Murder of Elijah Davidson

89-year-old Elijah Davidson was living alone in Leetonia, Ohio. Sam Mead had inquired Elijah about the two rooms he had for rent. The two knew each other due to Sam pawning a jacket at the pawnshop Elijah worked. On April 24, 1875, Sam came back claiming that he wanted the room.

Sam asked Elijah to help measure and see if his bed would fit. He handed him a piece of string that was the length of his bed and asked him to measure the space with it. When Elijah stooped over holding one end of the string Sam took his chance. He smashed the back of his head with oblong-shaped kidney ore weighing 4lbs. When Elijah looked up Sam jumped up on him. He grabbed his neck and continued to hit him in the face. During the struggle, Elijah bit down on one of Sam's fingers so hard that when he pulled it out one of Elijah's teeth came out with it.

Sam believed that Elijah was dead and robbed him. He would leave and flee down the nearby train tracks.  He was alive and would crawl downstairs and out to his front stoop where neighbors heard him. He would tell others that it was Sam who'd tried to kill him. Elijah had bled so much where he had been attacked the pool of blood seeped through the floor. Elijah would die 5 days later.

Sam had fled into the woods and David, Elijah's son would put out a $200 reward for the arrest of Sam. He would go to his brother-in-law's home in Middleton County. Here he stated that his injured thumb was from a fight. He would try to change his appearance by shaving his face. He wouldn't escape the law and would soon be arrested.

Sam was soon found. He would claim to be a man named Charles Howards, but the marshall did not believe him. He would threaten to On the way taking him back to Leetonia Sam tried to bribe the officer telling him he had $60 to $65 in his coat sleeve.

When they got out of the buggy in New Lisbon Sam repeated his offer. Sam was able to slip out of his handcuff and flee as they were leaving the vehicle. He ran towards Jefferson st. and mistook an opening between two buildings as an alley, but instead, it went to a shed and he hid inside. Officer Welch followed behind him waited for a lantern and found Sam lying with some lumber over his face. They went back to the hotel for dinner and the officer ripped open the lining of Sam's coat to see if he really did have money. He did not.

Instead of traveling straight Leetonia and waited till 3 a.m. to transfer him. They wanted to avoid any lynch mobs that may have been waiting for their arrival. Luckily they didn't encounter one.

By this time Elijah was still alive but would succumb to his injuries making the charges murder charges. Sam would stay in jail until the murder trial started.

On August 24, 1875, guards walked into Sam's cell and seemed like he was wiping his face with a towel. In reality, the towel had a brick inside and when the guard bent over to put the bucket Sam hit him with the brick. The guard would be able to get out and lock the door even in the pain he was in.

In October his trial would start and would plead not guilty to the murder. He would sit in the trial with his family often having one of his children sitting on his lap. The jury would find him guilty and would give him the death penalty.

In November he tried to commit suicide by slashing his arm. He survived the attempt though and was able to see the judge give his death date as Feb. 25, 1876. His attorney would fight to get a retrial for Sam due to error. In January they would suspend his execution. Then Sam would learn that his 9-month-old Son Charles would die in March.

A retrial would be granted, but Sam would escape jail. He would saw through the bars of his cell window and climb down using sheets. Sam would get onto a train wearing women's clothing. He would meet his father on this train where his father would give him cartridges and a revolver. The man who saw Sam did not realize that he was wanted and that there was a $1,000 reward on his head.

Sam was likely in Arkansas working in fields for the next year. He was next seen on September 16, 1877, he went to his parent's home. They would beg him to flee again to avoid being arrested. He refused to leave until he saw his wife.

Sheriff Fountain would hear of suspicions of Sam's return home. The police would go to the house and search for him. When they got to the basement they found a door that went to an outside cellarway. Inside Sam was holding a pistol to his head. Sherrif Fountain would slam the door shut and Sam would flee outside.

Officers would scream for him to stop, but he wouldn't. He would turn his gun on himself and kill himself.

SOURCES:
East Liverpool Historical Society
The Cincinnati Daily Star April 27, 1875
The Stark County Democrat April 29, 1875
The Daily Times Nov. 4, 1875
The Democratic Press Nov. 11, 1875
The Stark County Democrat Nov. 25, 1875