Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-12-17
Served for Seven Terms in
Lower Branch OF Vir-
ginia Legislature.
DISCHARGED DUTIES
OF SPEAKER OF HOUSE
Framed Excise Bill, Which
Saved State 100000
in Firs, Year.
WROTE c.un nrncrn OPINION
Leading itichnnndcr. mud Lirginiaps
IN, Tributes To Late DIstin-
Guishcd .Jurist.

Judge Etward Watts Yrunlers.
junior member of tho Supreme Court
OF Appeals of Virginia. dici yes,sr.
day afternoon at his home in Rocky
Mount. Franklin County, after a
brief illness. Heart disease. from
which he had been a sufferer for sew
erai years was the cause OF death
He was in his rixtS-accond year. and
was known far and wide as one Of
tho ablesr lawyers ana jur!.ts
Ia" State
Judge Saunders had been Tor the
last forty years much ia The public
'ye. II" began the practice OF law
soon aftcr ne had attained his
usjorttv and after he had hecn grad
lateJ, in law at Tho University Of
NirrinN', aud from that time to the
dag OF his death. IL. had been "a part
~ the pvi'iic life OF hiss native STATE.
lic first wa- elected To the l.egisIa-
iur" when he Was man in hi
'wcntics, and go we'll dld lie serve
his constituents. and such ability
did lic dispiay. tina: he MAS returned
'nch recurring term. serving seven
tmes in thr lower branch az ne
virginia Legislature. lIc. served ON.
term in the chair as Speakrr
Hrrnmr Circuit Cour, Judge.
In 1899 he retired from the I.esi.-
laturc TO become Judge of tho Circuit
Court 10Y his dis;r!ct. ANA hc was
serving in that capacity when the
ihcn Congressman claude \. swan
son laid down that Office 10 BECOME
Governor OF Nlrgiuia As a member
of the ropular branch Of Congress.
.iudc" saunders did no: have the
orpcr;unty for display OF his recog
n!zed ability, and he had little love
Tor politics, fact well known to
his friends
Two years ago, when Judge stat
ford g. Whittlc. then president Of
IN. court, laid down official cares.
tho people Of the section from which
Judge Whittlc came began to cast
ahou, for a successor. and while there
were many other men Of established
ability proposed for the honor. Judge
Saunders was elected and in that
capacity lie was at his best. As
vas said before. Judge Saunders was
- every essential a lawyer. In that
he was considered the peer of any
man in the state for the last fifty
Years. and In h!s profession he TOOK
tho kecnes; delight. lie was a hard
worker, diliGcnt student. care
ful and capable Judge.
Elected 10 House Spcnkcr.hip.
When Judge Saunders was elected
10 the spcakership OF the House. the
members realized that the floor was
losing the ablest debater in that
body, and his opponents In debate
were always cautious and careful to
muster their facts. dates and fgurcs
perfectly before they would under
take to meet him on any subject. He
was quick, he was accurate. he was
ever the strong man in whatever
rrat. Of course, and the affairs OF the
party we're the affairs CT the man
He was a speaker who always had
crowds "a hear him, and yet to nm
personally the field of politics hell
little to attract him. 1t was duty
he believed he owed the State to
make battle for her.
While serving as a member Of the
Virginia Legislature. he was chair
man II the Committee on Privileges
and Elections and of the Committee
for Courts OF Justice. and as chair
man of the first committee he was
the floor leader OF the Democrats
The party never had II man who filled
the position to greater satisfaction
and with more ability than did Judge
saunders. Matters affecting tho law
were his hobby, and when they were
before the House for consideration.
he was alert, ready to meet nj! comers
in expounding tho law and defending
what was right as he viewed mat
ters.
High Conception OF Duty.
No man ever had n higher concep-
ton OF public duties than he, and no
man was ever frcer from criticism
than was Judge Saunders. He held
many positions OF trust and re-
sDonsibiiity. and his name and fame
i, were never dragged into the mirc OF
scandal OF any sort. lie was great
lover OF his home, his native county
md there were few occasions when
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