HISTORICAL records show a wide range of interesting and bizarre stories just waiting to be uncovered.

Here we take a look at the controversial killing of a Llandovery man at the hands of police in America in the late 1800s.

John W. Davis was born in Llandovery and is the brother of Tichborne Davis, a well-known commercial traveller of the time.

Tichborne was well-known in the areas around west Wales and spent a lot of time in Swansea, while John was living in Pittston in Lucerne County, Pennsylvania.

Pittston held around 12,000 residents at the time and was nine miles away from Wilkes-Barre. A report in the Swansea and Glamorgan Herald on November 5, 1890, called the murder of John Davis ‘one of the most atrocious crimes ever perpetrated in the above-mentioned place.’

John had been drinking throughout the day while in Pittston on Friday, October 17. The article states that ‘when the evening came he was considerably under the influence of liquor’ and had entered the Windsor Hotel where he carried on drinking.

He was stood at the bar in the hotel when he was involved in a dispute with another man called Steph Scott who hailed from Avoca. John hit the man in the mouth. The pair were told by the bartender to stop or he would call the police and after becoming abusive, John left the premises.

He later met up with the man in the bar room and they continued to argue which attracted the attention of policeman and night watchman William Weathers, who was on his beat.

He arrested John and while attempting to take him to the lock-up, John resisted and the officer called on a passing policeman – William Williams – to assist.

As they were passing the Eagle Hotel, a member of the public became involved in the situation and Williams let go of John to turn his attention to the new arrival. A liveryman’s driver called James Sullivan helped Weathers by grabbing John’s arm.

John continued to struggle and was able to overpower the two due to his size and strength. Williams stepped into the doorway of Glick’s Drug Store, next to the Eagle Hotel and fired two gunshots into the air from his revolver.

John threw Weathers into the gutter and Weathers took his own gun and fired four shots at John, who fell forwards onto his face.

He was taken into the hotel and laid on the floor where he is said to have said, “O God, let me die.” John was dead 10 minutes later.

He had been shot in the right lung, with the bullet lodging in his spine, just below the right ear which exited through his mouth. The third bullet went through the right shoulder and exited along the back but the fourth bullet was not accounted for.

The report states that his body was taken to his home in West Pittston and arrest warrants were issued for both police officers. Williams was taken into custody and placed in the lock-up.

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The article also gives some information about John’s life after leaving Llandovery and arriving in Pennsylvania. He owned a large grocery and drapery business in Piston a number of years before his death.

He was a well-known figure across Lucerne County and after his grocery business – which lost him a lot of money – he became proprietor of the Windsor Hotel.

At the time of his death, he had relinquished the hotel and was buying and selling coal lands on speculation.

John was described as ‘of a liberal nature, and was always the working man’s friend. He was addicted to drink at times, but at other times would not touch a drop, and was a perfect gentleman, fitted to adorn any society on Earth.’

John left behind a wife and two children.

At the time of the publication of the article, a preliminary hearing had been held at Pittston Town Hall where the two officers were implicated and both had been held for further examination alongside Scott.

An article by the Carmarthen Journal and South Wales Weekly Advertiser on February 20, 1891, said that after the shooting, Weathers ‘feigned insensibility, and was carried to his home in that alleged condition.’

The trial took place on January 29, with His Honour Judge Rice presiding at Luzerne County Court in Wilkes-Barre. The jury retired on January 30 and returned on January 31 alongside a large crowd who had turned up to hear their verdict.

The article states that the jury had deliberated all night and had reached a decision before going to bed. It was said that as the jury took their places, there was ‘the most intense silence’ and the crowd ‘held their breath.’

After the clerk asked the jury whether they had agreed on a verdict, the sealed envelope was handed to the judge who read it and passed it to the clerk without showing any emotion.

Weathers was found guilty of the voluntary manslaughter of John. The article stated that after the verdict was read, “a murmur of surprise ran through the court-room.

“Those who had watched the case narrowly from the beginning were almost certain that Weathers would be acquitted.”

Weathers seemed to take the verdict in his stride as the report stated: “The prisoner received the decision of the jury calmly, and after a few whispered words with his counsel quitted the room.”

While those in the courtroom may have expected Weathers to be acquitted, those in Pittston were elated at the decision: “When the news of the verdict reached Pittston it created great excitement. The friends of Weathers were indignant, while on the other hand, the friends of Davis thought the verdict was in accordance with the testimony.”

The police force were said to be ‘agitated’ by the outcome and six policemen resigned from the force in protest, claiming that the verdict had placed a ‘premium on lawlessness’ and that they didn’t care to risk life and limb in the performance of their duties to then be condemned by a jury of ‘malefactors.’

Weathers was sentenced to 12 years in prison.