The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1864-08-24
The Case Of Rev. Calvin Fairbanks.

The Case of Rev. Calvin Fairbanks.
Some weeks ago il was announced that
Lieutenant Governor Jacobs, of Ken
lucky, had pardoncd Rev. Calvin Fair
banks out Of the Penitentiary of that
State during the temporary absence Of
Governor Bramlette. a correspondent
Of the Chicago Tribune, who has recent
~ had an interview with Mr.. Fairbanks,
gives the following interesting nara
tive:
IL Yesterday had the pleasure Of an
introduction to this gentleman, now in
this city, and spent an hour or more an
attentive and most interested listener to
his relation of his long imprisonment
and barbarous treatment in the Kentucky
Penitentiary at Frankfort. Many Of your
readers will remember reading about the
kidnapping of the Rev. Mr.. Fairbanks
from Jacksonville, Indiana, in 1881,
and his being taken to Frankfort, Ken
lucky, AID after undergoing 4 sort Of
mock trial of his being convicted OF
the charge of aiding and assisting a slave
to escape from bondage to freedom, and
sentenced to fifteen years Imprisonment
in the State Prison Of Kentucky. j had
heard much and read much in regard to
the barbarism of slavery, but never, an
Ill | heard the statement of the reverend
gentleman from his own lips, did ! fully
comprehend the awful dcyeliSh mOnstros-
tiles of the slave power. l will give a
brief statement of the case as related to
myself and others, believing that your
readers will be greatly interested and
benefited by the publication Oft facts
in this extraordinary case.
In November, ISL, Rev. Mr.. Fair
banks was in Louisville on business con
nected with the Oberlin (Ohio) Institute,
and while there was made acquainted
with the case of n young slave girl, near
" white, who was endeavoring to escape
to the free States She was the proper
Is of one A. L. Shortwcll, of Louisville,
and was named Tanner The story she
related to Mr.. Fairbanks-though such
AS thousands in her condition could truly
relate-so worked on his feelings and so
aroused his sympathics and Indignation
that he determined to render her escape
certain. On the night of November 20,
thew crossed the Ohio from Louisville to
Jacksonville, Indiana. The girl seCre-
ted herself in n field, while he went i'll
pursuit of horse and buggy. and that
day-November 3d-drove thirty four
miles into Indiana. placed her among
horse and buggy to Jacksonville, whore
he remained about \ week.-On his way
to church the following Sunday, he was
assaulted and seized by VIM. Ronald,
then Marshal of Louisville, Kentucky.
(now sheriff. and one Stamlatte, a
Waterman, assisted by said Shortwell,
and thus kidnapped, he was taken by
force from Indiana into Kentucky. He
was thrown into prison in Louisville,
where he lay about five months awaiting
trial, bail being required in the sum of
five thousand dollars; which he of course
was unable to procure in that State.
ION the 10Th of February, 1892, Mr.
Fairbanks was arranged for trial. Al
though no direct evidence was offered,
and nothing but the slightest circum-
stantial evidence was given, such as his
being seen in Louisville on the same
night the girl escaped, still being deter
tcrmined 20 punish him under slave laws,
they convicted him under their statute
relating to entcing slaves, and he was
sentenced TO fifteen years imprisonment.
During the time of his imprisonment he
was subjected to almost brutal wicked,
and inhuman treatment cone aIvahle.
When he first entered the prison, the
profits arising from the labor of the
prisoner, were divided between the
State and the Warden or prison con
tractor Each prisoner was required
to perform an allotted amount OF work.
which was equalto what a strong well
man could do at the utmost exertion
Of his strength and endurance. Mr.
Fairbanks strength and health soon
failed him, and he was utterly
incapable of performing his task
Then commenced the horrible brutality
to which he was subjected. He was put
ut the heardest dirtiest work, and orders
were given by Newton Craig, the then
warden, TO kill him The insulting
language constantly addressed TO him
heated tones of voice and iusolent and
abusive manner, to say nothing OF the
horrible oaths directed TO him, were
enough TO PROSTATE q man of his refined
and sensitive mind But all this was
nothing compared TO the horrible whip
pings inflicted upon his naked person
Forced to lean forward over stool,
chair or bench, he was made TO strip. and
then with sole-leather slap eighteen
inches in length, two inches wide and
about three-eighths of an inch thick
soaked in water and fastened TO q handle
about two feet long, he was logged some
times daily, sometime s four times day
for not performing heavier task than i
was possible for him to do in his state o
health He was given from oneto two
hundred and seven lashes at time