He is also known as W.W. Saunders or William Wirt Saunders.
Wirt was supposedly a Texas Ranger before moving from Texas to Oregon where he worked was a newspaper editor.
In 1885 he shot to death Charley Campbell, an Albany man, who "uttered slanderous words" about Mattie Allison, his future sister-in-law. Wirt was dating or interested in Mattie's sister, Minnie. He was convicted of first-degree murder, but the Supreme Court overturned the conviction and in a second trial, he was convicted of second-degree murder. He was sentenced to hang, but as he went to the scaffold, the governor commuted his sentence and his life was spared on the condition he leave Oregon.
Wirt formed a law partnership in Spokane, Washington, with Edward Connor. He was eventually a judge and a subsequent governor pardoned him.
He died at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Alex Rennie in Corvallis, Oregon, where he had been staying for a few weeks. Funeral service was in Portland under Masonic fraternity and a concluding service was held at the Portland crematorium.
There is a lot of news stories on the murder and his trial, which I combined into one piece posted here: https://bit.ly/2AlkjS4
If anyone has a photo of him or court papers from the arrest, trial, sentencing, please email. Much appreciated it.
Wirt was supposedly a Texas Ranger before moving from Texas to Oregon where he worked was a newspaper editor.
In 1885 he shot to death Charley Campbell, an Albany man, who "uttered slanderous words" about Mattie Allison, his future sister-in-law. Wirt was dating or interested in Mattie's sister, Minnie. He was convicted of first-degree murder, but the Supreme Court overturned the conviction and in a second trial, he was convicted of second-degree murder. He was sentenced to hang, but as he went to the scaffold, the governor commuted his sentence and his life was spared on the condition he leave Oregon.
Wirt formed a law partnership in Spokane, Washington, with Edward Connor. He was eventually a judge and a subsequent governor pardoned him.
He died at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Alex Rennie in Corvallis, Oregon, where he had been staying for a few weeks. Funeral service was in Portland under Masonic fraternity and a concluding service was held at the Portland crematorium.
There is a lot of news stories on the murder and his trial, which I combined into one piece posted here: https://bit.ly/2AlkjS4
If anyone has a photo of him or court papers from the arrest, trial, sentencing, please email. Much appreciated it.
He is also known as W.W. Saunders or William Wirt Saunders.
Wirt was supposedly a Texas Ranger before moving from Texas to Oregon where he worked was a newspaper editor.
In 1885 he shot to death Charley Campbell, an Albany man, who "uttered slanderous words" about Mattie Allison, his future sister-in-law. Wirt was dating or interested in Mattie's sister, Minnie. He was convicted of first-degree murder, but the Supreme Court overturned the conviction and in a second trial, he was convicted of second-degree murder. He was sentenced to hang, but as he went to the scaffold, the governor commuted his sentence and his life was spared on the condition he leave Oregon.
Wirt formed a law partnership in Spokane, Washington, with Edward Connor. He was eventually a judge and a subsequent governor pardoned him.
He died at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Alex Rennie in Corvallis, Oregon, where he had been staying for a few weeks. Funeral service was in Portland under Masonic fraternity and a concluding service was held at the Portland crematorium.
There is a lot of news stories on the murder and his trial, which I combined into one piece posted here: https://bit.ly/2AlkjS4
If anyone has a photo of him or court papers from the arrest, trial, sentencing, please email. Much appreciated it.
Wirt was supposedly a Texas Ranger before moving from Texas to Oregon where he worked was a newspaper editor.
In 1885 he shot to death Charley Campbell, an Albany man, who "uttered slanderous words" about Mattie Allison, his future sister-in-law. Wirt was dating or interested in Mattie's sister, Minnie. He was convicted of first-degree murder, but the Supreme Court overturned the conviction and in a second trial, he was convicted of second-degree murder. He was sentenced to hang, but as he went to the scaffold, the governor commuted his sentence and his life was spared on the condition he leave Oregon.
Wirt formed a law partnership in Spokane, Washington, with Edward Connor. He was eventually a judge and a subsequent governor pardoned him.
He died at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Alex Rennie in Corvallis, Oregon, where he had been staying for a few weeks. Funeral service was in Portland under Masonic fraternity and a concluding service was held at the Portland crematorium.
There is a lot of news stories on the murder and his trial, which I combined into one piece posted here: https://bit.ly/2AlkjS4
If anyone has a photo of him or court papers from the arrest, trial, sentencing, please email. Much appreciated it.
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