Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-10-27
FISH'S FAITH In WARD.
THE EX-BANK PRESIDENT ON
THE WITNESS STAND.

How the Worthless Check for SS1, 900
Came Home to ROost-Ths Convict
from Auburn Glares SO Savagelv rs to
Make the Resident of Ludlow Street
JAN Drop His Eyes.
NEW YORK. oct. 26.-The jury for the
trial Of Ferdinand Ward was completed
this afternoon. District Attorney Mar
tine opened the case. He said Ward had
been indicted for larceny and he read the
statutes covering the crime. While the
District Attorney was speaking j. d.
Fish and his custodians entered the court
room. Fish glared at Ward as he en-
tered the court. He was soon removed to
q private room, where he remained until
called as a witness. The District Attor-
ney said that Ward on May 3, 1884, pre-
sented a check for $71 800 to the Marine
bank for certifcation, giving an uncerti-
fed check therefor for $4,000 on the First
National bank. Ward received the
money upon his check from the Marine
bank. The $4,000 check was not hon
Ored by the First National, and Ward
was guilty Of grand larceny by procuring
ST., 600 on it from the Marine Bank.
NOT ON TRIAL FOR GRANTS DEATH.
The jury must remember that Ward
was not on trial for running Gen. Grant,
and sending him broken hearted TO his
grave, or for sending to the State prison
for ten years a gentleman highly connect
ed in banking circles, but was merely on
trial for grand larceny.
j. d. Fish was the first witness called.
AS he took his seat he leaned over in his
chair and glared savagely at Ward, who
lowered his eyes. Wsrd's counsel here
moved that the jury be dismissed on ac-
fxft t1aa sAnes. Of hn a uf
torney in regard to Gen. Grant and Fish.
The motion was denied.
FISH IDENTIFIES THE CHECK.
Fish then began his testimony. "I am
66 years old; a convict at Auburn State
prison, to which / was sentenced for 10
years at hard labor. / saw the check now
handed me on May 3, 1884. 1t was handed
me by the paylng-teller. j directed IL
certified and went to the telephone and
rang up Ward"
Question-''Is the prisoner here the
Ward you meanW
Fish cleaning over again )--"Yes, l
would like TO see him. Yes, that is the
man" (contemptuously.)
Continuing, the witness said: 81 said
over the telephone, Ward, / have your
check here for certifcatiOn for $71, 800
against an uncertiied check for $15,O00'
Ward telephoned back that it was right.
/ l. ~
about 8 O'Clock.
WITHDRAWAL OF THE CHECK.
"He came in on that morning before
business hours and asked for the with
drawal of the certified $4,000 check be-
cause an $Sl, 900 check, against which
the former sum was drawn, had been
withdrawn. John II. Carr. the receiving
teller, was present, and ! instructed him
to withdraw the check. When the eX-
changes came in found the $Sl 900 check,
which Ward said was withdrawn, was
presented and paid by the bank. ! rang
Ward up and told him. He said 1t was
strange, but would be all right. He was
too busy to come and see me them"
| On orOss-eXamiuationt the witness said
he did not know that Wards account had
been overdrawn on May 5, 1884, TO the
amount of 100000.
WARDS ACCOUNT.
II knew that Ward often had his per-
sonal account oyerdrawn, but Ward told
me money was deposited in the Grant q
Ward account. On April -, 1894, ! told
Ward that IL seemed TO me our affairs
were drifting in way could not under
stand. Carr, the teller, had charge Of the
cash account. On May 81 expected Ward
all day, according to his written
promise, TO make deposit to relieve the
$BI, 600 check, which did come I'm, though
he assured me it was withdrawn. We
waited for Ward at the bank that day
until O'Clock. Ward had promised TO
raise the money, and understood he was
trying to borrow. On MAY / was press
ing him hard for the money, as the bank
needed 1t in order to get through the
clearing house on that Monday morning.
URGING WARD TO SETTLE.
"On May / wrote Ward: Get In
all YOU can. and hope TO see bet
ter days. / meant for him 70 get
all the money he could. On Mon
day morning he deposited the Van
derbilt check for $4,000, which was
credited to his personal account. do
not know that at that time II was extra
hard for Ward TO borrow money on the
securities he had. / do not remember
ever soliciting loans for Grant Il w ard
on their securities, though ] believe |
once went TO Selgman's. IL was because
could make better terms. At that time
the Marine bank was carrying load for
the Erie company, and ! wrote Ward
that / would leave il the bank was not
relieved OF some of its securities, which
other banks would hardly accept.
WARD BECOMES A DIRECTOR.
"Ward, think, became a director In
January, and was one at the time the
bank failed. / was q member OF the firm
OF Grant n Ward.)'
The counsel then read the following let
ter, inscribed "PriVate" and written un-
der the following business heading;
JAMES ID. FISH,
Wall Street,
18th March, lsS4.)
MY DEAR Mr. WARD-"Life is short" "A
we have 10 often quoted 20 as. This Erie
business and some other matters 10 altogether
too much for me. We carry an imm bur-
den that no other bank would for the COM
pany and many % their employees, anf on coll
iaterals that no other bank would recognize.
If the bank cannot be relieved Of some OF IL,
shall leave a. sure as anything In this world.
see no prospect Of things getting better with
them. Yours, J. ID. FISH.
FfsHs FAITH IN WARD.
"Wnrd," the witness continued, "often
made deposits as late az 80 O'clock.
When heard that the SSl 600 check had
been used, though Ward had assured me
that 10 had been Withdrawn, / rang him
tupo on the telephone, and said, sharply:
Ward, how Is this, that $Sl, 900 has been
usedr He replied: u can't understand
n, but Il will be all right / believed
Ward 10 be an honorable, truthful man
one TO whom trusted everything had In
the wsrld. On Monday, May 8, expected
Ward 70 raise large amount OF money,
rs much as $A0O, 900 or $4,000 He had
been trying 10 raise the money for 10 days
before that"
Al this point the witness was excused
! ...sn a. s,s.-worrs fp alfr4v tho nnnpaal frss