Davis, Bob, abt. 1880-1920

DAVIS, HANDOYL

Posted By: Lydia Lucas - Volunteer (email)
Date: 7/5/2016 at 20:56:55

On Sunday, February 8, 1920, three bandits attempted to rob a store in Boyden. One of them, Bob Davis, was killed at the scene by law enforcement officers. The incident was reported in several area newspapers. Below are extracts that pertain to Davis and his death.

From the Sioux County Index (Hull), February 13, 1920, p. 1 -- Attempted Robbery at Boyden

"Three men who were robbing a general store at Boyden, Sunday morning, were trapped by a posse organized by the sheriff of Sioux City." One was killed, one captured, and one escaped. "The dead man is said to be Bob Davis, 40, notorious gun man; while the captured man is said to be Leo Buckholtz, 35, also notorious."

The sheriff had received a tip that the Boyden store was to be burglarized Saturday night or early Sunday morning, and formed a posse who hid in a nearby building. Some time after midnight the robbers drove up in a car (which was believed to have been stolen) and two of them broke into the building. "As the two men emerged from the store, their arms ladened with silks and other merchandise, the were ordered to put their hands up. The shooting followed, a large number of shots being exchanged at short range. Finally the robbers disappeared behind the buildings in front of which their auto was standing. The officers then surrounded the block and waited for daylight when one of the robbers was found dead in a clump of weeds, while the other was found hiding in a shock of corn and surrendered without resistance. The body of the dead man was removed to Orange City...." They had removed several thousand dollars worth of goods. They had also broken into the safe and removed Liberty bonds and a wallet containing several hundred dollars, which were found on the dead man.

* * * * * * * * * *

From the Rock Valley Bee, February 13, 1920, p. 6 -- Officers Battle with Bandits at Boyden

"One man is dead and another was captured and is in jail at Orange City, as a result of an attempted robbery of the People's Co-operative Store at Boyden Sunday morning.... The bandits belong to a gang operating in northwest Iowa, with headquarters at Sioux City. Detectives had been watching these men for a week, and had learned that a robbery was planned at one of the towns in this vicinity." Describes the stake-out, the break-in, and the gun battle.

"The dead man is Bob Davis, 40 years old, who is said to be a desperate character.... So fierce was the battle that the officers were forced to give ground. The gunman were game and after being trapped they fought their way out. The bandit who later was killed succeeded in making his getaway, but he took cover only long enough to reload his guns and return to the fight. He ran up to within fifteen feet of the officers and armed with two revolvers stood and fired point blank until his ammunition was exhausted."

After the gun battle, the officers decided to wait until daybreak and then close in on the bandits. When they did, they found one of the robbers dead.

Included in the article is a dispatch from Orange City, where the body of the deceased bandit had been taken and deposited at the local undertaker's parlor. "The body of the one killed is apparently that of a man approximately 35 years old. He has thin brown hair, and was dressed in an army shirt with a gold pin at the collar, and a blue serge suit. On one arm he has a tattoo of a dagger, a star and clasped hands, and on the other arm is a dagger and a picture of a woman. No other marks of identification were found."

* * * * * * * * * *

From the Alton Democrat, February 14, 1920, p. 1 -- Seven Bullet Wounds in Body of Davis
(part of this article is smudged and blurred)

"Bob Davis, the store looter, who was killed by officers of the law while in the act of robbing the Peoples' Cooperative store at Boyden early Sunday morning, had seven bullet wounds in his body and another wound caused by a .32 caliber bullet about a week old." The coroner's inquest jury exonerated the officers of all blame in his killing, saying that it was done in the performance of their duty. Davis is said to have spent last summer[?] in Sioux Center.

* * * * * * * * * *

Several Iowa newspapers published an article about a crime wave that swept northwest Iowa in 1919-1920, including: "Jack Davis was shot and instantly killed by a man whom he attempted to hold up. Bob Davis was killed in a gun fight in the streets of Boyden, Ia., with officers when he and two of his pals were surprised as they were robbing a store."

* * * * * * * * * *

From the Cedar Rapids Evening Gazette, February 26, 1920, p. 6:

Brief article about the discovery of a deserted farm building east of Sheldon, "in which Bob Davis and his gang secreted the loot they stole from stores in this section." Authorities recovered $2000 worth of goods. "The suit Davis wore when killed was stolen in Ellsworth. Davis bore a ten days' old wound in the shoulder. It is thought he got this at Onawa where the night watchman fired into a gang of robbers scared away from a job by him."

* * * * * * * * * *

From the Rock Valley Bee, February 27, 1920, p. 6:

"The corpse of 'Bob Davis' which has been held at the undertaking parlors at the Sioux Furniture Company in case it should be claimed, was shipped the early part of the week to Still College, Des Moines."

[According to Wikipedia, Still College of Osteopathy and Surgery was founded in 1898, and is now Des Moines University, an osteopathic medical school. It seems likely that Davis' body was sent there to be used in student instruction.]

* * * * * * * * * *

From the Le Mars Semi-Weekly Sentinel, March 23, 1920, p. 1:

Article about a second robbery, this time successful, of the same store in Boyden. "In the previous robbery the bandit killed was Bob Davis, alias R. Handoyl. He served time at Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Md., Syracuse, N.Y., and at the time of his death was wanted for a postoffice robbery in Boston."