The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-12-16
BIRTH AND EDUCATION.

his eyes closed in this world TO open upon
d fairer shore.
BIRTH AND fDuCATION.
Robert Ould was born January 81. 1920
in Georgetown. ID. G. HIS acadcmical stu.
dies he pursued at Jefferson College, Penn.
sylvania, and the Columbian College. Wash.
ington, ID. c., graduating from the latter
in the fall Of 1887. He began the study OF
law with Joseph ii. Bradley. OF Washing.
ton. and continued it under Judge Beverly
Tucker at William and Mary College, from
the law department OF which he graduated
in 1872.
DR.. Gwathmcy, of this city. who was &
iellow-student both at Columbian College
and William and Mary. saws that Robert
Ould was ever the soul OF honor, and
was always brilliant. He eXcelled as a
speaker, being especially noted for purity
and elegance OF expression.
Early in the year 1873 he was admit
ted 10 the bar Of the District Of Colum.
bia, at which he practiced unnterruptedIy
until the outbreak OF the war. lie was ap-
pointed by President Pierce one OF two
member. OF the bar OF the District Of CO.
Z lunrbia to codiiy the laws Of the District.
subsequently. on the death Of Philip Bar
ton Key. hc was appointed United States
District Attorney OF the District Of Colum-
bia. in which Office one OF his first duties
was TO prosecute Daniel L. Sickles for the
killing Of his predecessor, Mr.. Key.
THE sIcKLEs-KEY TRAGEDY.
On the afternoon Of Sunday, February
-, 1859, the city Of Washington was
thrown into q state OF great excitement on
learning that Philip Barton Key, Esq,
United States District Attorney. had been
shot by the Hon. Daniel f.. sicklrS. mem
Der Of Congress from the Third district OF
New York. The discovery OF an intimacy
between Mrs. Sickles and Mr.. Key was the
cause Of the trouble. Sicklcs ext0rted a
confession from his wife; then met Key in
/ the street and shot him twice, killing him
almost instantly. For months the news
papers were filled with accounts OF the
/ tragedy.
The trial commenced April and ended
April 2G, 1859. Mr.. Ould was assisted in
the prosecution by Mr.. J. NJ. Carlisle. Of
/ Washington; Mr.. Sickles was represented
| by the following counsel: Messrs. James
/ L. Brady and John Graham, Of New
/ York; Edwin NJ. Stanton, Esq, OF Wash
/ ington; Messr-. Ratclifle, Clinton, and
! Aagruder, also Of Washington, and Hon.
Mr.. Phillips, OF Alsbama.
In the trial Nr. Ould attracted great
/ public attention. He had TO contend with
counsel OF rare ability and make n fight
/ against popular opinion, and oftentimes
was personally assailed. Though he failed
/ 10 convict. he planted himself among the
/ foremost OF American advocates. He eX-
4 hibited pluck and ability. and then and
there established reputation which
widened and extended as he grew in years
and experience.
COLONEL ROBERT 0ULD.
/ Mr. Ould held the Office OF District At
/ torney till little while after the inaugu-
ration OF Mr.. Lincoln. In the spring he
/ came with his family TO Virginia, OF which
( his wife pee Turpin) was a native, and
where, in the course oi the year, he was ap-
/ pointed Assistant Secretary OF War to
/ Secretary Benjamin. holding the appoint
ment until Mr. Benjamin was transferred
/ 10 the State Department.
/ Under the cartel OF exchange. drawn up
and signed 10y General John \. Dix and
/ General ID. II. Hill on behalf OF the rcspec-
| tive bellgerents, July %. 1862, he was
appointed Confederate Agent OF Exchange,
/ with the rank Of colonel, and held that
/ position thencefOrward until the close Oi
the war.
! COMMISSIONER FOR TIE EXCHANGE or
PRISONERS.
Colonel Ould's position brought him into
, intimate relationship with President Davis,
General Lee, and other eminent Confede-
rates. He conducted AL the correspond
ence with the enemy in relation to the ex-
change OF prisoners.
/ When Grant was preparing TO break the
cartel, with design 10 throw the response
( biliiy upon the Coniederatcs and lay 10
/ their doors the infinite sorrow and suffer
ings OF the imprisoned soldiers OF both
/ armies. Judge Ould's letters showed TO the
/ world where the Odium belonged.
/ This correspondence was at that day
recognized a. the work OF mastery head.
/ With the lapse OF time it, value increases,
and il has gone into the history Of the war,
and there 10 stay.
That and articles Colonel Ould has since
written will correctly inform posterity on
4 point whcrcon the Confederates could
least OF all afford 10 be misunderstood.
LEAvINu RICHMOND.
The Office Of the Bureau for the EX-
change OF Prisoners was on the second
floor OF a building on the south side OF
Main street between Ninth and Tenth.
Colonel Ould was chief; Captain W. III.
Hatch was assistant. Mr.. Robinson. after
wards book-keeper at the Enquirer Office,
was Colonel Ould's clerk. Mr.. ;. W.
Goodson KILLED about year or two ago by 0
railroad accident in North Carolina) was
chief clerk OF the Bureau. Mr.. T. w.
IIoenniger (Who died few weeks ago) wa
i'm charge OF the flag-of-truce mail, assisted
(for the last year OF the war; by w. ID.
Chestermen. Captain John VI. West, now
the agent at Petersburg OF the Old Do
minion Steamship Company, bad charge oi
the depot for receiving and forwarding
supplies by flag Of truce TO our prisoners
in the North.
ISPRIsoS.
Colonel Ould left the city with the Con-
iedorate Government at the evacuation,
and went as far south as Danville.
AT the collapse he offered his parole to
General Grant. who generously declined to
take If. saving he did not consider an off,
Ger oi the Exchange Bureau subject to cap
u,re. and accordingly, instead OF treating
him as a prisoner, gave him passport and
an escort 10 Richmond, where. however, al
tbe expiration OF about ten days he was
arrested by order OF secretary Stanton and
thrown into LIBBY prison, from when ne
was not released until the lapse OF two
months. having been meanwhile indicted
for treason. deprived Of his official papers,
and tried by a military commission WHICH
though "organIzed to convict" triuTn'
phandy acquitted him. ,r,.
This closing passage IN his military ex'
periences may be rightly imputed to the
yIndictivenes: OF Mr.. Stanton, with whom
he had sharp and bitter personal encoun'
Ter m the trial Of sickles already men
toned.