“Our village was thrown into a furor of excitement last evening by a brutal crime bring committed in out midst. David Davis, a hard-working, inoffensive citizen, and a young man by the name of Allie Moore were going home from their work about dush. Their homes are in the same lot and about a half mile east of Buena Vista. They live in Ed. Sullivan’s property.”
“They they had gotten a short distance east of Twin Creek bridge, they were met by Henry James, who is married and lives here, and his brother who lives at Turkey Creek, near Friendship.”
“They had, it seems, been to Vanceburg, where they had been drinking, and were at this time much the worse for liquor.”
“Henry began to quarrel with Allie Moore and they were soon engaged in a fist fight. Mr. Davis was trying to seperate the combatants, and when his back was turned, Ike James struck him a terrible blow over the head with a gun he had on his shoulder. The gun, which was a rifle, was shivered to pieces by the blow.”
“Mr. Davis sank down as if dead. He was placed on a board and carried to the residence of Doctor Frizzel, who dressed his wound and sewed it up. Doctor Frizzell pronounced his wound as probably mortal, his skull bring badly fractured.”
“Up to this time (Tuesday evening) Mr. Davis has remained unconscious.”
“Constable Harrison, within an hour, had summoned a posse of men to arrest the James boys. He and his squad had surrounded Henry James’ house and were careful to bar all means of escape, but on searching the house it was found the birds had flown. It seems that they came on to Henry’s house immediately after the tradgedy, and bidding his wife a hasty goodbye, the two brothers left, it is thought, in the direction of Rome in Adams county.”
“It is evident they thought they had killed Davis, as Henry was heard to tell his wife that they might never come back.”
“Mr. Davis is a poor hard-working man, and has a wife and seven small children.”1
