Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-05-10
WAsHIEGToN, May 3.

WAsmEGToN, May 8.
have obtained the data Of the following
story from q Virginia gentleman, who had
boen compelled % ''retire at short notice"
from a large estate In the Old Dominion, and
ts submit 70 its confscation on account Of
supposed sympathy With the Union party
he is a gentleman Of high official position
under the government and l regret that pru-
dence and bis own request require me TO
suppress bis name which, by a long history
Of faithful and answering devotion TO the
Union, has become familiar at the North. To
this very circumstances he probably owes his
present Affections, the detail Of which in it.
self may furnish Al interesting sketch, at
some future time.
The subject Of the follOWing-John A.
| Ford-was an intimate friend to the gentle
man ust referred 70, and an old soldier in
the Mexican war. On his return, he settled
and married in Petersburg Va engaging in
the trade of q bookseller and stAtiOner. By
prudence, industry and integrity, he had
made himself proprietor Of a thriving little
business and had won a circle OF warm
friends. His stock two weeks ago wss val
ued Of $40, 600. he is now in Washington,
with very little hope Of eVeE being able 70
recover any Of his property, AMI has very
narrowly escaped with his life, as | shall
show.
The news Of The battle Of Baltimore, two
weeks ago Friday, arrived in Petersburg the
same evening. The following morning Mr.
Ford, in conversation with a friend, casually
made the remark that, had he been the Mas
sachusetts regiment instead of shooting four
teen or fifteen Of the mob who assailed the
troops so brutality, he would have shot four
ten or fftssR halsdrcd Of hem. He thought
nothing more Of the circumstance until Just
as evening was approaching and be was
quietly passing to his home from the business
OF the day, when be was stopped in the
street by several gentlemen, who announced
themselves as a vigilance committee, APP
pointed 70 examine him as to his political
sentiments. Conscious of no d~isl0yalty 10
the Stale or to his country, he cheertnily
consented 20 the examination, and told them
to proceed. The remembrance OF the remark
he had made had quite escaped his mind at
the time. A crowd Immediately began to
collect about him, and demonstration OF an
insulting nature were commenced as the ex-
animation proceeded. Odd Abolition
istF' "Hang himi hang him |" "TH get a
ropel u &c, cried the spectators, and the
crowd rapidly increased, until hundreds sur
rounded him and the committee. After some
conversations test question was decided upon
by his interrogators, and put to him by the
chairman of the committee.
Chairman four slaves should rise against
their masters in ulis community, should
you Eight with the slaves or with their mas
ters2"
Mr.. Ford: Gentlemen, I an surprised at
your question: l am q loyal and true heart
ed citizen Of Petersburg and this State. |
have lived with yOu several years. and all
have and hope TO be is with you, and should
. slave instruction occur here, you will find
me among the foremost in defending you and
the citizens of Petersburgh against them
. The answer was satisfactory to the com.
mittee, end the chairman, turning to the
thrOng, announced it. and their conviction
; that Mr.. Ford entertained 10 sentiments thai
were treasOnable or disloyal. At this moment
. cries of "He'sa Black Republican, "Damr
p his Black Republican soulm SC, rose IN va
: rious quarters, and a scene Of great confusion
followed, with indication that the enrageC
= mob would execute their threats, despite tn
s conclusions announced by the committee.
r As it partly ceased one-of the spectator
q cried out to Mr.. Ford, "Did you say thl
! morning that you wished that the Massachu
: sets troops hat shot fourteen hundred o
fifteen hundred of the ~,,citizens of Baltimor
! yesterday
This Mr.. Ford could not deny, and he dis
regarded the question. The fury of the pop
ulaee at hls hesitancy knew no bounds ar
yelis and screams, and threats of the mos
prolane and diabOlical character we're heape
upon him, and followed by a rush of a mum
/, Der Of the most daring to rescue him from tn
hands Of the committee whs still stood ne1
him.
A number of his friends near BY, an
:, among them two or three members of tn
e. Masonic Lodge, to whom he belonged i
Petersburg, then pressed towards him, an
succeeded in the darkness which had com
Il on during the examination, in pulling hil
"a along the street and out of the reach Of th
d rush, into e store. Through the store /
: was urged into an alley way in the rea
while the crowd in the street who had los
tSack of him were clamorously in search.
hlend and Masonic brother accompanied hill
rapidly through the alley and cond acte
m MIN to the only place of safety which prol
Dd ably could have concealed him-a tomb
the family burying poundI Taking the Ike
of the vault hastily from bis pocket he opel
= ed il, urged Mr.. Ford in among the coffin
locked the door upon him and quickly disar
peared That night and the following d.
: every place and bye-plaee in the town W
ramsacked in the eager search of the mob {
"a the victim who had so terribly ana narrow
escaped their clutches. They finally co
: cluded that he had spirited away and relax,
their vigilance.
Meantime Mr.. Ford remained undisturbet
, with darkness and the dead. There We
! several bodies deposited there-ar less fear,
we presume, by him than the living.
Ell History can surely point to few more thr
ling incidents tSan this living entombmel
At3 o'clock the following Monday MOI
1an- ing, the train was to leave for Richmond.
-IAt an earlier hour Mr.. FOrd's protector a
N friend, like Belshazzar Of old, at the mou
of the lions den tor righteous Daniel, sto
to deliver the subject of this sketch from t
eharnei house, where, for two nights and
t. day, which he win probably never forget,
had tasted with the dead. He was faint a
y: weak from exhaustion, but the energeI
,ys lent him strength. While bis friend W,
for his daughter, a charming little girl so
seven years Of age (Ar. Ford's wife '
and is still on a visit 10 South Carolin
Mr.. r. Rended his way cautiously to the
pot. Here they met again, and when
It. train rolled out Of the station on its y
Tp North, Mr. +. sat On n Of the car SCI
with his child wrapped closely in his ar
4. Arriving at Richmond, he attempted to 2
III. cure ticket bH5 was told that no passen
8. could go cut for the North unless exhibit
3 pass from Gov. Letcher. With many .
At givings, Mr.. F. IL was still early in the mo
ing wendell his way to the executive N
y sion. He represented to the Governor
his business called him out of the State,
- desired credentials which would enable
La to continue the journey. Mr.. Letcher as
Is no questions, but promptly made out the
. pers and handed them to him.
! % In 1nn time ha nrrirnd Nth HE L