The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1869-10-28
Death of a Courageous Negro.

From the Washington Chronicle, April 2Sth.
Yesterday a colored laborer in the
Treasury Department, named Robert Ford,
died about p M while sitting in chair
in the lower hall of the building. He
had complained of feeling i'll during the
day, and had bathed his head with water
to relieve the pain. The body was con
veyed to the home of the deceased, on
capitol Hill,
Hon. John G. Shanks, M. c., of Indiana,
furnished us some information relative to
the eventful history of the deceased,
which is of SO much interest that we
print it in full, as follows:
WASHINGTON, D. c., April n. 1859.
To the Editor of the Chron;ese
Another victim of rebel barbarity has
passed away.
Robert Ford, colored man, fell dead
ut his post of duty in the Treasury build
ing to-day.
|, Robert Ford is the man who, under in
|struction of Mrs. Abigail Green, of Rich
mond, Va, gave information. measure
ments, etc, to the Union prisoners in Lib
by prison, by which 100 of them were
enabled to escape from their place OF
death, for which Ford was arrested, and
under order of the notorious Gen. John
H. Wihder.. whipped by the infamous
Dick Turner, of Libby prison noteriety,
with 500 lashes
Ford was laid across q barrel, face
downward, and while four chivalric
scoundrels held his hands and feet, the
infamous Dick Turner, with 8 strap fast
ened to staff, inflicted the full sentence
on his bare back Long before this bar
barrie work was accomplished, the victim
was wholly insensible, but with chival-
rio courage, these tools of tyranny ap-
piled the lash upon his senseless form
with undated vigilance and valor, until
the 500 were all administered.
Ford was raised at Frederick, Md, was
teamster in Gen Banks command, and
instead of being treated as prisoner OF
war, was put on duty as laborer In the
stables attached to Libby Prison and,
touched with the Infamous treatment OF
our prisoners, his sympathy prompted him
to risk his life for them, and, under the
advice of Mrs. Green, rendered the assist
ance to the prisoners which secured their
escape and his terrible punishment and
subsequent death. From that hour Ford
has never been well. He lay six weeks
helpless and then made his escape t.
Washington, which took him six week,
more-during which time he was several
times arrested and compelled to work
with his back lacerated from his neck to
his hips with the lash, but did not dare
complain, for the condition of his person
would have compelled an explanation
and an arrest and return to certain death
His back has never healed permanently,
nor his health returned. Ford bore it ali
and though sometimes compelled to travel
back toward Richmond until he could
again shape his excuses and his course, hi
finally reached Washington. Congress
gave him $500 for his services and suffer
ing In the Union cause-and recently be
was employed as laborer in the Treasury
building. Ford never saw we'll moment
since the cruel treatment at the hands Of
the Richmond rebel, and to-day died,and
added one more 30 the vast number OF
victims TO rebel cruelty.
Ford was prisoner of war, and enti-
tied to be treated as such, but the Con-
federacy. founded upon crimes against
Ford's race, became his e1ecutioner,
through J. Il. Winder, who died before
Ford did, and Dick Turner, who Is
drunken sot, presenting the worthlessness
of the inebriate as his only virtue, as II
is preparatory to judgment where he
will soon meet Ford, with Winder for the
only witness in his defence, in court
where the character of the witness and
defendant are both we'll known, and
where Robert Ford. the Door but honest
charitable negro man. standing on bis
single integrity, will condemn them ootb
Ford, and the facts connected with the
cause of his death, are to me well known s
the nation owes him debt of gratitude.
* JOHN. p G. 6HAEKs.