stay with him, that his
rent was paid, and they got into
an argument, which resulted in a.
fist fight, Roy flooring his broth
er, and after holding him down for
a time let him up. 1t is said that
Emmett then lighted lantern and
went to a shed some feet from the
house and on returning had an axe,
and got after Roy with it, chasing
him around the house several times,
and then Roy slipped away. Emmett
presently came to the front door.
While Emmett was chasing Roy, it
-. Il IL 10 Inth
press and secured the IL gauge
shot gun, and went to the kitchen
and got a she'll and loaded it, and
when Emmett went to enter the
house, after chasing Roy, the boy
held up the gun and told his step
father to stay outside; but it is
stated that he came in swinging the
axe, and at the same time Leland
pointed the gun at him, Emmett
grabbed the barrel of the gun, and
at about the same time the swinging
axe struck Davis, making a slight
wound, and then the boy fired the
fatal shot, the load taking effect in
Emmett's abdomen, and he fell on
his face, death apparently coming
almost instantly. 1t is reported that
following the shooting, Hams body
remained on the floor, and was not
turned over, and no effort was ap-
parently made to summon doctor.
or to even learn whether the shot
had proven fatal. The shot made a
clean-cut hole, about the size of the
bore in the gun.
Davis was brought here by Sheriff
Adrean and placed in Jail At first
Mrs. Ham, wife of the deceased,
and mother of Davis, claimed that
she did the shooting, and Davis said
he did it, He seemed to show lit
tie concern in the matter When
questioned by Prosecuting Attorney
Riecker, he admitted the shooting
and signed a statement to that ef-
feet. 1t is said that for some time
the family had been given to much
quarreling and fussing.
The body was brought here to the
Miller undertaking parlors, where
it remained until time for the fu-
neral.
The deceased was a son of the
late A. T. and Caroline Balm Ham,
and was born and reared at Penns-
vile. He was well known as a
teamster. For some years he had
married. BY his first marriage one
daughter, Miss Nina Ham, register
ed nurse, of GAINESVILLE, survives.
His second wife was Jennie Riley,
who survives, and there are seven
children-Wanda, Grace, Emmett,
jr., Eileen, Herbert Ray, Billy d.,
and Donna Sue, all of the home. He
also leaves four sisters-Mrs. D. E.
Ellis of GAINESVILLE, and Mrs. M. D.
Martin, Mrs. Jessie Wood and Miss
Eva Ham, Malta; twin brother,
Elmer Ham, near Pennsville, and
another brother, Roy Ham, Malta,
and three step children, Mrs. John
Barkhurst, near Lancaster; Leland
Davis of the home, and Anna Lee
Davis, near Malta.
Funeral services were held Tues
day afternoon at 3 o'clock, at the
Main Street Church of Christ, Me-
Connelsville, with Rev. C. w. Perry
officiating. Burial was made in