The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1858-03-03

with her countless tongues, has already
ascribed a variety of reasons for the
dreadful deed 1t is said in some quar-
tiers, and by persons protesting to have
been friends Of Branda. that he had gam
bled. and vas more deeply involved than
at present appears. Others insinuate
that it is unreasonable to suppose that a
man i'll the receipt of salary OF $1,000
per annum, and with a large amount of
money belonging to him, should COM
NIT snicl!e on account of defalcation of
$1,000.
A copy of the letter written by the IN
fortunate deceased to Capt. Macondray
is given below. Wien discovered by
Mr.. IIalsay, Brands appeared to be suf-
fering intense agony from the effects of
the poison he had taken. BY his side
was found a small vial, containing about
four grains of strychnine, and scattered
on the ground were scraps of paper torn
from memorandum book. On these
pieces Of paper deceased wrote disiointed
sentences with a pencil, expressive of his
feelings and the thoughts uppermost in
his mind after swallowing the deadly
substance. The character of his hand
writing, as the time passed and as the
poison operated on the system, grew
more tremulous and indistinct. Both
sides of the paper are written on, except
the last scrap, which contains only these
words, Il am :!y-probably put there at
the moment deceased fell into the first
raroXysm. The sad fate of Branla pre-
s4nts one Of the most singular cases of su-
icidc on record. The effect on his moth
CT of the intelligence of his self-destruc-
ton seemed to give him great concern;
while the strange circumstance Of noting
down the effect of strychninc, as it sap
ped the vital powers, and other remarks,
is an illustration of the extraordinary
state Of mind to which he was brought.
LITTER TO CAPTAIN MAcoNDRAY.
CAPTAIN MAcoNDRAY.-I have injured
you-you, one Of the best Of men. For
give me; oh! | am nearly crazy and will
soon be dead. Think Of it; il a few
moments to be in the presence of dod!
| feel cool, yet mad--to think that | am
thus suddenly TO sleayc this world, this
beautiful view and all my friends. Oh
God, my poor mother; do hope she is not
alive. The misery will kill her. | pray
all forgive me. ] fee! cold. this damp
air; the steamer has just fred her gun;
thank God she is off. Tell George Cliff
ord to take my pencil and do afterwards
with it as he thinks best and to be kind
to the giycr.
leave ten dollars-sive the man Of
the horse that amount.
Say to Judge Haeer am mad AMI ask
forgiveness Of him. A. T. BRANDA.
Jan 20, 1853,
Ga tll@ back of this letter the follow
ing was added
You will flnl my body on the hill near
the Lone Mountain Cemetery.
Please have me buried in the Mission
Yard, as am, or rather was, Catholic.
III am wrong in leaving this world,
where nothing remains but misery, may
God forgive me. | have been looking
at the steamer; how sad | feel. Please do
not allow any publication to lie made
about me-this note, for instance. This |
ask for mothers sake.
AS | wiite this in the saddle fear YOU
cannot read it.
would like Captain Macondray and
Judge Hager to open any letter for me.
BRANDAs DYING TuouGHTs.
On the first piece of paper deceased
wrote:-A
Yet the thoughts of my poor mother
keeps my heart warm, Or rather hot, for
feel | am her murderer God help me.
How slowly time passes; it seems to
me nearly half an hour since l took the
fatal dose, yet I do not suffer. How chill
ly it is! feel stiff FROM the cold.
Number two
1T is fearful to die thus alone--to look
around, see the hills, hear the roar Of
the ocean. See your fellow beings moy-
ing in the distance, yet die alone. &
Gust after my third dose man
passed and told his friends | was era
~. God forgive me. hope | am
What terrible suspense this waiting for
death"
Number three
For science-half Of the bottle |
have taken, four doses of the strch-at
intervals of about three minutes, yet do
do not suffer. feel nervous, but will
note the time on the back of this"
& think it has been fifteen minutes
since took the first. am cold and
chilly. May some good result from my
death"
On the fourth piece the writing is
without any order. The words arc
spread irregularly over the paper
lensthwsc and diagonally. They are
is follows
fully half an hour. am dying.
God help me. A. F. b
Number tive:-'I am dy-'