This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/gVB.2ACI/2866 Message Board Post: Smithfield Herald Friday, January 25, 1918 Killed in O’Neals Township J. I. Davis Killed His Father-in-law Jacob Boykin On Monday afternoon, January 21, about 4 o’clock, J. I. Davis of O’Neals township met his father-in-law Jacob Boykin in a path between their homes and shot him so he died next morning about eight o’clock. Mr. Davis is about forty years old and Mr. Boykin was past seventy years. There had been bad feelings between them for three or four years. No one was present except the two men. Mr. Davis states that a day or two before the killing he received a threatening letter from Mr. Boykin, and that when they met in the path Mr. Boykin quarreled with him and assaulted him. Davis shot twice but hit Mr. Boykin only once the ball from the pistol taking effect in the left side just below the heart. Mr. Davis gave himself up to the local authorities and was brought here by Mr. M. C. Hinton Wednesday and placed in jail. Mr. Boykin was buried Tuesday afternoon. Smithfield Herald Friday, February 1, 1918 J. I. Davis Is Denied Bail Was Given Habeas Corpus Hearing Before Judge Daniels At Goldsboro Wednesday Will Have to Await Trial for the Killing of Jacob Boykin Mr. J. I. Davis of O’Neals Township was given a preliminary hearing last Saturday before Justice of the Peace Z. L. LeMay. Davis killed his father-in-law, Mr. Jacob Boykin, on Monday January 20th. He surrendered at once to the officials and was brought here on Wednesday and lodged in jail. At the hearing here Saturday he was held for the March term of Johnston County Superior Court without bail. Mr. Davis retained Messrs. Abell & Ward, and through them he asked for a habeas corpus hearing before Judge F. A. Daniels, in Goldsboro, the resident judge of the Fourth Judicial District. The petition was granted and Sheriff Grimes was ordered to have Davis before the Judge at Chambers in Goldsboro Wednesday afternoon at two o’clock. The hearing was had and Judge Daniels denied the writ and Davis was remanded to jail to await the March term of court. The State was represented by Judge F. H. Brooks. Smithfield Herald Friday, March 15, 1918 Court Adjourned Wednesday J. Ivan Davis Gets Twenty Years in the Pen for Slaying His Father-in-law Jacob Boykin The March criminal term of the Johnston County Superior Court adjourned Wednesday. The grand jury completed its work Tuesday and made its report to the Court. The most important case to come before the court was the case of J. Ivan Davis of O’Neals Township, who was up for killing his father-in-law, Jacob Boykin. Davis through his attorneys, Messrs. Ed. S. Abell and J. A. Wellons, entered a plea of murder in the second degree, which plea was accepted by Solicitor Siler and Attorney F. H. Brooks who was employed by the prosecution to assist the Solicitor. After hearing evidence in the case, Judge Whedbee sentenced Davis to twenty years at hard labor in the penitentiary. Source: Smithfield Herald