suit with a dark blue tie. As I put the tuberose in
his buttonhole he said, "Please thank Frank for the flower." We
chatted for a little while, then came the signal to go to church.
Mr. Davis went into the chapel and I went back to the office. Little
did I think at that moment, that before midnight, our beloved Mr.
Davis would lie cold in death.
The church
services passed by as usual. The men had just finished singing the hymn "Stand
Up For Jesus," the notes of the
song had hardly died away, and the men were still standing awaiting
the benediction. Mr. Davis, as was his usual custom at the close
of services, walked across the aisle to unlock the south door through
which the prisoners pass into the yard and from thence into their
cells. All of a sudden the negro Prince, sneaked up behind him and
quickly thrust his dagger into the abdomen of the deputy. Taken by
surprise, Mr. Davis stepped to one side, throw-
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ing forward his hand in defense. Prince followed
and quickly dealt him four more blows. Mr. Wagner, then a guard,
grabbed Prince by the arm. The negro turned around and handed the
dagger to Mr, Wagner. The negro was told to go to the hole, which
he did. Mr. Wagner sent me word to telephone to Doctor Stradling
and to Doctor Wilmeth. The whole incident was in absolute
silence. Never once did Mr. Davis cry out, although he was stabbed
thrice in the abdomen, once below the heart, once in the left side
of the face, and once on the hand while using it to guard against
the blows. The men also kept quiet, not a single voice was raised,
nor was there any confusion of any kind. Mr. Davis walked into
his office, and meeting Warden Delahunty said: "I am going
to leave you Jim," for he realized that he was mortally wounded.
Leaning upon the strong arm of Mr. Dinsmore, Mr. Davis walked to
the hospital and sat down in the operating chair.
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