The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-05-29
WHAT WARD SAID.
An Interview with Fish on the Grant
Ward Business.
Four Partners Who Never Had a
Business Talk During Their
PartnershIp-COmme on
Recent Disclosures.

New YORK, May 29-ln the cou sc OF an
interview. Mr.. James u. Fish was asked:
"Di Gen. Grant speak to You about these
contractsF
mo he never did, and l will telt you why.
Ward said that Grant was possible candi-
date for the presidency, and that it would
no; DO for him To oe mixed up in any bust
Ness such "a this and, sal ne, while he does
not know all about it, he desires it to be
understood that he knows nothing and that
all the details are left to me-"
"Ward told you this?"
YES, that was what he used to say-that
it would be damaging 70 Gen. Grant if it
We're otherwise"
"Did Ward tell you that Chester A. Arthur
was it?"
Eyes, he told me that Arthur had one con-
tract and had assigned it to him.
What kind of contract was it!'
ale did not say what it was, only that
Arthur had share in it"
at was Arthur's contract"
a Eyes, and he sold it out to Ward"
Arthur took the contract himself origin
,ilya"
Yes, and he was to get the benefit of it.
really Arthur's perquisite"
80 YOU remember what kind of contract
it wasi"
NO. 1t was supplies of some kind to the
overnment-something big that was
needed Immediately; and he also told me
that one contract was from Phil Sheridan
He said that Phil Sheridan got the contract
but did not have money to carry it out, and
he wanted Ward to take it."
"Did your four partners never get together
and discuss business matters, partnership in.
terestsp
Never! Ward said that it was through
good fesfing for Gen. Grant that the firm was
able to secure these contracts"
"That is, if Arthur had not succeeded Gar
fold you could not have secured these con-
tracts2"
YES 1t was the different color of the ad-
ministration that was in our favor"
This was what Ward saidp
ayes, Ward introduced me to Senator
Chaffee, Buck Grants and said
we get great deal of business through
Senator Chaffee and Elkins; that they were
in it; and that it was through
their influence and their friend
ship for Gen. Grant that this
business was put in our way. have had
communications with Gen. Grant about the
success of the business, and he said it was
perfectly wonderful how nicely they got on.
He said that Ward was a man of wonderful
capabilities think he used the term that
his success was phenomenal
Mr. Fish was asked whether the letters
oala uhIia INV MT fha or,1x,
ones referred to in the recent disclosures, and
he replied: "They were the only ones 1 spoke
Of OF course, have other documents relat.
ing to business, but they have nothing to dc
with the main question"
Is Gen. Grant guilty of frauds That was
the question which set New York by the
ears. The published correspondence between
Mr.. Fish and the general seemed to fan the
flame of public curiosity, especially as one OF
the letters specifically mentions the govern
ment contracts" which Gen. Grants family
and friends denied he ever knew of
In fact, his son, Ulysses S. Grant
Jr., said in an interview il
The Herald few days ago that his father
| considered it dishonorable thing for one
who had been at the head of the nation tc
enter into such relation with it through
the influence of his name. The great ma
jority Of people absolutely refuse to be
lieve that Gen. Grant induced Mr. Fish
to part with his money by discpuntine
the FIRMS notss through false repre-
sentations They prefer to believe that the
old soldier was victim to his weakness fol
trusting friends under all circumstances ant
to any extremity; that he was imposed upor
by Ferdinand Ward, and induced to sign {
letter as a matter of routine business
which was then sent to Mr.. Fish a
Il direct answer to inquiries abou
| the government contracts This
briefly. is the case for and against Gen
Grant. All the evidences upon which tn
| charges are founded were furnished by th
general himself, who stands ready to produc
| any document or fact in his possession whiol
| may shed light upon the subject.