New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-05-26
JAMES d. FISH ARRESTED.
,,,, s,,ccrssrITL RrysE OF A MARSHAL.

wAgp-HIs ALLEGED IGNORANCE OF "hoN'-
DOING. ., ,,.;
Early last evening man walked lhto Ihe NY '"C
flats aud sent card up to James d. flsh' ne caiu
bore the name of Chief Deputy -MarshaiCur'ls anu
nc the name of business friend OF ME- FISH
is the same, he gave orders for MS auuii''"n0'
without question Mr. Curtis, who was accom-
nan;ed bv a friend. turned out to be deputy
marshal aud when he entered ME-
Fisb's room he Immediately arrested hliii'
The ex-president of the Marine BANK re-
mained in his apartments last h'sn''
in custody of two deputy marshas. Abundance
was denied to all callers.
TR,BuyE reporter had two hours conversation
with James d. Fish, at his apartments IN 'he
Mystic Flats, on Saturday night IN the course ol
which Mr. Fish explained fully his position IN re-
gard TO Grant 81 Ward, w. s. Warner, j. IL. WORK
and the business that was done IN connection WIN
the Government contracts, so called, winch MI
Ward said that he controlled.
In regard to his acquaintance with Ward Mt.
Fish said: al have known him since he was
younq man on the Produce Exchange l
became acquainted with him through elu-
nev Green who was at that time cashler
of the Marine Bank. Mr.. Green told Iho
that he expected the young man would become
his son-ip-law, that he took great interest IN nm
and considered him TO be a very bright young man.
Afterward Mr. Ward married Mr.. Green's daugh-
ter. EllaC. was present at the wedding, shor1y
after which MIR. Green died suddenly. re-
ceiyed a letter from Mr.. ward soon
after SAYING that he hoped TO get
share IN my confidence, and if found worthy 10 re-
tain it. Passing over the many dealings oi MINOR
;ronortance which afterward had with Mr.. Ward,
same in connection with the Produce Exchange
certificates and some relating to other matters
come down to the time when Mr. Ward spoke TO me
of Buck Grant, saying that he was q
fine fellow, and that the proposition hao
been made that they should go into the
stock brokerage business together. Ward askeu
me TO put IN $1,000 600 against $lOO,O0O whlch he
would put in and 100000 which Buck Grant
wonld nut in Buck Grant is the familiar name
c;yon 70 II 6. Grant. IT, / expressed surprise at
Mr.. Wards idea that he could command III 0Oooo
at that time but he assured me that he could ana
he subsequently did put into the concern Slooooo'
u s. Grant jr., and put in an equal amount each'
articles of copartnershp were drawn up ana the
firm was styled Grant & Ward
Later, General Grant, seeing that we were max
ing money which we did at arapld rate, asked dto De
let in with $4,000. We allowed him 10 come III
and 70 mt in that amount and then we made d.
vision of the profits by sevenhs. General Grant re-
ceving one-seventh and the rest OF us that IS the
other three. two-sevenths each. Afterward Gener-
al Grant requested that his son, Jesse X.
Grant be allowed to come IN. ms was
agreed to. Jesse r. Grant putting In $5o,Ooo'
making the total capital 100000. 1t has beeh
represented that was very intimate with W ara
and was much with him at the firms place OF busl-
ness This is not true. There have been PERIODS
when three months have elapsed between my visits
there, and on average / have not peen lneIe
more then ten times a year.
ASSURED ABOUT GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS.
"Novv. as regards this Government contract busi-
ness want to sav that mp to the day OF the sus-
pension of the Marine Bank had not the remotest
idea that these contracts were not genuine ana
that had good reason for believing them 10 De
genuine. Ihave allowed all that has been said
against my reputation and character because Oh 'ne
transactions to 90 on without contradiction by adj
vice of my counsel and against my Will lou are
the first and the only newspaper man TO Whom
Ibava talked on this subject and propose to give
Won the whole inside history Of 1t. | have IN my
nossession documentary evidence sufficient TO fully
yindlcate me in every particular and that evidence
is of no less value and Importance than TINS: II Is
contained in autograph letters from General Oraht
10 me on the subject
ION July ., 1882, / wrote letter 10 Oenerai
Grant in which l asked him, among many
other things especially about these Government
contracts using that very term Government con-
trocts, In reply to that letter ] received two let
ters from General Grant, one an autograph letter
that is letter written body and all solely by Cen
eral Grant-and a second letter written by George
f SpeneeT the cashier of the firm OF Oraht ~
Ward. and signed by General Grant himself In
these letters he states that all these TRANSACTIONS
are all right and straight, and that the
profits are genuine When these facts, ana various
other facts which arc in my possession, ana WHICH
are in black and white are KNOWN NY NInui0"'i0l
will be complete.
GrNrRAL GRANTS LETTERS PHOTOGRAPHED.
"a word in regard to the suit against Ferdi-
napd Ward by j. Nelson Tappan. The original ac-
tion which was brought under the direction OF
j. Nelson Tappan was directed against me TO-
gether with Ward; but certain parties came
10 me- friends of mine, and found means to snow
these letters of General Grants and certain other
evidences of fair dealing IN these matters 10 Ihe
counsel of Tappan and they immediately Destroyer
the papers that had been made against me, and
brought the suit against Ward only, on which ne
is now confined in Ludlow Street Jail. These
letters were photographed Copies OF tnen
are in the hands of Francis y. Bangs, Henry ).
Cullen. of the firm of Wingate 81 Cullen ;. +.
Randall. of No. 16O Broadway; Waldo Hutchlns,
of No 80 Wall-st. William A. Boyd Corporation
Attorney and various other parties, and the uni
yersal opinion is that they furnish complete vll-
dication of NV conduct in these matters. The
original letters are nOw believe in the hands OF
s. f. Randall
"Iwanted General Grants letters published some
6avs AGO INIT have been overruled by my counsel.
All the counsel have seen, even those VINO were
not in nv interest, both Democrats and kepuDll-
eans-aud the majority Of those who saw the letters
were Democrats-all united in saying that 10 pup
lsh them wouid have disastrous effects, and Deggeu
me not to publish them. They took possession ol
ell those things think, to prevent the posSiOAlV
of my giving them out for publication
MEMBERS or HIS FAMILY INVOLVED.