In the 1870 census he is listed as a worker in his father's liverystab le. By 1880 he lived in Effingham, Effingham Co, IL withe theOmer Boo ts family along with brother William. The relationship andreason for t heir stay there is unknown.
Does the following pertain to this man:
Last Friday afternoon, BEN DAVEE, of Greenup, had a difficulty withJer e Morgan, who swore out a warrant for DAVEE's arrest. MarshalHANKINS m ade the arrest, and while on the public square, proceddingto the Justi ce's office, his prisoner concluded he wouldn't go anyfurther. The Mar shall, as he was in duty bound, tried to persuadehim. DAVEE got excite d and pulled an open knife from his pocket. TheMarshall attempted to k nock DAVEE down, but failed and was cut twiceor three times in the nec k and once under the left arm. The cutbarely missed the jugular vein. N one of the cuts however, seemedfatal. DAVEE then ran across the square , jumped into DR. GOODWIN'syard, ran around the house, entered KESTER' s garden and then his shopby the rear door, closely pursued by the Mar shal. Here he wassecured. He still held the knife, but immeditely afte r the secondarrest, threw it away. He was taken before Esquire McCONAH A, and asthe prisoner was not ready for trial, he was held in recogniz ance of$1,000 to appear before the same Esquire on the 13th inst., J.J .KELLUM appearing as sponsor.
This is another of those cases in which whiskey is alone responsible.H ad DAVEE been in his normal condition, he would not probably havedone s o rash a deed. For the sake of his family, and his own, wedeplore the o ccurance. Mr. HANKINS is an officer who is muchrespected and deserves t he thanks of all well disposed persons forhis pluck and faithful disch arge of his duty in all cases. We hopehis wounds will not disable him f or long. DAVEE has left for partsunknown. [page 4 column 2,3]
J.J. KELLUM is reported as lost. He started west on the hunt of BenDAV EE and has forgot to return and it is a question with the peoplehere n ow which will be back first, KELLUM or DAVEE.
Jim OWENS & Pete BRADY are running the Restaurant and Billard Hall atB en DAVEE's old stand are doing a good business.
[The Mail 30 July 1874, p.4, c. 1]
John HANKINS, City Marshall, who was stabbed last week, is aroundagain . The case of the State vs Ben. DAVEE, for assaulting officeHANKINS, w as called upon Monday but Ben, the boys say, has takenchange of venue t o California, and, of course, was not here to seeit.
