time it was announced that all things were ready. At a given signal,
the trap. door. again fell, and the body of Bray Saunders dangled in
the air. But little agitation was apparent after the lapse of a mo-=
ment or two, then a slight. tremor and twitching and all was still,
After hanging 35 minutes, the physician pronounced him dead, His body
was let down easily, (according to request), and placed in a coffin, 2
and given in possession of his mother and brother who proceeded with x
the remains to the late residence of the deceased where they were in-=
terred.'| RICHMOND ENQUIRER, Richmond, Vae, January 20, 1859,
"A letter from Clarksville, Isle of Wight Css Va.e, to the Petersburg
EXPRESS says: "A brutal murder was committed in the county of Southam-
pton, that of a wife by her husband, Saunders, Jt appears that the mur
dered lady had just retired to her pranben for the night, where she
was found weltering in her blood. Saunders was the first to raise the
alarm, with the exclamation, as he entered the chamber, that his wife
had committed suicide, Circumstantial ‘evidence was sufficient to
cause his arrest, together with another individual as accessory, who,
though he was in bed in the house at the time, prtended not to have
heard the report of the gun," ENQUIRER, Oct.. 26, 1858, ©
time it was announced that all things were ready. At a given signal,
the trap. door. again fell, and the body of Bray Saunders dangled in
the air. But little agitation was apparent after the lapse of a mo-
ment or two, then a slight. tremor and twitching and all was still,
After hanging 35 minutes, the physician pronounced him deade His body]
was let down easily, (according to request), and placed in a coffin, a}
and given in possession of his mother and brother who proceeded with x
the remains to the late residence of the deceased where they were in-
terred." RICHMOND ENQUIRER, Richmond, Vase, January 20, 1859,
"A letter from Clarksville, Isle of Wight Con, Vae, to the Petersburg
EXPRESS says: "A brutal murder was committed in the county of Southam-
pton, that of a wife by her husband, Saunders. Jt appears that the mr
dered lady had just retired to her chamber for the night, where she
was found weltering in bkr blood, Saunders was the first to raise the
alarm, with the exclamation, as he entered the chamber, that his wife
had -committed suicide, Circumstantial ‘evidence was sufficient to
cause his arrest, together with another individual as accessory, who,
though he was in bed in the house at the time, prtended not to have
heard the report of the gun," ENQUIRER, Oct,. 26, 1858, °
time it was announced that all things were ready, it a given signal,
the trap. door. again fell, and the body of Bray Saunders dangled in
the air, But little agitation was apparent after the lapse of a mo-
ment or two, then a slight. tremor and twitching and all was still,
After hanging 35 minutes, the physician pronounced him dead, His body]
was let down easily, (according to request), and placed in a coffin,
and given in possession of his mother and brother who proceeded with
he remains to the late residence of the deceased where they were in-
RICEMOND ENQUIRER, Richmond, Va,, January 20, 1859,
"A letter from Clarksville, Isle of Wight G,, Va., to the Petersburg
EXPRESS says: "A brutal murder was committed in the county of Southam=
pton, that of a wife by her husband, Saunders, Jt appears that the
dered lady had just retired to her chamber for the night, where she
was found weltering in ber blood. Saunders was the first to raise the
alarm, with the exclamation, as he entered the chamber, that his wife
had committed suicide, Circumstantial evidence was sufficient to
cause Pils arrest, together with another individial 8 accessory, ee,
though he was in bed in the house atthe time, prtended not to
heard the report of the gun," ENQUIRER, One 26, 1858, °
ae oy s
Nit ane Fagor of un eu malay Ok Bp
SAUNDERS, Bray
"Bray Saunders, who murdered his wife in Southampton Co., Vae, was
executed at Jerusalem on Jane ll, 1859, He confessed that he, shot his
wife while she was sleeping, and said that, though he loved her, he
was driven to it by his father-in-law, who would not allow then to
live happily together. A minister prayed with the prisoner, after
which, a letter in the Petersburg Express says: 'The sheriff approath=
ed the cell, and announced that, at the expiration of ten minutes, he
would proceed to execute the sentence of the law. Then ten minutes
soon expired (mere seconds with the doomed man), and the unfortunate
culprit was led to the scaffold. His hands were pnioned behind him,
his countenance was a complete picture of woe, and he walked with a
trembling and unsteady step. He ascended the steps and took his po-
sition upon the fatal trap-door, The sheriff then addressed him, say=
ing if QYBR desired to speak, an opportunity was now presented, He
remained silent and motionless. The fatal moment had now arrived,
The cap was drwan over his face, andthe trap door caused to fall,
whe theknot in the rope slipped, and the miserable man fell heavily
to the ground.s In the most piteous tones he implored for meryy, and
begged the officersnot to hang him again, But the sheriff informed
him that he was bound to execute the law, and the wretched prisoner,
trembling in every joint, was again conducted to the scaffold, The
knot was reqdjusted, the trap-door restored to its place, and a second
SAUNDERS, Bray .
"Bray Saunders, who murdered his wife in Southampton Co., Vasey was
executed at Jerusalem on Jane ll, 1859, He confessed that he, shot his
wife while she was sleeping, and said that, though he loved her, he
was driven to it by his father-in-law, who would not allow them to
live happily together, A minister prayed with the prisoner, after
which, a letter in the Petersburg Express says: 'The sheriff approath=
ed the cell, and announced that, at the expiration of ten minutes, he
would proceed to execute the sentence of the law. Then ten minutes
soon expired (mere seconds with the doomed man), and the unfortunate
culprit was led to the scaffold, His hands were pnioned behind him,
his countenance was a complete picture of woe, and he walked with a
trembling and unsteady step. He ascended the steps and took his po-
sition upon the fatal trap-door, The sheriff then addressed him, say=
ing if WRB desired to speak, an opportunity was now presented, He
remained silent and motionless. The fatal moment had now arrived,
the cap was drwan over his face, andthe trap door caused to fall,
when theknot in the rope slipped, and the miserable man fell heavily
to the ground. In the most piteous tones he implored for meryy, and
begged the officersnot to hang him againg But the sheriff informed
him that he was bound to execute the law, and the wretched prisoner,
trembling in every joint, was again conducted to the scaffold, The
knot was reqdjusted, the trap-door restored to its place, and a second
SAUNDERS, Bray
"Bray Sainders, who murdered his wife in Southampton Cos, Vass ¥
executed at Jerusalem on Jan, 1h, 1859, He confessed that he shot his]
wife while she was sleeping, and said that, though he loved her, he
was driven to it by his father-in-law, who would not allow then to
live happily together, A minister prayed with the pT after
which, a letter in the Petersburg Express says: 'The si
ed the cell, and i
soon expired (mere seconds with the doomed man), and the unfortunate
culprit was led to the scaffold, His hands were pnioned behind him,
his countenance was a complete picture of woe, and he walked with a
trembling and unsteady step. He
gus upon the fatal trapdoor,
ing if BWW desired to speak, an opportunity was now presented,
renained silent and motionless. The fatal moment had now arrived,
the cap was drwan over his face, andthe trap door caused to fall
whe theknot in the rope slipped, and the miserable man fell heavily
to the ground, In the most piteous tones he implored for mergy, and
begged the officersnot to hang him again, But the sheriff informed
him that he was bound to execute the law,
trembling in every joint, was again conducted to the scaffold,
knot was reqdjusted, the trap-door restored to its place, and’a second
a th
{bing crn feet uo asin cated te enfin
oe wae raja the trp nee pete eee
CC BY-NC-SA 4.0