Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-05-20
A TALK WITH JAMES ID. FISH.
He Tells of his Relations with Ware
and with General Grant.

''When was it you first knew Ferdinand
Ward?"
Mr.. Fish-It was in 1877. 1 was intro
duced to him, think, by Mr.. Green, the
Vice-President of our bank: but after
| Mr.. Green's death he came to see me.
"What was the date of the organization
of the firm of Grant & Ward?v
Mr.. Fish said 1881, but l think it was at
the close of 1880. He then. made the fol-
lowing statement in a slow way, appa-
rently recOllecting with some difficulty
under the pressure he had been in for the
past six days. l do not Vouch for this
language:
'The first time that l lent Mr.. Ward
! money in any amount was on his repre-
| Sentation to me that he had opportunities
| to supply flour to the city of New York.
In a general way l inferred that he got
these contracts to sell the flour to the city
| through Mr.. Edison, the President Of the
| Produce Exchange, where Ward was en-
ployed. My recollection is that there was
"a cOntidentiality about the transaction, or
that he told me that it was as a matter of
favor that he got it. 1t turned out we'll,
for he paid the money back with interest.
| | mention this matter" said Mr.. Fish, E'to
show that from the beginning of my rela-
tiOns with Mr.. Ward there were mat
tiers which he represented that were
too confidential for me to have
anything directly to do with them. l
was not much Of a man for politicians,
and did not care to know how he got the
flour contracts, and do not know now if
| there were any flour contracts except
that he said so. Now, within the past
several months Mr.. Ward has represent
ed to me that he had a confidential under
standing by which he furnished supplies
to the government. l supposed that
through the Grant family, or the friends
of the Grants, he might have some such
| ho1 e. -
anything he said, for we had now been
doing business for six or seven years to-
gether."
''Mr. Fish, what did he first say about
those cOntractsp'
"Why, he said to me, after he had been
in a great variety of transactions, all of
which turned out well, that it would be a
good thing to get the contracts for the
! government supplies: and | think he men,
toned the names of Chaffee and Elkns,
who had been III Congress and knew about
business of that sort. The impression
was put on my mind that had better not
have any direct knowledge on the subject,
as | was in national bank. | supposed
| that he might be arranging TO supply
stores not only to the army posts and to
the Indians, but perhaps to the navy, or
wherever the government bought its sup
plies. l did not know anything about
| government business. To confirm this
idea Ward introduced me to Chaffee and
Elkins, sitting in his office, andsI thought
that they were portion of the scheme, or
that their friendship and knowledge had
been of advantage to Ward, as the part
ner of Mr.. Chafee's sOn-in-law and of
| Gen. Grants son."
"Mr. Fish, do you think he had any gov
eminent contracts of that kIhdw
Nothing whatever" said Mr.. Fish. 81
am now satisfied that the whole thing was
I
lieYe he had any Kind of contract. Mr..
Ward, however, had been in such various
transactions, which he managed entirely
by himself, that l considered it none of
my business to know too minutely."
Said L: Il think that portion of the bust
ness is what the public most demand to
know, for it will account for the large
loans Ward made" then asked if Gen.
Grant had done anything that he knew of
in the contract matter.
81 don't suppose now he knew anything
about it," said Mr.. Fish. "But before
these disclosures l did think that Grant
or Grants friends might have given Mr..
Ward the opportunity. Mr.. Ward said to
me on at least one occasion that | now
saw the ACCESSIBILITY of his having brought
the Grants into business relations with
us. He referred to the matter of these
confidential contracts. l did not speak
| about these things to Grant, or Chaffee,
| or Elkins, or any of the others, because
the idea had been conveyed to me that it
was strictly confidential and a rather
delicate thing"
Chow could man have got such large
sums of money on representations of that
| kind and not have been dishonest?'
Il don't see anything in it but rascal
| ity," said Mr.. Fish. "'The young man
had won my confidence through period
| of very active years. never saw any
| a fo HfcAt1 rh FosA
Perhaps | should have been more partic-
ular to know about these things, but my
own bank occupied all my time, and the
business Of Grant 81 Ward was Wards
own labor, When we enlarged our part
nership, or rather increased the capital,
at the time that Gen. Grant wanted to
| put in more money, it was then arranged
that Ward should have the entire manage
ment, should sign the checks and keep
| the books"
''Mr. Fish, what was the amount of
money originally put into the firm of
Grant & Ward?"
''Three hundred thousand dollars.
! Buck Grant put in 100000. put in $780,
600, and Ward 100000"
''Did you have any previous knowledge
OF Buck Grant before he went into the
firm?7
"Hardly any. Ward had gone up to
Wall street and taken a desk there in the
office of DOminick g. Co., who were men,
bers of the Stock Exchange. He had a
number of transactions there which all
turned out profitable as far as my interest
in them was concerned. l think it pro-
bable that while he was at that desk he
made the acquaintance of Buck Grant.
He came to me and SAID that. Grant
wanted him to 60 into business and have
a general brokerage and banking house.
l told Ward that while had respect for
| (Nt.ar, nc Il L,
politician, ana l did not put any stress
on a business man because of his
pnblic emInence. l declined at
first to be introduced to young Grant, on
the ground that Ward had better attend
to his own concerns, and if there was any
arrangement made, to make it himself.
| However, he did ask me to dinner one
| day, and there was young Grant. He
! seemed to be a young man of good ap-
I pearance and address and fair knowledge
of the world. l thought he must be a
! pretty good fellow to have attracted Ward
as he had done. They wanted me to put
my name in the house, but said: No;
you boys attend to the business YOUR
selves. | will help you to the extent Of
100000 which l could then afford to
put in"
"When did Gen. Grant come into that
firm, and what did he put imp
"Grant did not speak of coming int the
firm, nor did not hear of his coming in,
until after Garfield had been
elected President. Possibly Gene
raj Grant may have thought the
Presidential office would come TO him
self again. Anyhow, after Garfield was
elected, Grant said that he would have to
find something to do, and Ward proposed
to me to let him in the firm. l queried,
rather than objected to the matter, be-
cause / thought the firm was doing pretty
well, and there were already three per-
sons in it with an equal interest. Ward
said that young Grant wanted his father
to come in. l gave way. l really had no
| great objection to his coming in, anyhow.
Gen. Grant put in $4,000" l think MIR.
Fish said that Gen. Grant gave Jesse's
check for $4,000
''Did he not afterward raise the
amOunt?"
EYES," said Mr.. Fish, II will tell you
about that. The success of the firm was
decided, and Ward came to me and said
that the Grants wanted Jesse to be let
into the firm. Ward and myself both
objected to that, on the ground that we
had two Grants already, and it was
enough. But i'll order to be accommodate
ing we agreed that Grant could raise his
share to the same amount that we held.
If he chose to pay the dividends on the
additional money to somebody else, that
was his own matter. That is all was said
to Gen. Grant, l believe. Up to that
time the partnership had been in seventies,
Grant having One-seventh and each of
the others twO-sevenths. OF course, when
he put in $4,000 more he had fourth l