Rensselaer Republican, Volume 18, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 September 1885 — MADE A MISTAKE. [ARTICLE]

MADE A MISTAKE.

■ Tom Davis, the Notorious “800. die” Mian, Plays a Texan for a Sucker,, And, as a Very Natural Consequence, Receives a Bullet Through His Heart (New York speclal.l Thomas Davis, a notorious sporting-man and swindler, was killed to-day in his trick establishment oil the third floor of No. 113 Reade street, this city, by James T. Ho 1 - land, a Texan, who had paid him SSOO for what he supposed was SIO,OOO in counterfeit money, and who discovered at the moment the transaction was consummated that he was cheated. As a swindler he is known in the rogues’ vernacular as a “boodle” mau, a “faker,” a “sawdust” operator, and a first-class “skin." His transaction with Holland was in the “boodle” line, in which the victim believes that he has received genuine or counterfeit money, and discovers too late that bundles of paper, lead pipe wrapped up so as to resenible rolls of coin, or bricks carefully packed in paper, have been substituted. Davis had about half a dozen dffices in this city fitted up in various ways for swindling the unwary. James T. Holland is a real-estate dealer in Abilene, Taylor County, Tex. One of Davis’ circulars or advertisements of counterfeit money had come to the notice of Holland, and he had come to New York with John T. Hill, or John P. Johnson, City Marshal of Colorado, Mitchell County, Tex, Each is tall, spare, keen-eyed, and active. The two men from Texas came here last Wednesday and immediately opened negotiations with Davis. It was finally agreed that he should sell SIO,OOO worth of “green goods” to Holland for SSOO. On a letter from one of them Davis met them at the Merchants’ Hotel at noon yesterday, and from there Holland went to Davis’ room. Everything was ready. Davis said, and Holland said he had his “end” of the transaction —meaning the money to pay for the expected counterfeits—in order. Davie had provided SIO,OOO in genuine money to show. His confederate in the plot was hie brother Theodore, who glued his eye to a knot-hole in the partition and listened eagerly to what was said. Holland counted out his money which Tom pocketed and then Tom produced the supposed counterfeits, in reality the genuine money, and the bills were counted into a black satchel which was on the desk near the aperture into the confederate’s room. When the count had been made the Eatchel was closed, and Davis attempted to distract the Texan’s attention. Theodore, through "the aperture, took the genuine money from the satchel and had just it, with three bundles of blank paper substituted for the bills, through the dummy back, when Holland, despite Davis’ efforts, saw it move, and instantly became suspicions. Opening the satchel, he detected the substitution, drew a revolver on Davis, and manded his money. Tom exclaimed: “You wouldn’t shoot me? lam unarmed, ” and lifted the skirts of his coat to show that he had no pistol. Holland at once fired, the bullet striking Davis in the left shoulder and passing downward and through the body. Davis fell to the floor and did not speak or move afterward. Theodore immediately Bprang to the door with the $10,,000 in his possession, and went down stairs to put the money in a place of safety, which he would not afterward reveal. As he went along the corridor Holland fired two more shots —one went through the desk and dummy partition, and the other could not be traced. Holland went down stairs into the street, and, as he started to walk away, Theodore, who was waiting for him, pointed him out to a policeman, and said: “Arrest him- He has just shot a man.” Holland appeared cool and unconcerned, and admitted that he had shot Davis because the d?ad man and Theodore had tried to rob him. Holland was taken back to Davis’ room by the policemen and subsequently was locked up in the police station. Theodore was detained as a witness. H*ill,. or Johnston, was arrested at the Merchants’ Hotel. About $1,500 in bills was found on his person. He was locked up to await developments.