A Woman’s Love
January 16, 1897
Summary
A "colored youth” is accused of rape and later shot as a result of his relationship with a young white girl.
Transcription
Paul Davis, a colored youth, about eighteen years of age was shot by Carlos A. Twitchell, white, in the area between Henrico County Courthouse and the jail on Monday, January 11th at about 11:40 a.m.
Davis was charged with having criminally assaulted Cora, the Daughter of Twitchell, who is in her fifteenth year.
Brought to the Court-House
It will be remembered that Davis was arrested last August, and brought to the Henrico County jail by Twitchell who swore out a warrant against him. Finding that his daughter had not been raped but had been an anxious party to the illicit relationship seeking the colored boy from time to time and denying that he had assaulted her by force or taken advantage of her against her will, he changed the warrant, placing her age under fourteen years of age, in order to bring it below the age of consent and so adjusting it to meet the new statue which had been passed by the legislature of Virginia, and which makes carnal intercourse in such a case rape even with the consent of the female.
His Solemn Oaths
But Twitchell had twice sworn before as many magistrates that his daughter was in her fifteenth year, and this fact can be readily proven.
Learning of these facts we called at the Henrico County jail to see Paul Davis. The polite and affable deputy sheriff led the way and we were soon found in the roomy apartment where stretched upon a couch lay the wounded youth.
The Wounded Youth
The deputy called to him and he turned his head as we approached. “Are you in pain?” “Yes, sir,” was his reply. He spoke slowly and at times his lips would twitch as he told of the circumstances surrounding the case. He said, “I went to work for Mr. Twitchell’s one month and twenty days before Christmas ’95. I left there last August and was working for Mr. F.L. Hill, colored, near Seven Pines. Mr. Twitchell’s daughter, Cora used to come over there after me.
The Girls Infatuation
She would stay all day sometimes and would eat dinner there. Yes, she sent me notes two and three times a week to meet her about two miles from home.
She came there the Tuesday before I was arrested and said that her mother was going to take her to a doctor to see what was the matter with her and she wanted me to go. I told her I couldn’t go. She said she was coming after me to go with her anyway. After that her father came with a gun over there to where I was working and said I had outraged his daughter and that he was going to shoot me.
His Forceful Answer
I told him I had not done any such thing, and he could shoot away. He said he was going to have me arrested and would I go with him to the courthouse. I told him I would and he brought me to jail
Her father tried to her to say that I ravished her and she wouldn’t do it. She told him I had been fooling with her.
Her father said she was fourteen years old when I went there. My father’s name is Henry Davis, and my mother’s name, Anna Davis. One of my brothers, Thomas Davis lives on 28th and [word cut out] in this city. I have nine brothers. I am a member of Seven Pines Baptist Church of which Rev. Tunstall Banks is pastor.
The Appearance of the Prisoner
This ended the interview. Davis has a youthful appearance and is a good-looking boy, with an intelligent countenance. He is light brown skin, and would be taken for mulatto. The alleged picture of him are “fakes” pure and simple and could have hardly been published for any other reason than to prejudice public sentiment against him.
The feeling among many of the leading white citizens of Henrico county is with the unfortunate lad. That the girl, Cora became infatuated with him now admits of no question.
Both Attended the Public Schools
Both attended the public schools, going together often, in the neighborhood, separating only where the roads led in different direction, on to the white school the other to the colored.
It is alleged that Twitchell knew of the intimacy existing between his daughter and the colored youth.
After his arrest, and while the law was about to take its course, that he should have shot him down in that cowardly manner is deprecated and condemned by white and colored persons.
Counsel have taken many letters which Cora Twitchell wrote the colored youth
Paul Davis is much worse and death is expected at any time.
Davis was charged with having criminally assaulted Cora, the Daughter of Twitchell, who is in her fifteenth year.
Brought to the Court-House
It will be remembered that Davis was arrested last August, and brought to the Henrico County jail by Twitchell who swore out a warrant against him. Finding that his daughter had not been raped but had been an anxious party to the illicit relationship seeking the colored boy from time to time and denying that he had assaulted her by force or taken advantage of her against her will, he changed the warrant, placing her age under fourteen years of age, in order to bring it below the age of consent and so adjusting it to meet the new statue which had been passed by the legislature of Virginia, and which makes carnal intercourse in such a case rape even with the consent of the female.
His Solemn Oaths
But Twitchell had twice sworn before as many magistrates that his daughter was in her fifteenth year, and this fact can be readily proven.
Learning of these facts we called at the Henrico County jail to see Paul Davis. The polite and affable deputy sheriff led the way and we were soon found in the roomy apartment where stretched upon a couch lay the wounded youth.
The Wounded Youth
The deputy called to him and he turned his head as we approached. “Are you in pain?” “Yes, sir,” was his reply. He spoke slowly and at times his lips would twitch as he told of the circumstances surrounding the case. He said, “I went to work for Mr. Twitchell’s one month and twenty days before Christmas ’95. I left there last August and was working for Mr. F.L. Hill, colored, near Seven Pines. Mr. Twitchell’s daughter, Cora used to come over there after me.
The Girls Infatuation
She would stay all day sometimes and would eat dinner there. Yes, she sent me notes two and three times a week to meet her about two miles from home.
She came there the Tuesday before I was arrested and said that her mother was going to take her to a doctor to see what was the matter with her and she wanted me to go. I told her I couldn’t go. She said she was coming after me to go with her anyway. After that her father came with a gun over there to where I was working and said I had outraged his daughter and that he was going to shoot me.
His Forceful Answer
I told him I had not done any such thing, and he could shoot away. He said he was going to have me arrested and would I go with him to the courthouse. I told him I would and he brought me to jail
Her father tried to her to say that I ravished her and she wouldn’t do it. She told him I had been fooling with her.
Her father said she was fourteen years old when I went there. My father’s name is Henry Davis, and my mother’s name, Anna Davis. One of my brothers, Thomas Davis lives on 28th and [word cut out] in this city. I have nine brothers. I am a member of Seven Pines Baptist Church of which Rev. Tunstall Banks is pastor.
The Appearance of the Prisoner
This ended the interview. Davis has a youthful appearance and is a good-looking boy, with an intelligent countenance. He is light brown skin, and would be taken for mulatto. The alleged picture of him are “fakes” pure and simple and could have hardly been published for any other reason than to prejudice public sentiment against him.
The feeling among many of the leading white citizens of Henrico county is with the unfortunate lad. That the girl, Cora became infatuated with him now admits of no question.
Both Attended the Public Schools
Both attended the public schools, going together often, in the neighborhood, separating only where the roads led in different direction, on to the white school the other to the colored.
It is alleged that Twitchell knew of the intimacy existing between his daughter and the colored youth.
After his arrest, and while the law was about to take its course, that he should have shot him down in that cowardly manner is deprecated and condemned by white and colored persons.
Counsel have taken many letters which Cora Twitchell wrote the colored youth
Paul Davis is much worse and death is expected at any time.
About this article
Source
Location on Page
Upper Left Quadrant
Topic
Contributed By
Brian Schrott
Citation
“A Woman’s Love,” Black Virginia: The Richmond Planet, 1894-1909, accessed February 19, 2026, https://blackvirginia.richmond.edu/items/show/25.