Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1840-08-26

Your obedient servant,
JAMES q. KING.
THOMAS DUNLAP, ESQ President.
No TX
BANK OF THE UNITED STATES
July lst, ief0.
Sir-On my return to the city, after few days,
absence, Mr.. Lardner placed in my hands ycur es-
teemed favor of the 22d inst in which you inform
me that MIR. Griswold is in possession Of a state
ment of the accounts Of Messrs. Prime, Ward &
King, in 1888 "a, obtained from this bank. Person
ally, have not, nor ever had, any knowledge of
these accounts, my connection with the bank hav
ing commenced in S,-nor have had any cores
pondence with MIR. Gfiswold on the subject. have
found nothing in the correspondence OF the officers
or in the minutes of the institution, in relation to it,
| am, therefore, unable TO give the information you
request If you wish copy in Whole, or in part,
OF the accounts of your house with the bank the
period referred 10 by you, as they stand ON the
books OF the bank, Will cause il to be prepared for
you have the honor to be, Sir
Very respectfully your most obd't sery't,
y. DUNLAP, Prest
ToJAMrs G. KING, Esq. New York.
New YoRx, Sd August, 1910.
Mr.. GEO. GRIswoLp-Sir: think il my duty ia
address to you the following communication, sf
which also feel at liberty to make sue farther
On the lfth Juy received information that Mr..
Kernochan had stated within few days, that
Gently, in the Directors room of the Bank of the
State of New York. MIR George Griswold had ex-
hibitod document relating To the Indebtedness Of
Prime, Ward q King TO the Bank Of the United
States years ago. Mr. Kernoc han ais left the
impression with my informant, that no effect inju-
rous to the credit and standing of that house, was
thereby produced on his mind.
On the 18th ut., Mr.. Kernochan being out Of town,
went to the Bank of the state OF New York, aud
inquired Of Mr. ithcrs, the cashier, if such pro-
ceeding took place in his presence? He replied
that it had; but that he did not wish reference
made to him, or his Bank, and that ether gentlemen
were present, and named MIR Thaddeus Phelps,
stating, at the same time that no uniavorable i'm
preston to the credit and standing of Prime,
Ward g. King, was left on his mind.
| Immediately proceeded to Mr.. Phelps office
and repeated my inquiry He stated generally, that
such circumstance bad occurred some time ago,
and that he would refresh his memory and me
| again before three O'clock.
Other business led me to the Bank Of the State of
New York In the course of the morning; and in the
Directors room found the President, the Cashier
| Mr. Phelps, and another gentleman, who shortly
afterwards went away and then MIR. Phelps OBJ
served, am glad that you have Come in, Mr. King,
as wished Mr. Lawrence and Mr.. Withers to hear
what have to state"
The occurrence you refer to took place in this
| room. Mr.. Grsw0ld exhibited a document purport-
ing to come from the Bank Of the United States, IN
which, among other things, were given the accounts
| Of Prime, Ward Y King, with that institution in
| 1S33-lS34 MIR. Grswoid's object, as understood
! it, was to show that the statement then recently
made in the New York American, in relation to
Prime Ward Il Kings transactions with the Bank
of the United States ,cas not true and, moreover
that IL icas true and icas a matter of surprise that
they ,ho had largely participated in tie loans Of
he Bank dta time, too Of great pressure, in tie
neg market, should noto be found among the most
rioIent enemies of that institution"
Mr.. Lawrence, the President, and Mr.. Wthers,
the Cashier, did not dissent from Mr. Phelps state
ment; at any rate, did not deny any part of IL and
Mr.. Lawrence, upon my inquiripg as to the time of
this occurrence, added that IL after the publIca
ton in the New York American, and about the time,
as he thought, Of my being confined by sickne =
Both these gentlemen, and Mr.. Phelps, reiterated
their assurance, that the credit and standing Of my
house, were not affected, in their opinion, by what
took place.
with me, and declar d that, att left his Of
flee in the morning, he had refresh. d his memory
all points, for he had sent for, or called on, Mr.. Girls
void, to whom he stated that was engaged in this
inquiry; and that Mr. Griswold Immediately pro-
due ed the document from his pocket and showed il
again to aim, adding that he would exhibit il to me,
before the same gentlemen, If desired"
Possessed Of these facts, ofwhich the above reel
tai has been submitted to, and confirmed by FIR.
Phelps, Mr. Wnhers, and Mr.. Lawrence-in order
80 avoid misapprehensien-I addressed you note,
dated 10th July, of which, and Of the correspon-
dence which ensued together with your last verbal
message, annex copies, marked A.
In consequence Of your refusal to furnish me
condionaiiy with the paper in question, address
cd letter TO the president of the Bank of the Uni
ted Statcs-of which, and OF his repy,a copy Is fur
nishcd, marked u.
You have denied no fact stated by me TO Won you
have connected the document in question with the
| attacks upon me, and my house, in the newspapers
| If 1915 and Won have been using il now in refer
TO those Of last winter and spring: you have
sO - 20 establish by IL the truth II those charges,
and 20 refute The denial Of them, made in the New
York American: you have procured from the Bank
of the United States, whose agent you are in this
city, statement from their books, Of certain ac-
counts, in which the Of my house is used: and
without inimation o. me NJ your purpose, You have
chosen your time aud place, and company, in which
TO end,avor TO fasien upon mc, and upon my house,
behind our backs the charges of deliberate faschood
of violent hostility, and thereby Of deep ingrat-
tudc towards that bank-from which large aud OPP
perfume favors, stated by you, were received by
when called 20 account, you admit that explana.
lions are needful, and that you will make proper
ones. which you trust will he satisfactoryand that
you will exhibit the identical document obtained by
you-provided all this be done in presence Of the
same gentlemen whom you had previously selected
10 listen to your charges: and you eren ask me TO
make the arrangements for such meeting.
Such course could not be pursued without an adj
mission my part, Of some right or claim in you 10
obtain and use this documcnt-and to busy Yourself
with. aud 10 sit in judgment upon private affairs
The fact, moreover, ofthose gentlemen avng per-
mittcd you to do, in my absence, aud without APP
prizing me- formed additional objection to any
reference, on my part. TO them. Besides, wanted
the document itself, not your version Of it rcqui
suggested themselves To me. You could derive
aid in replying, from the persons in whose presence
alone you Will consent to explain. They could not
know. Of themselves, your mstives FOR srlc citing
them, and the Bank OF the State Of New York, Tor
your purposes, nor the mode and appliance which
you had used 10 obtain alleged transcript Of indi
ridtai accounfs-w hich in all Bank, and among all
merchants have hitherto been deemed strictly pri-
rate, and which, by the Bank Of the United States,
hon Tnxt Nth boi ran