Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1864-08-17
Twelve Years I'm a Kentucky
Prison,


the temporary absence of Gov. Braniette'
A correspondent of the Chicago Trio-
une, who has recently had an interview
with Mr.. FairLsnk, gives the following
interesting nsrrstive:-
"In November, 1851, the Rev. Mr..
Fairbsnk was in Louisville on business
connected with the Oberlin (Ohiol lnsti-
tute and while there was made acquaint-
ed with the case of 8 young slavegirl'
nearly white. who was endeavoring to es'
cape to the Free States. She was the
property of one A. L. Shortwell, of Lou
li.yille, and was named lamar. The sto-
ry she related to Mr.. Fsirbank, though |
such as thousands in her condition could
truly relate, so worked on his feelings, |
and so aroused his sympathies and In
dionation, that he determined to render
her escape certain On the night of Nov.
IL they crossed the Ohio from Louisville |
to Jacksonville, Indiana. The gill Sc
creted herself in a field, while he went
in pursuit of horse and buggy.
Before daylight he got her, cold and
benumbed, into the buggy, and that day
NOV. 81 drove thirty-four miles into
Indiana, placed her among friends, and
himself returned with the horse and bug
gy to Jeffersonville, where he remained
about week. On his way to church the
following Sunday, he was assaulted and
seized by William Ronald, then Marshal
of Louisville, KY, (now Sheriff. and one
IStamlette, watchman, assisted by said
Shortwell; and thus kidnapped, he was
taken by force from Indiana into Ken
lucky. He was thrown into prison in
Louisville, where he lay about FIVE month
awaiting trial. bail being required in the
sum of IS 900, which he of course was
unable to procure in that State.
On tho 25th of FEBRUARY, 1882, Mr..
Fairbank was arraigned for trial. Al
though no direct evidence was offered,
and nothing but the slightest circumstan-
tial evidence given, such as his be-
ing seen in Louisville on the night the
girl escaped, still being determined to
push him under the slave laws, they
lconvicted him under the statute relating
to enticing slaves, and he was sentenced
!. 10 fifteen years Imprisonment. During
: the time of his imprisonment, hew SUBJ
iected to the most brutal, wicked and in
: human treatment possible. When he
first entered the prison, the profits ari-
. sing from the labor of the prisoners were
divided between the State and the war
den or prison contractor. Each prisoner
" was required to perform an allotted
amount of work, which was equal to
" what strong, well man conld do, at the
~ utmost exertion Of his strength and en-
durance.
Mr.. Fairbanks strength and health
% soon failed him, and he was utterly inca
= pable of performing his tasks. Ther
nc commenced the horrible brutality tc
- which he was subjected. He was put a
=, the hardest, dirtiest work, and ORDER
- were given by Newton Craig, the ther
warden to kill him. The insulting Ian
=. guage constantly addressed to him, tn
y hated tones of voice, and insolent ant
sn abusive manner, to say nothing OF tn
. many horrible oaths, directed to him
:. we're enough to prostrate man OF hi
- refined and sensitive mind. But all thi
- was nothing compared to the horribl
go whippings inflicted upon his naked pc
= son. Forced to lean over stool, chai
or bench, he vas made to strip, and the
with sole-leather strap eighteen inche
in length, two inches wide. and abor
three-eights of an inch thick, soaked
to water. and fastened to a handle aboI
lol- two feet long, he was fogged sometime
in daily, sometimes four times a da.,
low for not performing a heavier tas
Ind than it was possible for him to do in b
cal. state of health. He wasgiven from twe
/, as ty to one hundred and seven lashes at
ms time.
irst Sometimes he would escape hoggir
lid. for a month, and once six months pass
IF a off without his being whipped. Durir
,ger the time he wasimprisoned, he was br
be tally aogged more than thousar
,na- times, because he had not ful6lle
,ats. through weakness and exhaustion, Il
t. task imposed upon him. On one oct
,ert. sion during the last winter, keep
ueh named Whiteside, and the only huma
Inds man connected with the prison mana:
,nds meut, had directed Mr.. Fairbank to CO
lille I'D a lot of wood. While doing th
nun an under keeper named Jeffries cal
sub along. and asked Mr.. Fairbsnk rougf
the what he was doing that for. Mr.. Fs
o be bank replied that he was doing it by
gree der of Mr.. Whiteside. Jefries order
ono him not to cord up any more wood, a
rel. Mr.. Fairbank replied that he must do
sent directed by the officer highest in auth
meat ity. Jeffries in a rage seized stick
road. wood, and struck Mr.. Fsirbank over
rp;sb temole a blow that cut to the SKI
nine knocking him blind and senseless'
liars which placed him in the prison hosp
are for several weeks, and from whion, ow
nine to the shock to the brain, as in the
and of the assault upon Senator Sumner
"a of Bully Brooks, he has not yet fully
covered. How many times the hear
ot to the poor prisoner sunk within him;
cer. many times he prayed earnestly
food death might end his sufsrings; how
least was kept alive, and was permitted
thir- hope on Is known ohiy "
dsy. it is a great wonder how the mind &C
y six have been preserved from utter WI
time and ruin; how it was that insanity
le Of not deprive him long since of all
good sciousness OF the cIuei "io"s