The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1885-12-04
THE BANKER CONVICT.

1t is probable that a great many men
who occupy positions Of trust in banks and
business houses, men who are inclined to
be too smart in a financial point Of view,
read with much interest the careful account,
in the papers. Of Mr.. Ferdinand Ward )
first day in the penitentiary. The papers
gave a most interesting and minute account
Of every event, from the moment Ward
heard the doors close ON him until the close
of the Sunday services in the chapel. The
great financier who caused the death of
Gen. Grant, and wrecked hundreds of peo-
pie financially. was provided with a suit
of striped clothing, was caused to march
with the loek-step. with his hand on the
shoulder of a deserving burglar, while an
equally deserving murderer had his hand
on Wards shoulder. 'FerdyH had his
poor little moustache removed, marched
in line to empty his Stop bucket, and again
in line ne received his bread and tin cup
Of coffee, aud carried it to his palatial
apartment, where he banqueted, while
on Sunday be was allowed a bucket of
I dpIllt Sdltt dIH Oitdt. I1t NdS put 10
work mounting stoves. rubbing east-iron,
the first work he has ever lone since
he was old enough TO steal. He was
marched with other convicts to the lit
tie chapel, where a sermon was preach
ed, and he helped to sing some sacred
songs. Then he retired to the hard bed
in his cell, with a blanket. and tried to
sleep. The man, as he chewed the cold
bread, and shut his eyes to swallow the
black bootleg coffee without sugar or milk.
must have felt that there was a 'God in
Israel. if he ever did. In a few short
months he had been transferred from his
position of Napoleon Of finance, flying high.
to a convict in a prison cell. 1t was a re-
markable fall, but one that any man who
steals or swindles is liable to take. and
the picture, no doubt, has set many men to
thinking in the past few days. who never
thought of such possibilities before. There
are thousands of men in this country who
are meddling with the finances Of Others.
and who think they are too smart to be
caught, who are very liable to meet the
fate of Ward, if they do not succeed in
the minute particulars of Wards first
day in the penitentiary will be inter
esting to them. The murderer and bur-
glar on each side of Ward, in prison, are
no less criminal than he. They are low and
ignorant. The burglar burgled because it
was his business, and he knew no other.
The murderer committed his crime when
under the influence of liquor, a lunatic in
reality. Ward, a man well educated. son
of a minister, brought up as near right as
a man can possibly be, surrounded by all
that makes life pleasant. used the talents
that he came naturally by, and the talents
acquired by education and honorable sur
roundings, to engage the confidence of his
victims, and then robbed them of millions,
dragged the greatest man of the age through
the mire, ruined temporarily a character
that was the pride of his country and the
world, broke his poor heart and murdered
him. That is the word to use. General
Grant was murdered in cold blood by a
young villain who accomplished more by
fine work as a s'financier, than the COM
bined armies of the 5outh could accomplish
served to be hung for murder it is Ferdinand
Ward. Had he shot Grant down in his
office. Ward would have been less cruel
than he was in torturing the grand old man
by undermining his character, and placing
him before the world in the light of a con-
idence man. Happily Grant lived to show
to the world that he was not to blame for
the w~ickedness of Ward, but be could not
survive the shock. The lesson of the be-
ginning and ending of Wards career ought
to be a good one TO young men growing up.
1t should teach them that there is but one
honorable way to success, and that is strict
integrity in all dealings with all men. The
style that can be put on by ill-gotten
gains, and the temporary power that stolen
wealth gives, cannot be better illustrated
to those who have hankerings after such a
life, han by telling often the story OF
Ferdinand Ward. There is no pleasure in
IT, Tor "a liilc tue lulSl Gail ltt4 LHdt Alc u
a great man, the observed of all. the woll-
der of his time. but the sharp needle OF
pubic opinion and the law will prick the
bubble, the wind escapes, and the great
man of finance becomes the collapsed
shrimp of a thief, with striped clothes,
eating plain bread in a prison cell, and
wishing he had been honest.-Eeeks San.
1t is curious that the world has yet tc
be convinced that women do not love K
: work any better than men do. They are
credited with dependence, with a love o.
ease and luxury, and yet when a ~salaried
position is in question the woman has t
{ take less. because sshe needs less"
1t cannot be because she spends less
: for the extravaganza Of women was dwell
: upon by solomon and jeremiah, and it is
song that has never known a rest. Th'
' reason for the difference in wages is gen
G orally found to be in the assertion tina
women, who do not need a support or wh'
have few responsibilities, crowd into thi
G paid occupations. There is an incorsis
: teney here. If She loves ease, why doe
she work. If she spends more, how is !
ia