Nansemond County Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries.....Cross, Benjamin E., 1895 

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Benjamin E. CROSS 

  KILLED BY A TRAP GUN. - Mr. Benjamin E. Cross, who conducted a grocery 
business on East Washington street, was on Saturday night the victim of a 
self-enacted tragedy.  His store had recently been robbed by burglars and 
thinking to catch the next marauders he placed a trap gun, an old army 
musket, loaded with a heavy charge of No. 2 shot, with a nicely balanced 
trigger and a wire attachment near the rear door. 

  About 12 o'clock he put out the lights and was preparing to close the 
doors, when he returned to the back part of the store to secure a package 
which had been left, either forgetting the existence of his burglar trap or 
thinking he could step over the wire, he accidentally touched the perfectly 
adjusted trigger connection, and the gun was discharged, the load of shot 
passing through his leg about the knee.  He fell with a groan of pain and 
was assisted by W.D. Boyett, who was near the scene, to a chair. 

  Drs. R.E. Parker and J.M. Gibson were summoned and responded with haste, 
but before their arrival Cross was so weakened by the great loss of blood 
that it was evident their only service was the alleviation of pain.  The 
patient, by the use of strong stimulants, was kept alive till about 10:30 
a.m. Sunday, at which time he quietly expired.  He resided at No. 2 Holladay 
street, but was not taken to his residence till after death. 

  Mr. Cross has lived in Suffolk for less than two years, having moved here 
from the country.  He leaves a wife, two children and a host of friends to 
mourn his tragic end.  The funeral took place from the Baptist Church at 
5 o'clock yesterday afternoon, concluding which the remains were interred in 
Cedar Hill Cemetery. 


Benjamin E. CROSS, Suffolk grocer, 
shot by trap gun 17 Aug 1895, at work, d. 18 Aug 1895, Suffolk, 
interred in Cedar Hill Cemetery (unmarked*), Suffolk, 19 Aug 1895, 
"The Norfolk Virginian," Vol. 50, No. 76, Aug. 20, 1895, p. 3, col. 4 

*Added to the Cedar Hill list, an extension of the 
   Southampton County Historical Society {SCHS} Cemetery Project: 
   http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/nansemond/cemeteries/cedar_a.txt 


Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by 
File Manager Matt Harris (zoobug64@aol.com). 

file at: 
http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/nansemond/obits/c620b1ob.txt