The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1852-12-22
The DAILY DISPATCH
THE PETERSBURG MURDER AND
SUICIDE.

| Seeu' ne VIII ana Letters, which we ap-
pend to the narrative, I'VE find published in
the Petersburg papers.
Before stating the particulars of the murder
! and suicide, we will give some account of the
villain, Sadler, and his aceomplice and fellow
| fugitive, Jones.
| The Petersburg jail is built three stories
above ground, but the main entrance is by
| door IN the upper story. On this floor there
are four rooms and passage. One of the
| rooms on the left hand side is used as cham
| Der or sleeping room, by Mr. William Fem,
hailiff of the sity, and Mr.. Joel Sturdivant
| lodged with him. Siurdivant, until some time
| in the last month, performed the duties of iai-
lor acting as the deputy of Jordan Branch,
| Esq, Sergeant of the city. Another room
| on the same side, is used as en- office bv
| the Sergeant. The two rooms On the right
| side of the passage are used for the purpose
| of eonining prisoners. The second and third
| stories below are used for the purposes of the
jail. In one Of the rooms on the lower floor
| were confined Benjamin Sader, John Jones
| and John Boyle. Boyle was in for a breach
of the peace, Jones for petit larceny, and Sad
ler for kidnapping.
| II appears from the evidence given in Sad
| ler's trial, that he had made an arrangement
| with a negro man named Travis, belonging to
Philip ST. Geo. Cooke, Esq, and employed
| on plantation of Mr. Cookies, in Brunswick
| county, by which he (5adler) was TO carry Ira
Wis off and sell him, after which the negro was
| to runaway from whomsoeyer would purchase
him, and return to his masters plantation
Acting under this arrangement, Sadler brought
| the boy to Petersburg and sold him 10 Mr.. Reu-
ben Ragland, on the Goth November for $500.
Three days afterwards, Travis ran off. When
he returned home, MIR. Cookies overseer con-
fined him, and asked permission Of his owner
| that he should be sold Mr.. Cooke asserting
! 10 &c NJ, bar bo, hoe - IL;
city, we believe, by Mr.. Peter Stainback, of
| Brunswick, for the sum OF $500. Mr.. Stain
| back and the boy being in Petersburg, Mr.. Rag
land heard of it, and, waiting on Mr.. s., in
formed him that he had bill of sale for the
negro. Upon hearing Mr.. Stainback's state
ment, Mr.. r. was satisfied there had been foul
play somewhere so, in company with MIR.
Fem, one of the officers OF ofPetersburg, he start
ed to 60 TO Sadler's house, in Brunswick, near
| CASTOR. Sadler insisted that he had been ta-
ken in, but consented to accompany Messfs.
Ragland and Fem to Petersburg, after satisfy
ing Mr.. r. in regard to the money received OF
him. On Thursday last he was examined be-
fore Mayor Dodson, and remanded to Jail,
charged with kidnapping.
Jones and Boyle both say that Sadler had
expressed his determination to get out, dead or
alive; and that he went to work deliberately
there can be no doubt as in his pocket. book
was found his will, or written request how his
property should be disposed Of, OF which we
learn he is possessed to considerable extent.
On Sunday morning, about 10 O'Clock, Ro-
bert TrayIor and George Williams, guards OF
the Jail, whose duty ii is to feed the prisoners,
| went into the room where these men were con-
hned, and gave them their breakfast. While
a negro boy was going for bucket Of water,
the guards proceeded to feed other prisoners
| in nn adjoining room, the door of their place
of confinement remaining unlocked. While
the officers were thus employed, Sadler and
Jones rushed up the stairs, closing behind
them an iron grating, which separates the two
: aoors, and locking Traylsr and Williams be-
low. Traylor cried out to StuTdivant, who
was above, that the prisoners were trying TO
escape, and Sturdivant, who was dressing
himself at the time, rushed out of the cham
Der and locked the front door before the pri-
soners reached it, He told them to go back ;
but Sader directed him 10 open the door, at
the same time drawing pistol from hls pOck-
ct. Sturdivant, seeing the pistol, was about
to turn and 60 into the room again, when
Sadler fred, the ball going in at the right side
passing through to the left, in its course sever
ing some of the main arteries. Sturdiyunt fell
dead. Jones unlocked the door and ran.-
George, negro man belonging to Mr.. Branch
very old, and his son, almost grown, then
seized Sader, George by the left hand, and
the boy by the right. Sadler, who was a
| pO"tIiul IMAM, HlHS VI Vdibo VI WV nun
dred pounds, while scuffling with the two ne
groes, dsengaged his right hand, and putting
the pistol which is 8 five shooter"-to old
Georges chin, pulled trigger. He then ran
out.
The wound on Georges face is frightful TO
look at the ball having lodged in the throat
tearing of nearly the whole Of the lower part
of the jaw. The old man was not dead on
Sunday night, but there was very little hope
Of his recovery.
The two fugityes ran down Court House
alley TO Back street, and reached Boiling
brock nea the Hotel. Sadler being very
heavy man could not run as fast as Jones'
and the latter taking the route TO 'pocahontas
Bridge, the other turned of TO the right, g gorg
through Blanford, and by the Old Church,
making his way by the nearest route, to the
Greenesyille road.
Within half an hour the news had spread
all over the town, and men could be seen IN
every direction with guns and musKets taking
10 the woods in pursuit. =,
| Jones as taken about three-fOurths OF mile
from town. He had spread himself out, and
was quietly repos'ng IN deep gnlly, wnels ,ers
he was discovered by Two young men Ia less
than an hour after the occurrences al the
Jail.
Not 30 with Sadler. He kept the woods as
well as he could. A great many persons were
on horseback. Among these were Mr.. Chas.
e., LedbetteT and Mr. GeGrge BottlIel. nheh
about three miles from town, these gentlemen
heard from negro boy that a man answering
the description OF the one they sought, had Ia
ken the route Of a lane which runs beyond the
plantation of Timothy Riyes, Esq. Putting
snurs 10 their horses, they ran up this lane
| abou, half mile, when they discovered Sad
Ter walking as rapidly as he could across Mr..
Rives' wheat field. They pulled down The
fence and pushing their horses overlook Sad
Ter when he had gotten about one hundred
Yards in the field. Dismounling, they required
him to stop. Mr.. Ledbetter, we should say,
who challenged him, was an old acquaintance
OF Sadlers. He cried out Ben, you shall
no, go a step farther" The fugitive, up TO
this moment had noi turned his head aside
Whea thus spoken to, he wheeled. and with
his face towards his pursueTs said, II will moi
be taken alive. Charley. like you, and would
not hurt YOU" Then drawing pistol from
his pocket-ihe same that,he had used before
he deliberately placed it TO his head, aud pull
| 4 RsH ftv1e q