On March 20, 1898 at approximately 11:00 a.m., Deputy Sheriff Homer Gilmore was involved in an altercation with Ashley Cocke, a prominent yet rather tough character in the middle of a busy Senatobia, Mississippi street. After cursing one another repeatedly, Deputy Gilmore and Ashley Cocke drew their respective weapons and fired. Cocke hit Gilmore three times leaving him incapacitated. Sheriff William Franklin Bray rushed to the scene and demanded that Cocke surrender. Naturally, Ashley Cocke refused and Sheriff Bray fired two shots that missed Cocke. At that point, Ashley Cocke fired five shots and the brave sheriff fell dying instantly. Cocke got on his horse and escaped. He spent the next four days hiding out until he finally voluntarily surrendered.
At the preliminary trial, the defense requested a change of venue and it was granted. The trial of Ashley Cocke was held in Hernando, Mississippi. It lasted 10 days. The state attempted to prove that Sheriff Bray was attempting to arrest Cocke after he had shot Deputy Gilmore. However the theory of the defense was very different. The defense went as far as to assert that Bray and Gilmore were conspiring to kill Ashley Cocke. The claim was made that the sheriff came upon Cocke with his pistol drawn and fired first. To which, Ashley Cocke claimed that he shot the sheriff in self-defense. Much to surprise of everyone involved, Ashley Cocke was subsequently acquitted of the charge of murdering Sheriff Bray. Yet another senseless murder that went unpunished.
Respect and Restore: Sheriff Bray
I found Sheriff Bray’s grave in my husband’s family plots at Bethesda Cemetery. I believe that my husband’s Great-Great-Great Grandfather, P.M.B. Wait, gave this piece of land for his dear friend and former Chief Deputy. P.M.B. Wait was the Tate County Sheriff from 1882 – 1896.
I started my work on this monument with D2 Biological Solution on April 30, 2020.
This is the front of the monument before I started cleaning.
This is the back – completely black on the back and sides.
After a great deal of scrubbing and work, I felt somewhat satisfied with the results, but know that this monument is/was in such bad shape that it may take a good bit longer for the D2 magic to work.
The back – May 14, 2020
And the front – May 14, 2020
Monument inscription:
Born February 12, 1856
Elected Sheriff of Tate
Co. Miss November 1895
Installed in office 1st
Monday January 1896
Died in discharge of his
duty in Senatobia Miss
March 20, 1898
Eternal rest to him O Lord and let perpetual light shine on him.
This Monument Erected by his friends
Today in 2026, Sheriff Bray’s monument is looking beautiful. Thanks to our Bethesda Cemetery Cradle Grave Gardening Club, he is still being remembered and honored with a fresh planting in his cradle grave.