Suicide of Benton Postmaster J. Hardin Ford
Written by Justin D. Lamb
Above: Photo sketch of J. Hardin Ford.
Photo courtesy of the Marshall County Archives
The month of October 1908 was an eventful and tragic time for the town of Benton. First, an oil lamp explosion caused a massive fire on court square which wiped out nearly every business on the southwest corner including the Model Department Store owned by Ethan Strow, the J.D. Peterson grocery and hardware store, and the Harris & Castleberry Barbershop. As many business owners were cleaning up, they were shocked to learn of the arrest and subsequent suicide of Benton Postmaster J. Hardin Ford.
James Hardin Ford was one of Marshall County’s most prominent citizens. He was a former school teacher and later became a successful lawyer in Benton. He was an active member in the local Republican Party and in 1894 he ran on his party’s ticket for County Court Clerk receiving the highest margin for a Republican candidate in Marshall County up to that time. During the administration of President Theodore Roosevelt, he was appointed Benton Postmaster. In August 1908, he along with businessman L.C. Starks founded the Republican newspaper The Star based out of Hardin to compete with Benton’s Tribune-Democrat. Well loved in the community and popular in the Republican Party many believed that Ford had a long bright future in the Kentucky political scene.
However, Ford’s career came to a crashing halt on October 1, 1908 when Deputy United States Marshall Elwood Neel arrived in Benton with a warrant in his hand for his arrest. The United States District Court in Paducah had evidence against Ford for the embezzlement of $400 of United States Postal funds. Ford explained to Deputy Marshal Neel that he had discovered the discrepancy himself some time ago and had paid the missing money back. Neel told Ford that he still had to arrest him and take him before the judge in Paducah to face his charges. Ford agreed to meet Neel at the train station at noon to make the trip to Paducah for trial.
True to his word, Ford arrived at the train station around noon. Once he arrived, Neel noticed that Ford “looked very pale, but he figured it was from all of the excitement.” Before the train arrived, Ford insisted that he return home for a brief minute because he had forgotten a few papers he needed to take for his defense. Neel allowed him to go back to get them but told him to make it quick.
Post Office in Benton early 20th Century
Photo Courtesy of Marshall County Archives
Ten minutes passed by and Ford had not returned to the station. As the train arrived in Benton, Deputy Marshall Neel continued to wait with no sign of Ford. While walking in front of the Ford home on Main Street, a passerby noticed a loud groan coming from the house and she became concerned. She went to the door and tried to open it, but it was locked. William Cole came along shortly after and helped the lady pry open a window. When they entered the house, they found Ford on the floor unconscious. Local doctors soon arrived and declared Ford dead. The cause of death was determined as suicide by strychnine poisoning. A suicide note was found nearby on a parlor room table stating a short goodbye to his new bride of one week and gave instructions for his funeral and burial.
Many believed that the charges against Ford would have rendered only a small fine or would have been dropped altogether, but tragically, Ford saw taking his life as the only way out. Shortly after his death, a complete audit of post office books was conducted and no other discrepancies were found.