New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-04-03
GULLIBLE PRESIDENT FISH.
HE THOUGHT WARDS CONTRACTS HONEST.

HE THOUGHT WARDS CONTRACTS HONEST.
NOTHING STRANGE IN LARGE PROFITS On e"AAA
pusrNEss-NEvER MADE ANY INQUIRIES.
The few score regular attendants at the triai Oh
James D. Fsh were almost ths only Tia seat
As witness in his own behalf before Judge peus
dict aud jury the United States CrcGt Sat was
His counsel stephen e. clarke; a hn Mr. Fish be-
Tore the formation OF the finn of Grant & Ward
in 1880. Judge Benedict did not THINK he ,+ the
ton material. but Mr.. Clarke urged MAJ MA F;nb b
district Attorney might argue that as Mr, f t5e
said that he considered himself rich man AZ tne
time OF the failure. the defendant had Oecoo show
thai IN Mr. Fish was man of substantial properly
before tho firm organized. MI Roet saio
Ihaye yet to learn that 1t s any defence 70 an ~.
ment for crime In "a court OF Inc uhi'ou o'a'e' ~
Mr.. Clarke-The District. Attorney Knows 'ei' WIN
that do not offer it Us any defence.
The ouestion was not allowed. The witness ue
MED that in relation to any oft leans wlch
subjects of the indictment ne nad aieo; the h"oEs
mt Cashier DaboIl to make entries IN tne ovonS
that certain collaterals had been deposi,ea whion
had not been received. He also denied that ne nae
I'm any of those transactions any design 10 aeceNr
tho Controller of the Treasury any other oihcer' o'
to dcfraud the banking assoclatloh'
Mr. Ciarke-Dd you know Of any entries having rs
been made in the books OF the BANK OF coha'ci"' 20 -
ceived which had not been receivedi ,or.r brought
The witness knew a Dapo Mss
that securities that ought to DC III inc berc were
not sent down. but did not know na nat Se coa
erals were In the bank
The witness told of receiving 10000 IN notes OF
the Chicago and Atlantic Halfway o and Western
Railway Company, and $780, 600 IN 9tner Sc seoS Mr
ties, which were placed with the bank oy MI
Ward tsw T oF asy osns Grant
He said that Ward had also deposited In the vauIs
OF the bank satchel and bTndls when Fh;u hac ac
cord,ng To tne Testimony Of Mir. Dab0ll, was taken
from the bank by Ward day or two before 'Ge
failure, but Mr.. Fish said he did not know that IL
Root then began sharp bSb Ras "st
OF Inc defeneans deener and deeper red under the
Ere of questions tie leaned back with his Nesd al.
most resting on the back of the CHAIR ana MS iee'
braced against table IN front Of MN The court
room grew more crowded I'D the a1tcIhoon aS rant
spectators became interested IN I.e app With
ont saving ANYTHING that would injuree
his case His answers were seldom direct rec R amd
asked Of what the 500, 900 which the Witness put
in as capital of the firm of Grant o. ware ccnt
sisted Mr. Fish after some 6esitati9n, sasq oo
n included S52 900 OF Wards flour notes. YiO,OUOUU
Iun ~ margin to Dominick g. Dickerman, $4,000
in 1lonr pool $40 coo in stock OF Jesse H. Grant
Arizona IN ne and $4,000 in Evening otar minnk
stock.
Mr.. Rot-Then it appears that the Formation, Of
this fra you did not contribute dollar Oh capi'A' AL
The witness (after hesitasion)-That is the fact.
Mr. Fish said that the firm first occupied an office
with DOminicE & Dlckernan. and dealt sht
MARINE INNING Bank s0G Showed that the credit
entry was the deposit OF money r eceiTe1u
on loan of $4,000 That was almost t3 net o ons
month after the firm was formed Fish received a
statement in which he was credited Win WIN
that he supposed the firm had an account
with Dominick g. DickermaD. The second mo- months
entries showed profit to Fish OF over @4'oVo anu
less than $500 on deposit in tho bank.
Mr. Root-Did you not think it singular that hr a
should be dividing profit Of over $4,000 wheh IL naa
The witness~I did not thought the firm had an &C
count at the First National Bank.
The witness was shown the statements OF the
firm for the last year Of its existence whi .;a
showed pretended profits ON contracts alone. he
said that he drew out his share OF the pto h's
regularly and had no reason TO suppose 'iia' LIS
partners did not do the same.
Mr. Root-Dd you observe that during the whoe year
your only received aooH. e. POO for commissioner
MI Root@That it did not receive commissions enough
to pay office remit
that year you drew W T Sos G tSst
Thai was a dlsproportonate amount to the apparent
amount of other business OF the niin
The witness-I do not think II DID,
Mr.. Fish had not happened to notice either that
none of the checks drawn on Grant q Wai iaI >
special account were for transportation OF @ @
or for commissions other expenses. ne ulu bot
think it strange that there were no cnecks
from the Government on the contracts
Mr. Root-Did you believe that these were honest con-
The witncss-For Government contractsf YES
tIaughterl $500,
The witness-Yes, believed they were honest con-
tracts Al, 1901, ,hrL that
Mr. Root-If you thought so, why did you thnk 'hae
Won a member OF the firm, should not zee theih ~,
The witness-I believed that they exlsteu, put a.ai
Ward told me that obtained through Genera
Grant and that il might inure him such things were
known in case he was nominated again for PRESIDENT
Mr. Root-Yet though you could not see these con,
tracts you told people that the G0yernneht hao
such contracts with the firm OF Grant az "arui
The witness ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .o
Mr. Root-Did you believe the contract marKco u a.
A-no questions to be a honest contractf
The witness-Yes, did believe So ,,..
Mr. Root-YOu have pu. III evidence letters IN Wnlcn
Mr. Ward asks for advice accepting these contracts
Did you give him advice -,
The witness-I did not give him advice.
Mr. Fish testified further that he asked no cues
tions because he had no curiosity Referring 10 a
letter from Ward he said that he expected certain
securities to be sent TO the bank that day. Az
least" he added, that day or the next day, LOT
Mr. Ward was always a little remiss about these
things Judge Benedict directed an adjournment
to Monday.