The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1885-11-05
CONVICTION OF WARD.
lie VIII Follow His Whilom Friend and Partner
TO The Penitentiary.

which for so long has been filling the columns
of the newspapers. Probably no case of modern
times has attracted so much attention, both on
account of the enormity and boldness of the en-
bezzlements as well as the national prominence
of some of the parties connected Herewith. The
failure of the Marine Bank, at New York,
which occurred last year, involved many people
Ill utter ruin. Among the most prominent
victims was Gen. u. S. Grant, but the trouble
caused that distinguished soldier is too well
known throughout the length and breadth OF
the land TO need recapitulation here.
James ID. Fish, the President of the defunct
bank, was, after a long residence in Ludlow
Street Jail, and after every possible eXpedlent
TO evade the law had been tried without sue
cess, convicted last Spring and sentenced to 10
years Imprisonment with hard labor, for his
share in the swindling transactions which Ii
nally toppled over the bank. And now, after
months of most skillful fencing with the law
graspng at every straw to save him, and with
postponements of trials out of number-Fer-
dinand Ward, who was one Of the Directors,
and also of the firm of Grant & Ward, has been
convicted and will follow his venerable friend
and partner to the penitentiary. Ward, VINO
is only 50 years of age, has by the brIllIancy
and daring of his financial transactions earned
the soubriquet of the Young Napoleon of
Wall Street." and tits not improbable had he
kept clear Of ways that are dark" he might
have become one of the richest men OF the
country. But greed, allied with conscience
little too elastic, has caused his downfall from
the proud position he held among fnanciers,
and he to-day is the solitary occupant OF a
felons cell.
WARDS TRIAL.
On Tuesday of last week, after a panel con-
tanning 200 names had been exhausted, jury
was at last empaneled to try Ferdinand Ward
on the charge of grand larceny, he having de-
posted worthless check for $4,000 In the
Marine Bank in order to make fictitious bal
ance and then giving one w. S. Warner check
for 81 800 against this fictitious balance, which
was paid to and Endorsed by Warner.
Soon after the jury was impaneled an old
man with gray hair, clean shaver face and
strongly marked features entered the court
room, closely followed by detective. Every
body seemed to know that this old man was
CONVICT JAMES D. FISH,
who had been summoned from his cell as wit
ness. As he took his seat i'll the place reserved
for witnesses there was general craning OF
nccks and twisting about to catch glimpse of
him. He had not been seated more than few
seconds when he cast a malevolent glance at
Ward, who sat at table busily cphering, and
totally obivious of the presence OF his old asso-
ciate.
There was little delay between the seating of
the last juror and the opening of the case for
the people. District Attorney MARITIME stated
the case briefly to the jury, explaining that
Ward was charged with grand larceny, in hav-
ing obtained by false pretenses the sum of
81 500 from the Marine Bank
You are to try the defendant upon this
charge continued the District Attorney, land
upon no other You are not to try him on the
charge of having. by fraud and deceit, obtained
from Gen. Grant and his family all the money
they ever had and sending the great soldier
down TO the grave heartbroken; neither are you
TO try him upon the charge of having, by fraud
and deceit, sent an old man to the pententiary
who had for years been his friend and who had
treated him like son."
This was objected to strenuously by Wards
counsel and a motion made to dismiss the jury,
which was overruled by Judge Barrett.
Fish was then called up, and i'll answer to the
usual questions in regard to age residence and
occupation, said i'll clear and loud voice: " My
name is James ID. Fish, | am 66 years old. |
am inmate Of Auburn penitentary, having
been sent there under sentence of 10 years at
hard labor, and by occupation | am convict"
As he uttered the last word his eyes again
sought the place where Ferdinand Ward sat,
apparently oblivious to everything except the
paper before him on which he was still busily
ciphering, and a look in which hate mingled
with contempt came into them. The eyes said
almost as plainly as words could have done
% Now Pll get even with you'll
Fishs testimony was of the most damaging
nature, settling the fact beyond doubt in regard
to the false check. When asked by the District
Attorney if he knew the defendant. Fish
again glanced at the slight pale-faced young
man with look of hatred, and Ward turning
round looked him full in the face and returned
the look with interest. In the course of his
examination, which lasted good part of two
days, Fish repeatedly said:
Our trouble due to Grant & Ward debts to
us that they did not pay We had little trouble
with Erie, but not much Grant IL Ward were at
the bottom of it all. had constant trouble with
Ward. The promises that he did not keep and the
heavy loans to his firm kept us always in state of
and uncertainty"
Fish at another stage of his testimony seemed
to let his temper run entirely away with him,
and with glazing eyes and gestulating wildly, |
he said:
II did not see Ward on the 9th the day of the fail
ure. / did not see him until three four days |
after. He then to in my room, the |
second floor of the Marine Bank He said he wanted
TO explain. He had done these things. and he did |
not know why he had done them. He was very |
cry and deceit that he had ruined me and my |
family when we had handsome competence, and |
that he had put me in the light of rascal by his
lying and villainy. / told him lie was a black |
hearted treacherous scoundre, and that if he were |
not such contemplate, crawling little villain |
would kill him in his tracks. | pick ed up chair |
and swung it round my head and he fell on the |
floor and begged and whimpered like whipped |
puppy, begging me to spare his life. He admitted |
life-ynS like dog on the floor all the time"
All this Ward took with rather an amused |
look, and he seemed to decidedly enjoy the |
spectacle of the old man working himself to
such pitch Of impotent rage.
THE VERDICT.
On Thursday, the third day Of the trial, the
jury, after being out five hours, returned with
a verdict of guilty" As the word was pro-
nounced by the foreman Wards head dropped,
but in moment il was thrown bravely back
as though he had intended to take the conse-
guences without a murmur, no matter how
hard they might be-
Sentence was deferred until Saturday, in
order to give the prisoner an opportunity to
move for new trial, but on that day Judge
Barrett denied the motion and sentenced the
prisoner to 10 years at hard labor in the State
prison.
Ward heard the sentence with much COM
posure, although he rapidly brushed the tears
from his eyes with his hand. He was then led
away, and in the afternoon taken to Sing Sing
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