The Portland daily press., 1885-10-10
A TISSUE OF LIES.
What Counsel Purington Says of
Wards Statements.
Colonel Fred Grant Writes a Letter.

| NEW YORK Oct. 9.-The Herald this morning
printed an interview with W. A; Purington, eoun-
| sci for the Grant boys He said he thought that
| w lrd's statement which he characterized as a
tissue of lies from beginning to and gave him rea
| son to break the professional silence, which he
| has hitherto maintained on behalf of his clients.
| He regretted that the story had been published
| because a lie always travelled faster than the
| truth and it would be hard to undo the wrongs
done to tile reputation of innocent people by
Wards specious mis-statements. Mr.. Purington
then gave to the reporter the following strong
story on behalf of the Grant family, living or
dead. "a few days ago." he said, II learned thai
Ward was making statements re garding the alleg
ed profits drawn out by Colonel Fred Grant and
others for the purpose of creating sentiment for
himself. heard that he had stated that Col
Grant had taken out S250,000 and | wrote the
latter making inquiries Oh the subject lreeeived
the following reply:"
NEW YORK CITY, Oct 2, 1885,
Dear Sir:-Your letter asking about rumoi
that Ward has stated that he paid father S206
600 in of what he, father, put In the rm oi
Grant & Ward and paid me S250,Oo0 In excess %
what had deposited with or loaned to him. Ward.
has been received AS to fathers account have
only to say that he put into the firm of Grant &
Ward S1O0O00 of his own money. had on de
posit there 100000 Of my mothers $4,000 be
longing to the fund raised in Philadelphia to pay
for the house. No. 3, East 66th street, S25,Q0t
from the sale Of the Long Branch cottage bu
while father was President, Sl5 900 from the sale
of the Anglo-American bank stock that mothe
had owned some years, $40 900 from savings from
her income and allowances that father had give
her. and S150,ooo he had obtained from Mr.: Van
derbilt. My fathers expenses were about So 0ot
per month"; 81 ,O0Oof which he allowed my mother
for maintaining their home, $500 he gave In char
ity and $500 he kept for his own use, but he gave
most of this away In presents. My fathers incOmt
and profits outside Of the firm of Grant & Ward,
after the S25O000 fund was raised were greater
than the amount he spent. Father made no in
yestments while in the firm except those he left
with the firm and Mr.. Ward had charge of the Sc
curities.
As for myself took from the firm less than
put in. What did take out was paid as profits t.
those whose money was using except as much as
IL took to support my family in modest way.
Now L owe S500000 through his treachery. 7
have nearly every check, ever drew in my life, a
full history of every transaction / ever entered
into and if anybody who has any right to inquire
into my affairs wants to know about any or all of
my transactions. my books are open to him. If
You see fiji to make public my transactions witt
Ward, do so. There is nothing wish to cover up.
On the contrary would like everything known. /
have done nothing am ashamed of, except that
dealt with such men as Fish and Ward There Is
nothing am sorry for except the suffering which
has fallen ON innocent people through my conf
dence in these men, l was not member of the
firm but believe l could have been deceived just
as my father and brother were, had been one OF
the partners. can truly say that regret that
did not occupy the place my father had in this
firm for believe his disease was brought on and
his death hastend by the treachery of these men.
Very truly your friend,