Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-05-26
WARDS HOURS IN PRISON
WHAT HE CAN TELL ACCORDING
TO HIS BROTHER.
Fish COgn1zant of the Firms Condition
-Tappan's Suit to Shut Wards Mouth
Mites Tndorsad nv CIarIs

MI E0IuluduU w ara arose ABOUT
O'Clock Friday morning, says Saturdays
New York Times, after his first nights
rest in the Ludlow street Jail. After writ.
ing short time the previous night he
went to bed about 1890 O'Clock and slept
for eight hours. About O'Clock he ate a
hearty breakfast of steak, mackerel, pota.
toes and strawberries. He was dressed
with great care, his manner was brisk,
and there was a touch of color in his
cheeks. He told the warden that he had
never slept better in his lite. After break.
fast he called for all the morning papers,
and gave word to the warden that he
wanted to keep quiet, that by the advice
of counsel he had nothing to say, and
that he would see no one. He read all
the papers, and wrote until 10:30 o'clock,
when his brother, W. S. Ward, came in
and was closeted with him for about an
hour.
When he went away W. S. Ward car
ried four letters to mail which had been
written by Ferdinand. About - O'Clock
a closed coupe drove up in front of the
Jail and closely yelled lady got out and
walked quickly up the steps. When she
was admitted she told the gatekeeper that
she was Mrs. Ward. She met her hus-
band in the reception room and kissed
him, and they went into his room. They
were both calm and there was no scene.
They took lunch together, and Mrs. Ward
remained in his room until about 4
o'clock, when her brother, Mr.. SYDNEY
Green, entered the Jail. At O'Clock he
came out, accompanied by Mrs. Ward,
and they walked away together. Her
veil was removed and she was smiling.
She had short dark hair, pleasant face.
and wears turban hat and q dress of
dark brown cloth.
Soon afterWard W. S. Ward returned,
and he was soon followed by the portly
form of Parson Newman. ''I did not
come," said he, after call of about half
an hour, sin relation to any of Gen.
Grants affairs, but simply as a Christian
minister. The father of these young men
was minister and missionary i'll Mad
ras, and he has written some of the best
books on the Indian religion. l saw this
young man last at the New England din
ner. where Brother Beecher and / talked
on MOrmOnism. Now he is here. The
transitions in this life ale sudden and
strange
. About . O'Clock a bulky letter was
handed in addressed to Ferdinand Ward.
On it was the name of George Francis
Train and 81 cents due" This, in addi-
tion to paper, was the only mail Ward
received during the day. Shortly after
ward lawyer Scott Lord entered and spent
some time with the prisoner, as did also
Mr.. Stillman.
1t was said yesterday that Ward had
determined to make a clean breast of it.
and had begun work upon a statement of
the true state OF the affairs of his firm,
and incidentally of his dealings with per-
sons who are its creditors In large
amounts. 1t was also stated that this
statement would serve to clear up the
hitherto impenetrable mystery surround
ing many Of his unique transactions. w.
5. Ward was asked if there was any truth
in the story that his brother was prepar-
ing a statement, and he said, in reply: ''It
is net entirely correct" the report that
he was, with the prompting of his adj
visers. to make a statement. There was
nothing designed but that the truth should
be told and every wrong righted as far as
possible. He is not preparing a statement,
but is putting me in possession of facts
that will tend toward the efforts we are
making to explain the exact condition of
the operations of the firm and of himself.
He was preparing to do so himself,
but the arrest acted as a clog. His arrest
seems to point toward the endeavOr of
some one to embarrass my brothers. free
action in this respect. | believe the en-
deavOr was made by those who had profit
ed rather than lost by the operations.
There is an enormous amount of dOcu-
mentary evidence which can be produced
to fortify one in the idea that there are
people who want to suppress the very
actions which my brother and myself have
been engaged in furthering."
'tHas your brother been embarrassed by
his partnersY'
r--4'My brother has nothing to say" re-
piled Mr.. Ward, ''but what Gen. Grant
would be willing to have said regarding
himself. AS for Mr.. Fish, time will right
any injustice he may have done. If he
mas nothing to fear, why, then he need not
fear any statement. He said that my
brother was a scOundrel. This was tele-
graphed all over the country, and was the
first announcement the world had of him. :"
I'D Mr.. Fish encourage your brother
ia his speculationsp' ~
''The evidence in regard to this is COM
plete, and it is documentary, too. My
brother was making everYleffort to!right the
wrong, and somebody put it in his power
to await events, if he chese to do so, by
placing him where he is now, and as a
man under arrest he has the privilege to
remain reticent or otherwise. There is
an accumulation Of. facts which are now
being sifted and arranged. Some of them
or none may be used. This compilation
of the facts is almost ready now, but it is
a long story, extending over a term OF
years and covering much ground and
many transactions. My brothers. rela-
tiOns with Mr.. Fish were very intimate,
and the correspondence between them
was very vOluminOus, and all is still in
existence" 49,
sMr. Fish's son said that his father was
only a silent partner in the firm and knew
very little of its transactions, all of which
were carried on by your brother"
''That is not so,'' said Mr.. Ward; che
was not a silent partner. He had a great
deal to do with making the numerous
lOans."
t'Who else is trying to shield himself
behind your brother?''
''No other of the members of the firm
are trying to do So"
''Did Mr.. Fish profit much by the opera
tions Of the firmT'
''My impression is that he has not lost
much; but that ie a matter of figures, and
to determine that now would be prema-
ture.n
care there others who have profited by
the operations?'
"There are many gentlemen in New
York who have profited by the operations,
but just what their relations were might
be disputed and are open to investigation.
Mr.. Stillman represents me, and he is
making efforts, under my direction, to
assist my brother in righting any wrong.
The motion to set aside my brothers. as
signment to Mr.. Warner comes from us,
and has been done with view of dis
tributing property on an equitable basis.
L wish you distinctly to under
stand that my brothers arrest did not
nave the effect OF putting stop to his
doing what he had a prospect of doing
smoothly, but only of temporarily check
ing him, and that he is still continuing
his efforts in that direction.v
MIR. Ward added that the suit on which
his brother was arrested was begun by
Mr.. Tappan, but he thought it was a
question whether there was not some one
prompting him.
Some interesting particulars of the
stock notes made by Grant & Ward have
been ascertained. There are large num-
Der of these notes out, and it is said the
clerks employed by the firm have in
dorsed them to the extent of over 81. .OO0.-
600. 1t was a common occurrence in the
office for the clerks to indorse them.
Ward would tell them that it was a mere
matter of form, and it is said that even
the colored porter's name appeared on
them as indOrser. From many Of these
stock notes the collateral has been de-
tached, and it is said that many of them
are held by the Marine Bank. The report
is to the effect that after Mr.. Ward nre-
sented them at the Marine Bank Mr., Fish
let him have them again, and Ward de-
tached the securities and rehypothecated
them. Now some Of the persons who in
dorsed the stock notes are anxious to
learn whether they are to be held FespOn-
sible as indorsers, the firm being insol-
vent. When they signed their names as
indorsers the stock collaterals were at
tached to the stock notes and the names
of the securities were enumerated in the
notes. Now it is claimed that they are
not liable, as the bank allowed the col