Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-05-27
PRESIDENT FISH In JAIL.
FRIENDS BECOME HIS BONDS
MEN IN $4,000.

He. Charges Gen. Grant with Vouchfng
for Grant & Wards Fictitious Gov
ernment Contracts-The Ex-President
Pleads Not Guilty-The Penn Bank of
Pitttsburg Again Suspends.
NEW YORK, May 26.-James d. Fish,
late President of the Marine National
Bank, was arrested last night on war
rant issued by United States Commission
er Shields. Mr.. Fish was arrested at the
Mystic Flats, at the corner of Broadway
and ThirtY-ninth street, where he is said
to have been concealing himself. The
warrant was issued upon an affidavit
made by National Bank Examiner Serbia,
who depOsed, after careful examination
OF the books of the Marine National
Bank, that Mr.. Fish had misappropriated
funds belonging to the bank to the
amount of 81, 141,0 600. This was done be-
tween March1 and May 6, 1884.
ADMITTED TO BAIL.
NEW YORK, May 26, 8 p. M-Shortly
| before j O'Clock James ID. Fish was
| brought to the Marshals office, when a
short consultation took place. From
there he was conducted to the United
States commissioners office, accom-
panied bynSis counsel. Mr.. Fish seemed
entirely selfpOssessed. Commissioner
Shields said to the prisoner: 'Mr. Fish,
you are charged with a violation Of the
United States law in willfully misapply-
ing for your own uses certain moneys be-
longing to United States bank. This is
criminal charge. Do you appear by
counsel%'
Mr.. Fish pointed to his counsel. who
said: I'VE plead not guilty." and then
asked District Attorney Root what bail
he wanted.
Mr. Root replied that the Lawrence case
was the nearest case to this, and in that
the District Attorney asked for S50O coo.
Mr.. Root would ask for the same amount.
Mr.. Fish's counsel said that his client
had made over every dollar that he had
for the benefit Of the bank, and everybody
knew that he had not personally prOfited
by any of the money he was charged with
misapprOpriatng. The counsel thought
that $4,000 or $4,000 would be ample
security.
Commissioner Shields said that he was
acquainted with the facts in the case and
he would fix the bail at 100000. There
upon the prisoner was taken to the Mar
shal's Office where he remained until his
bondsmen qualified.
CHARGES OF THE AFFIDAVITs.
NEW YORK, May 26. 9P. M.-The affidavit
upon which President Fish of the Marine
credits were made by the bank to the firm
of Grant ~ Ward of moneys in sums of
S20,OOO to 100000 at various dates, and
that they were entered on the books of the
bank as loans to imaginary persons and
secured byimaginary collaterals in stocks
and bonds, none of which loans had ever
been made, and the transactions were
stated to be entirely fictitious. The afli-
daVit in conclusion sets forth the follow
ing:
Upon divers days between March II, 1884,
and the 18th OF April, 1884, in pursuance of
the direction and authority of James D. Fish,
as President, all sums SO credited to the firm
OF Grant Ward, amounting to S375,00O, were
drawn out by said firm and paid to them or to
their written order. Between April II and
May 6, inclusive. James d. Fish, as President,
caused eau 70 9e PAD out OF money belonging to
TO or upon the written order of Grant
Ward, and for the benefit of HIM
self and said Ferdinand Ward further
sums IN excess OF all credits to said firm
amounting to $766,40 at the time of said
Overdrafts he (James ID. FISH well knowing
that the firm of Grant Ward was then un-
able TO repay the sums SO Overdrawn and the
firm being then indebted to said bank in an
amount exceeding 81, ,634, 900, the total indebt-
edness thus augmented being six times the
capital stock of said banking association.
WHO THE BONDsMEN ARE.
The bondsmen of j. D. Fish appeared
BCibiG commissioner CUlClu5 dl 4 U CIOCk
and qualified in the following amounts:
James K. Ward of Ward & Co., of the
Havana Steamship Co., $4,000; Francis
Z. Reed, lawyer, $500; David Herscb,
a tObaccOnist $500. Mr.. Fish then took
his departure accompanied by his friends.
Before he left the building Mr.. Fish was
shown a statement published in one of the
evening papers purporting to be denial
by Gen. Grant concerning the authorship
of the letters which Mr.. Fish said
that the General had written him.
Mr.. Fish said that he did not
believe that Gen. Grant had denied
having written the letters in question, as
he Mr.. Fish now had them in his possess
sion. He would refuse for the present to
make them public, except as to their
general scope, which he had already dis
closed.
GRANTS COMPLETELY.
Reporters have been unable to get any
authorized statement from Gen. Grant or
from his counsel, Clarence Seward, to
whom he refers them in the matter, re-
garding the allegations made by Presi-
dent Fish, of the Marine Bank, that he
had letters from Gen. Grant assuring him
that the government contracts of Grant
& Ward were genuine. Interviews with
friends of Gen. Grant indicate clearly,
however, that they are convinced that he
will show, in day or two, that Mr.. Fish's
statements are entirely false.