Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1882-12-22
Death Of Hon. Robert 0uld.

Hon. Robert Ould, a distinguished MEM
Der of the Richmond bar, died at his resi-
dence in that city on Friday last, of pneu-
monia, complicated with heart trouble. He
became ill week ago, but was at his office
on Monday. The day following he became
worse, and gradually sank. Mr.. Ould was
a son of Mr.. Robert Ould, of Georgetown,
ID. c., who introduced the Lancastrian sys-
TEN of education in this country. He was
born January 81, 1920. His academical
studies he pursued at Jefferson College,
Pennsylvania, and the Columbia College,
Washington, D. c., graduating from the
latter in the fail Of 1887. We began the
study of law with Joseph ii. Bradley, of
Washington, and continued it under Judge
Beverly Tucker, at William and Mary Col
lege, from the law department of which he
graduated in 1912. Early in the following
year he was admitted TO the bar of the Dis
trict of Columbia, at which he practiced I'M
interruptedly until the outbreak of the civil
war He was appointed by President Pierce
one of two members of the bar OF the Dis
trict of Columbia to codify the laws of
the District. Subsequently, on the death
of Philip Barton Key, he was appointed
United States district attorney of the Dis
trict of Columbia, in which office one of
his first duties was to prosecute Daniel X.
Sickles for killing his predecessor, Mr. Key.
He encountered in the trial, among other
counsel, Messrs. Brady and Graham, of New
York, two of the most eloquent and effec-
tive criminal lawyers Of their day, and
Edwin M. Stanton, afterwards Secretary of
War, and man of prodigious ability in
his profession; yet, in the face of this array
of forensic talent, he sustained himself and
his case, by common consent, with learn
ing, skill and power worthy of the exciting
occasion.
He held the office of District attorney I'M
til after the Inauguration OF Mr.. Lincoln.
In the ensuing spring he went with his
family to Virginia, of which his wife was a
native; and where, in the course of the
year, he was appointed assistant secretary
of war TO Secretary Benjamin, holding the
appointment until Mr.. Benjamin was trans
ferred TO the State Department. Under the
cartel of exchange, drawn up and signed
by Gen. John A. Dix and Gen. d. H. Hill,
on behalf of the respective belligerents, July
90, 1862, he was appointed Confederate agent
of exchange, and held that position thence
forward until the close of the war. For his
efforts TO mitigate the rigors of prison life
and his humane treatment of prisoners he
received the highest commentator both
North and South. At the surrender of the
Confederate forces, on the occupation of
Richmond, he offered his parole to Gen.
Grant, who generously declined TO take it,
saying he did not consider an officer of the
exchange bureau subject to capture, and,
accordingly, instead Of treating him as a
prisoner, gave him passport and an escort
TO Richmond, where, however, at the expi-
ration of about ten days he was arrested by
order of Secretary Stanton and thrown into
prison, from which he was not released I'M
til 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" triumphantly acquitted him. This
closing passage in his military experiences
he imputed to the vindictiveness of Mr..
Stanton, with whom he had very sharp
and bitter personal encounter in the trial of
Sickles.
After the war Judge Ould entered upon
the practice of the law at Richmond, Va.
He addressed TO the public several commu-
nications indicating the action Of the Con.
iederate States, In respect TO the exchange
of prisoners. Judge Ould was for some
time president of the Richmond, Fredericks-
burg and Potomac Railroad, resigning the
position in June, 1881. He was fine orator
and ranked with the best lawyers of Vir-
ginia.
Mr.. Guilds title of Judge was obtained by
acting as Judge advocate in military courts
martial during his residence in Georgetown
On the 7th of December he made his last
appearance in public as an orator, being his
presentation as the selected representative
Of the meeting of the bench and bar Of
Richmond, of the resolutions adopted upon
the death Of Judge Moncure, president Of
the Virginia Court of Appeals. In closing
bis eloquent Grafton on that occasion Judge
Ould said in language which now seems
prophetic: Though senior to all Of US, he
has preceded us but little. The hearts Of
even the youngest of us are but 'muffled
drums beating funeral marches to the grave.
Even while We are viewing the procession
of the dead the order comes for us to fall in
And now in this moment, when am speak.
ing the last words which | will ever uttei
| in the presence OF this court as ii is now
formed, | can express no better hope fol
bench and bar than that when our sum
mons comes we may receive and welcome
it as did our friend and chief"