DEATH BY HIS OWN HAND - W. H. 'Harry' DAVIS, 1880

DAVIS

Posted By: Volunteer: Sherri
Date: 5/25/2014 at 09:15:50

The Fairfield Ledger
March 24, 1880, Pg. 3, Col. 6

DEATH BY HIS OWN HAND

Suicide of Harry DAVIS in this City Sunday Night.

Sunday night again our citizens were startled by another dreadful occurrence-the suicide of a well-known citizen.- About ten o'clock that evening persons in the vicinity of the square were alarmed at the agonizing shrieks of a woman's voice, and hastening in the direction indicated, found that they came from the W.H. DAVIS' home, just south of the post-office. Mrs. DAVIS was in the yard, and telling them as quickly as possible of the situation, urged them to enter the house. Once in, a sickening spectacle was presented. In a room in the northwest corner of the house lay Harry DAVIS, now in the last agonies of death. He was lying quietly just as he had fallen, with his head to the west, his feet resting near a bureau in the northeast corner of the room, which was stained and spattered with blood. On the floor near by lay the instrument of death, a 32-calibre revolver, only one chamber of which was discharged. The blood was pouring from a ghastly wound in the head, his lips were twitching convulsively, and his pulse beating feebly.

Drs. MOHR and WORTHINGTON were summonded immediately, but he was past earthly aid, and it was but a few moments until his faintly beating pulse and labored breathing were succeeded by the calm of death. An examination developed the fact that the ball had entered a little above and to the rear of the right temple, and ranging a little upward had lodged near the skull on the left side, fracturing the bone there, but not passing entirely through the head. It had done its work only too speedily, and he had no conscious moments after the discharge of the weapon.

Coroner EVANS viewed the remains Sunday night, but postponed the calling of a jury and holding of an inquest until morning. The evidence thus
introduced developed nothing new, the surgeons, Mrs. DAVIS, Capt. BEDFORD and G.P. LANG being the principal witnesses, the two latter having gone into the house first in answer to Mrs. DAVIS' cries for assistance. In her testimony Mrs. DAVIS said she knew nothing that would drive him to commit the crime, except that at times he was distressed and discouraged because of his utter failure to control his taste and appetite strong drink. At times before when under the influence of liquor he had expressed a determination to end his life, but in his sober moments he regretted such threats. He seemed to think that the demon of drink had a strong hold on him, that it was impossible to shake it off, and that friends were deserting him.

For a week previous to his death he had been perfectly free from drink. Sunday evening, however, he was out a few minutes and returned with a pint of liquor, and when his wife returned from church it was all gone. Upon entering the house he was lying on a couch, and in response to her inquiry if he was not ready for bed, said no, he would sleep there. She retired to the sleeping room, and while preparing for bed heard him arise in the other room, open a bureau drawer, where she knew the pistol was-and then a loud report, the the (err) ring of the weapon as it struck on the floor, and then the heavy fall of his body.

W.H. DAVIS was 36 years of age, a marble dealer by occupation, and had resided in this city many years. After being absent from Fairfield some time he returned last fall and purchased the stock of Leeds & Maskell, and was at the time of his death doing business in their old location. He was married in this city a few years ago, and leaves a wife but no children. He was a pleasant, genial, good natured man, honest and straightforward, and his only great fault was a love for strong drink-that which nerved him in the end to commit the desperate deed which closed his life. The remains were interred yesterday in the cemetery in this city, and the funeral was largely attended.

(Transcribed for genealogy purposes only.)

Admin. note: Buried in Evergreen Cemetery, in Lot Old.P.236.