Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-10-28
WARDS TRIAL.
Benz. Fish. Paying eller OF the Marine
Bank, on the stand.

Auesudy morning. ulysses >. Grant, Jr.,
and Geo. E. Spencer, cashier of the firm of
Grant Ward, occupied the usual seats BY
the jury box. Ex-President Jas. d. Fish of
the Marine Bank was accompanied to court
by detective.
Benz Fish, paving teller. was recalled to
the stand. and Ward listened to him a,ten-
lively as he read of the amount of deposits
made BY himself and the firm of Grant &
Ward. In his testimony paying teller Fish
said: "On April &c, "a, Grant & Ward had
a balance of 900, and on the morning Of
May I'd the balance was ss04, ,7O2. On May
I'd Ward was raising money for the bank
BY the consent of the counsel, the sheets
from which these statements were given by
the witnesses were admitted as evidence
thereby excluding the testamentary evidence
in regard to the over drafts.
Grant & Ward had two accounts. Ward had
an individual account and drew
against all three. The sheets of accounts
were also admitted AS evidenced Ward had
spoken to the witness about the purpose of
his special account, but the testimony on that
point was ruled out upon objection and the
witness was excused.
Samuel d. Cornell. book-keeper of the
First National Bank for the past 81 years,
was the next witness. He kept Wards &C.
=, 4.
His balance on May /, 2, 8, 4. 5 and was
S22l 1893. There were no deposits made on
either of these days. The amount was paid
to the receiver of the Marine Bank on Oct
Is, and the account was closed. Wards ac-
count was opened in June, 1881. Three
checks drawn by Ward came through the
Clearing House on the morning of May 9th
to the amount of $2l5,000.
James ID. Fish was then recalled and iden-
tilted number of letters which had passed
between himself and Ward The witness
said: at is not true that my bank had been
in financial difficulty since January, 1882, and
that Ward kept helping to save it. We
pressed Ward to return to us the money
which he and his firm had borrowed"
Mr.. Fish was examined at length upon
the meaning of these letters, and also upon
the testimony given bv him upon his own
trial in the United States court.
MIR. Fish continued: "On May 9Th, had
no doubt that we could have gotten relief
from other banks had the government con-
tracts been true as believed them to be. A
refusal to certify Grant & Wards checks
would have caused rumors which would have
broken them up, and then our bank would
be forced down. am now staying at Muir
ray Hill Hetel, and believe the district at
quent talks together. but not upon this case ="
On the redirect examination Fish said ::
81 knew of Ward in 1876 and was personally
acquainted with him in the summer OF 1877.
January lst. 1882, was associated in busi-
ness with him in the firm of Grant & Ward,
the latter also conducting the business. In
January or February, 1882, there was a
change in the relations between the Marine
Bank and Grant & Ward. Ward told me
then that the business of Grant & Ward
would be changed; that they would give up
the stock business and through the influence
of Gen. Grant, Senator Chaffee, Stephen B.
Elkins and others they had been offered gov
ernment contracts for corn, hay. feed, etc.
and if Gen. Grant received the nomination
for the Presidency the business would be
more lucrative"
Wards counsel moved to strike out all
about Gen. Grant. at was my hope" said
the counsel, THAT the dead hero's name
would not be dragged into this case and that
he would be allowed to rest quietly in his
grave.
81 have had enough of that" said Judge
Barrett. "The name mentioned is not
besmirched at all and the evidence given is
competent"
Fish continued: "While in Cuba in Feb
ruarv, 1882, received a letter from Ward
stating that he had procured government or
ders in which he hoped to make a profit of
$l50000, but did not wish it known as it
might injure the prospects of the General in
securing his pension, and then he would not
act with the firm. In order to raise money
to fill these so-caled orders, notes were made
by Grant and Ward, endorsed by me, and
discounted at the Marine bank or other
places. Ward told me the money was used
to buy beef, corn, wheat, etc, with which to
supply the government with orders as given.
The special account of Grant and Ward kept
at the bank, related only to government ac-
counts, Ward stating that the business would
be so large that it would be as well not to
mix up the moneys received from it with the
general account of the firm. l received a
letter dated March 5. 1882 from Ward stating
that he would need money to supply the gov
ernment with large number of bushels of
oats for out of town stations"
Fish continued: On May 2, 1884, the firm
of Grant Ward owed the bank large sum
and urged Ward to bring securities to re-
lieve me. He brought me some on Friday
and said snappishly "now hope you are sat
isied You have here between fourteen and
fifteen hundred thousand" These went into
tine vault and have not seen them since.
On May 5th, BY my consent, Ward obtained
large amount of securities, on which to
realize for the bank l never got the secu-
rites back nor was any check returned TO
represent any loan raised. On the night OF
May 5th. waited up all night expecting to
receive the moneys and checks from him.
went to his house at A. NJ. the next day and
waited vainiy to see him until o'clock
WAS that the end of your acquaintance
with Ward?"
mot quite. had conversation with him
since about the bank transactions. He came
to see me at my rooms over the bank, three
or four days after the failure and said he
couldn't help it. He said had been his best
friend. / told him that by his deception and
treachery he had ruined me, my family and
the bank, and had destroyed the reputation
that had been 25 years in building. In my
Indignation raised chair aud he crouched
on The floor, crying don't hurt me- told
him if he were not such contemplate,
sneaking, hypocritical sneak that
could kill him. He crouched
on the floor like whipped cur told him
he better commit suicide so that the world
would be rid OF his presence"
Ward smiled sarcastically as Fish describ-
ed the scene. The examination of Fish then
closed.
Receiving Teller Carr of the Marine Bank
was then sworn. He said; ''On the morn
ing of May 5, Ward deposited with me a
check for $50, 900, signed by VIM. II. Van.
derbilt. He asked me to withdraw Q check
of $50, 900, saying q check drawn against it