The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1861-05-17

| Chairman: IL our slsvtE qenon0
rise against their maeters in sbis
community, should you fight with
the slaves or with their ipsstersy"
Mr.. Ford: Gentlemen, ! ani suf
prised at your qnenion.~-f-xmsA
loyal and true hearted eitissn OF
Petersburg and this state. j have
lived with you several years, and sll
| have ard hope TO be is with yoo,
and should slave insurrection cccuf
here. you viii find the among tiss
oreinor in defending you and The
Icitizyns oi Petersburg against them, /"
, The answer wa satisfactory tothe
committee and the Chairmsn, turn
ing t. the throng, snuounced IL, sud
tn, ir conviction that MIR. Ford en-,
tertained no sentiments taat were
reasonable or disloyal. Al this
moment cries Of "He's Black Re-
publican!" damn his Black Re-
publican soul!" &C., rose in various
quarters, and scene Of great con-
fusion followed, with indications th'
the enraged mob would execute their
threats, despite the conclusions an
nounced by the committee.
As it partly ceased one of the
spectators cred out to Mr.. Ford.
I"Dii you cay this morning that you
wished the Massachusetts, troops had
shot torteen or fifteen hundred OF the
citizens OF Baltimore yesterday"
This MIR. Ford could not dery,
and he disregsrded the question:
The fury ul the populace at his hes
itancy knew no bounds, and yelis
and screams, and threats oil the most
pro'ane and dIabolic | character
were hrapej upon him, and follow
el by a rush OF a number OF tho
most daring to rescue him from the
hanis ur the committee who still
stood next him.
A number Of his friends near by,
and among them two or three mem
hers OF the Masonic Lodge. to whom
no belonged in Petersburg, then
pressed towords him, and succeeded
in the darkness which had come on
during the examination, in pulling
him along the street and out of tie
reach OF the rush. into a store. -
Through the store he WAS urged into
an alleyway 10 tho rear, while the
crowd in the street who had lost
track Of him were cl ,morously in
search. Airend and Masonic broth.
'er accompanied him rapidly through
the alley and conducted him to tho
only place of safety which probably
could have concealed him-a tomb
in tho family burying groundl-
Taking the key Of the va,lt hastily
from his pocket he opened it. urged
Nj. Ford in among the collins, lock-
the door upon hlm and quickly dis
appeare That night and the fol-
lowing day every place and bye
place in the town was ransacked IN
the eager search Of the mob for tho
victim VITO had 40 terribly and mar
rnwiy escaped heir clutches. Th0y
finally concluded that he had spir-
tied away and relaxed ther vigi-
lance.
Meantime Mr.. Ford remained
undisiurbrd, with darkness and the
dead. There were several bodies
deposited there lar less feared we
presume. by him than tue living
History can surely point to few moro
thrilling incidents than this living
entunbmcut.
/ At three o'clock the following
4 Monday morning, the train was to
leave Tor Richmond. At an earlier
hour Mr. Fori's protector and friend,
like -Delshazz Of old, at the mouth
of the lions den for righteous Dan
iel, stood to deliver the subject Of
this sketch from the charhel house,
where, tor two nights AMI day,
which he will probably never forget,
he had ias ei with the dead. Flo
was 'aint and weak from exhaustion,
but the emergency lent him strength.
While his friend went for his
daughter, charming little girl some
seven years Of age, Mr. Ford's wife
WAS nnl ia still on q visit 10 South
ICarolins.) Mr.. Ford wended his way
!. canliou-ly to the depot. Here they
met again, and when the train
I rolled out ot the station on its way
. North, Mr.. Ford sat on one Of the
, car seats, with h;s child wrapped
closely in his arms. Arriving al
, itichuon he attempted to procure 4
, licket, but WAS tod that no pssseugul
| could 90 ont Tor tho North unless ex'
hibiiing a pass from Gov. Letcher
With many missivings. Mr.. Forc
ct was stll early in the morning, :,
= wended his way to the Executiv,
Mansion. lle represented to the
Governor that his business called
him out Of the state, and desired
y credentials which wonld enable him
. to continue the journey. Mr.. Letcher
Y asked no questions. but promptly
:. made out the papers and hand,d them
= 10 him.
In due time he arrived with hil
| little dang 'ter in this city.
1t will be remembered that ",
stated trut Mr., Ford WIS engage,
a ia the Mex can war. Soon aite
: arriving here he called, in cnmpan,
:. with the gentleman To whom ! have
, alluded, upon Secretary Cameron
!, AMI solicited LIeutenancy in thc
4 United States service. Mr.. Cam
a ierOn Cx .mincJ has credentials, lis
- tened to the story with dscpest in.
;, tsrest, anI when Mr.. Ford had con.
cluici, said, "No, my noble sir, u
Llcutcnnncy ia not enough for won