"Big Dan" Davis Found Asphyxiated, Suicide or Accident?

Middletown, New York, 1908

SUICIDE OR ACCIDENT?

"Big Dan" Davis Found Asphyxiated in Barber Shop

WAS VERY INTOXICATED

This May Account for His Death -- Member of Notorious Davis Family

Daniel Davis, better known as "Big Dan" Davis was found dead on the floor of Angel Vuolo's barber shop at 203 East Main street, at 7:45 Saturday morning. His death was due to gas asphyxiation, but whether he committed suicide or not the police and coroner have been unable to determine.

Davis' wife left him recently, and having no home, Vuolo had given him permission to stay in his shop nights and had furnished him with a key to the back door. Vuolo closed the place Friday evening at 8 o'clock and it is not known what time Davis went in. When Vuolo went to the shop next morning he could open the door only part way. Looking in he saw Davis lying at full length on the floor with his head near the door.

The body was directly back of a barber's chair. Vuolo squeezed his way in and found the room filled with gas, the odor being so strong that it was impossible to remain inside any length of time. He saw at a glance that Davis was dead, as his face was badly swollen. Vuolo at once notified several persons in the neighborhood and the police and Coroner H. T. Crist were informed by telephone. Special officer Howard Jones went to the place and took charge until the arrival of the coroner. The doors were thrown open to permit the gas to escape. An investigation showed that two gas jets directly over the body were wide open.

Davis, who was a laborer, had worked about the city all week until Friday, when he began drinking and by evening he was intoxicated, but he gave no intimation to anyone so far as can be learned, that he was tired of life, and it may be that in his intoxicated condition, he may have blown out the gas by mistake. He had removed his shoes and placed them under a chair near where he was found. His hat lay under one of his arms. The body was taken in charge by Undertaker P. J. Reilly. Coroner Crist will hold the inquest later.

Davis was about forty years of age and had always made his home in Middletown and vicinity. He was a cousin of "Little" Dan Davis, who was arrested as a suspect in the Olney murder case. "Big Dan" was also under suspicion of knowing something of the crime and he and his wife were taken in custody and closely questioned but they succeeded in proving a satisfactory alibi. Little is known concerning the dead man's relatives. His wife is said to be living near Howells.

The funeral of Davis was held Monday afternoon at 2 o'clock from the undertaking parlors of P. J. Reilly. The service was conducted by Rev. A. H. Schaeffer, pastor of St. John's German Lutheran Church. The interment was made in the Scotchtown Cemetery. Relatives of the deceased acted as pallbearers.

Coronor H. T. Crist held the inquest Monday p.m. and took the testimony of Angel Vuolo, who discovered the dead body, and Dr. M. A. Stivers, who made an examination.

--Orange County Times-Press, Middletown, New York, September 29, 1908, page 2.