Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-01-19

Execution OF A MuRpERER.--A correspondent
of the Petersburg Express, writing from Jerusa-
lem, Southampton county, Va, Jan. 18th, gives Il
lengthy account Of the execution oi Bray Saun-
ders, convicted of the murder of his vile, from
which we make the euhi incd extracts:
The sallowS was erected within the enclosure of
the Jail, and long before tho hour fixed for the ex-
ecution, the ward was crowded to such excess AS
to he almost impossible. some III Their anxiety
to witness the fatal act, climbed to the top Of the
enclosure, where they sat for hours, with the rain
descending i'll torrents, and themselves drenclicd
to the skin.
The Sheriff approached the prisoners cell and
announced that at the expiration of ~ minutes he
would proceed to execute the sentence Of the law.
The 10 minutes soon expired. mere seconds to the
doomed man. and the unfortunate culplit WAS
led to the scafold. His hands were rinioned be-
hind him. his coun'enance was n complete picture
of woe. and he walked with a trembling and I'M
steady step. lie assembled the steps aud took his
position upon the fatal trap-door. The sheriff then
addressed him, saying if he desired to speak, an
opportunity was now presented. lie remained
silent and motionlcss.
The fatal moment had now arrived. The cap
was drawn over his face, and the trap.door caused
to fall, when the knot in the rope slipped, aud the
miserable man fell heavily to the ground. In the
most piteous tones he implorcd for mercy, and
begged the officers not to hang him again. But
the sheriff Informed him that he was buuuI to OK
ecute the law, and the wretched prisoner. tremb-
ling in every joint, was again conducted to the
scaAold. The knot was read listed, the ~trol-door
restored to it's place, and a second time it was an
nounced all things were ready. At n given sig
nal, the ~trap-door fell again, and tue body of Bray
Saunders dangled in the air. But little agitation
was apparent after the lapse of n moment or two,
then a slight tremor and twitching, and all was
still.
After hanging thirty-fve INMATES, the physi-
clans pronounced him dead.
His body was let down easy, (according to re-
quest placed in a cofin, and given in possession
of his mother and brother, who proceeded with the
| remains to the late residence Of the deceased,
where they were inferred.
| CONFESSION OF BRAY SAUNDERS IN PRISON, TWO
HOURS PREVIOUS To EXECUTION.
acknowledged that | killed my wife. ! was
very much upset aud partly derargel when | did
it; so muce so, that it seemed almost like Il dream
to me. ] believe her father was the cause Of lit
lie would not let me 60 to his house and my wife
was miserable because | did not go. Hctllrcatcn-
ed to shoot me if | went, but requested my wife
to 20, and to go at night, bareheaded and alone,ln
order to make it appear that! was exceedingly
| mean to her. This made my wife SO miserable. and
| she threatened to kill herself twice before did it.
| determined to put AL end to it. | was very sorry
that | killed nv wife. but | was SO annoyed by
| her father and his family thatI hardly knew what
/ was about at any time. have enjoyed myself
better here in jail than l did when my vile was
gone away from me. | have been a very hard
| drinking man and was under the influence of ar
dent spirits when | shot her. She was lying on
the bed when | fred and no one saw me that |
know of. | did not know whether she was awake
or asleep; she made 20 resistance. There was but
little light in the room and | did not see where
she was struck. | can't remember how near the
gun was to her when it fired. My mother and
Bates witnesses in the case) told some things i'll
court l knew nothing of before, but there were other
things they did not tell which l expected them to
tell. have said all the time that my wife's IA
ther was the cause of it. | mean that no pro-
voked me so that it caused me to do it. | loved
my wife, | did love her. 1t is bad to love too
much. | am truly sorry that l have done 81 many
wicked deeds-no one has been q greater sinner
than myself. l tell the truth. ! have no harm
against my father-in-law. / hope to meet him in
Heaven. | hope | shall be saved. | know there
is a change in me. The things | used to love, now
| hate. / love oil christian people. The thought
of being hung troubles me. Sometimes | feel like
| can stand it, but at other times | feel very badly
about it. | believe my sins are forgiven. l wish
nv mother to take care Of my dear little children.
l would say, farewell to Mollic and Jimmy, (his
chillren) and all my friends and acquaintances.
| hope to meet you all in Heaven. May God bles-
you all. BkAl , NDtlto'
OBITUARY.