Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-10-27
FERD. WARD's TRIAL BEGUN
James u. Fish's Testimony Now Ware
Worked his Came.

| Auef M1rline opened the case. liz
SAID Ward had been indicted for larceny.
and he read the statutes covering the
crime.
While the District Attorney was
speaking James d. Fish and his Gus.
todians entered the courtroom. Fish
glared at Ward as he entered the
court. He was soon removed Ia
private room, where he re-
NAMED until called as q witness.
The attorney said that Ward, on May
5, 1854, presented check for Ell 500
to the Marine Bank for certifcation.
giving an uncertifed 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 honored by the
First National Bank, and Ward was
guilty of grand larceny BY procuring
Gl,OOO on it from the Marine Bank.
I The jury must remember that Ward
was not on trial for running General
Grant and sending him broken hearted
to the grave, or for sending to the State
prison for ten years gentleman highly
connected in banking circles. but he
was merely on trial for grand larceny.
James 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.
Wards counsel here moved that the
jury be dismissed on account of the
statement Of the district attorney re-
garding General Grant and Fish. The
motion was denied. Fish then began
his testimony " | am sixty-six years
old, and q convict at Auburn State
prison, to which was sentenced for ten
years with hard labor. | saw the check
now handed me on May 5, "a. 1t was
handed me by the paying teller. di-
rected it certified, and went to the tele-
phone and rang up Ward
Question - Is the prisoner here the
Ward YOU mean?"
Fish Qeaning over again: "Yes !;
that is the man." tcontemptuously.)
Continuing. witness said - said over
the telephone, Ward, | have your
check here for certiication for s7l. 500
against an uncertified check for as
0O0.' Ward 'phoned back it was right,
and certified it. saw Ward on May
9Th about 9 o'clock. He came in on
that morning before business hours,
.,I .rLod Co. ~. xr;tbdro~a Of cor
titled $4,000 check, because an sSl, 900
check, against which the former sum
was drawn. had been Withdrawn. John
II. Carr, the receiving teller, was pre-
sent, and instructed him to withdraw
the check. When the exchanges came
in found the ISL 900 check which was
said was withdrawn was presented and
paid by the bank. ! rang Ward up and
told him. He said it was strange, but
it would lie all right. He was too busy
to come and see me then
On cross-examination witness said he
did not know that Wards account had
been overdrawn on May 5. 1884, TO the
amount of 100000. II knew that
Ward often had his personal account
oyerdrawn, but Ward told me the
money was deposited in the Grant n
Ward account on April l., 1884.
I told Ward that it seemed to me
our affairs were drifting in way
/ could not understand. Carr, the
teller, had charge of the cash account.
On May 9Th | expected Ward all day,
according to his written promise to
make a deposit to relieve the sSl 900
check. which did come in, though be
assured me it was withdrawn. We
waited for Ward at the bank that day
until 5 o'clock. Ward had promised
to raise the money, and | understood
be was trying to borrow. On the
9Th Of May was pressing him
hard for money, as the bank need
ed it in order to get through the
clearing on that Monday morning.
On May Sd wrote Ward, Get in all
you can, and hope to see better days.
| meant for him to get all the money he
could. On Monday morning be de-
posted Vanderbilt check for $50, 900,
which was credited to his personal ac-
count. | do not know that at that time
it was extra hard for Ward to borrow
money on securities he had. ! do
not remember ever soliciting loans
for Grant & Ward on their securi-
ties, though | believe ! once went
to Seligman's. 1t was because
] could make better terms. At that
time the Marine Bank was carrying a
load for the Erie company, and | wrote
Ward that | would leave if the bank
was not relieved Of some Of its securi-
ties, which ether banks would hardly
accept. Ward. | think, became direc-
tor in January, and was one at the time
the bank failed. | was = member Of
the firm of Grant a Ward"
Counsel then read the following let
ter, inscribed private" and written
under the business heading, james ID.
Fish. Wall street, Goth March, 1884" ::
Ny Dear Mr.. Ward: Life is short.
as we have it often quoted to US. This
ere business and some other matters is
altogether too much for me. We carry
an immense burden that no other bank
would for the company and many Of
their employees. and on collaterals that
no other bank would recognize. If the
bank cannot be relieved Of some Of it |
shall leave as sure as anything in the
world. | see no prospect Of things
getting better with them. Yours,
y. d. FISH"
Ward witness continued, often
made deposits as late as $3.50 P. NJ.
When heard that the 1000 check
had been used though Ward had as
sured NE that it had been withdrawn,
| rang him up on the phone aud said,
sharply: Ward, how is this 4; that
ss1 900 check has been used:' Here
piled i can't understand it. But it
will be all right | believed Ward to be
an honorable, truthful man one to whom
trusted everything had in the world.
On Monday, May 5th, expected Ward
to raise q large amount Of money, as
much as $400, 900 or 100000. He had
been trying to raise money for ten days
before that"
At this point witness was excused
until tomorrow TO allow counsel for