The Morning News Review (Florence, SC) October 8, 1925 Dillon Man Shot in Bed Asleep; 4 Negroes Held M. D. Davis Rushed to Hospital in Florence; Condition Critical Dillon, Oct. 7 - Memory D. Davis, a highly respected citizen of Dillon, was shot last night about four ol'clock while he slept in his bed in his bedroom, his baby occupying a little crib nearby and his wife another bed in the same room. The shot was fired by a burglar intent upon robbery. The supposition is that Mr. Davis turned over in his bed just as the burglar entered the bed room, that the burglar fired, and then becoming frightened fled. No one heard the shot but there was sufficient noise to awaken Mr. Davis'  little girl, who was sleeping in another room. She went quickly to her father's bed, and found that he was shot. Mr. Davis did not hear the report of the pistol, but quickly felt the impact of the bullet. The bullet entered his body posteriorly and held its way up through his intestines. He was taken to Saunders Memorial Hospital in Florence on an early train and was operated on this afternoon at 2 o'clock. It was found that his lower intestines were punctured four times. There is but a slim chance for his recovery. Bloodhounds were sent by Sheriff Bethea and this afternoon at 2 o'clock they were taken to the garage where the party had secreted himself. The garage being close to the house, they at once set out on the trail and followed it out through the fields and the outskirts of town, across the Seaboard and A. C. L. Railroad tracks and on to a house, which led to the arrest of four negroes. The negroes are now in jail. It is thought that more than one is implicated. An axe was carried into the house by the intruder and was left on the kitchen table. The whole town was much wrought up over the deed, there being from fifty to seventy-five poeple following the trail with the dogs this afternoon. Mr. Davis has been a citizen of Dillon for a number of years. He conducted an electrical engineering business here and was for a long time in charge of the city Water and Electric Light Plant. He had no enemies. He is about forty years old, unobtrusive and always pleasant to everyone.

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