The Indianapolis journal., 1885-08-10

ing tne 1ncOnerent gaDDle or ran atlclsm anu
folly. The gross injustice and falsity of such
assertions only njure those who utter them.
FINANCIER WARD.
Popular Indignation Against Him-Grave
Fears of Mob Violence.
New York Special to Cincinnati Enquirer.
'Oh that Ward! If we had him" The
speaker was a wrinkled veteran with a Grand
Army bat, who had just come out Of the rear
door of the City Hall after passing the coffin of
his dead commander in many hard fight. He
did not finish the sentence, but the fire in his
eye and the clenched fist spoke louder than
words Similar exclamatiOns have been heard
often enough during the past few days to put
the police on their guard, though they are ex-
ceedingly careful to betray no evidence Of anx-
iety or even forethought in that direction.
The old Jail in Ludlow street has been for some
time past the object of degree of attention
herent attraction in the dingy walls or in the
two double windows, barred with iron
lattce-work, that let air and light into the
rooms occupied by the ''inancier, Ferdinand
Ward. They were Tweed's old rooms, where he
died prisoner, and embrace all there is of the
ground floor in the north wing or the building,
between the main entrance and the closed drive
way, behind the iron door of which carriage
always stands in req illness since Ward became
their tenant. 1t is said that at night he drives
about the city with his keeper, and goes to the
theater when he chooses, and that this is why
the carriage is kept at the Jail. But there are
many who believe that it is there for weightier
reasons and that Wards chief concern is that
mob law may overtake him some day when the
machinery of the courts has proved too slow, or
insufficient to suit the people. Since General
Grants death it is said that his fear has been
greatly augmented. 1t has driven Ward to
make show of respect for his victims memory
by draping his cell with Grape and tacking up
cheap prints Of the hero where the casual visit
or's eye may rest on them; but the act was
fraught with grim irony that has affected the
public mind in way exactly opposite TO the one
that was desired.
The silence of the metropolitan newspapers on
Ward has been especially noticeable There is
doubt that it is the result. in part at least, of
urgent representations On the part of the
thorities, made in absolute confidence lest it
should leak out that there was ground for fear,
that to strike match on a keg of powder is
unwise, and that the public mind is in such
state of suppressed excitement that very little
would be needed to reproduce with enfOld
horror here the terrible scenes that followed sys
tematic miscarriage of justice in your city last
year. Police Superintendent Murray is a brave
man, who has given proof that he knows how to
deal with a mob before it has time to gather
momentum enough to do harm, but he is also
man of wide experience and of intelligence
enough to know that prevention in such cases is
better than any amount Of cure, especially Of the
kind that is needed by ferocious mob in met
General Grants lorg illness and lingering death,
the bitterness against the assassin OF his hopes
and his future and would d-be slayer of his char
acter, has grown deeper under the vain efforts
of the law to catch him in his safe retreat.
There are hundred thousand men in New York
who would gladly see him die like dog at the
end of rope; not one would lift finger to save
him.
Nor is this concern without foundation in the
palDable insecurity OF the old Jail In the event
Of assault upon it by body of determined
men. Wards rooms are directly accessible
from the street, and the iron bars not ca!cu-
lated to resist many or great shocks. In five
minutes mob might be in the swindler's den
but it is altogether likely that they would find
the bird flown The real strength of the Jail
lies in its wildsome ways and labyrpthine corr-
doris, by way Of which a prisoner threatened
with mob-law might be sDuggled out into any
of three streets. even if the fourth exit, the
one chosen by Red Leary, the bank burglar
when he broke through the wall of a tenement
adjoining the jail the north is left out of the
count An intruder in Wards rooms would find
himself shut of from the rest Of the prison by a
sort of iron cage. through the bars of which Wis
itors are required to poke their permits for
| inspection before they are admitted Before
this could be demolished Ward would have had
plenty of time to make his escape, and the few
| tLrnkeys and jailers, who in themselves are Of
no account to summon the police
The Eleventh Regiment arnlory adjoins the
jail. and the fact would give the mob decided
advantage since it is unguarded at night and
holds plenty Of arms and ammunition. But it
is extremely probable that tho advantage would
be short-lived. The Tenth Precinct poiice-sta
ton is only three blocks away, and Captain
Anthony Allaire. its commander, is an old sol
der, who. by gallant service as Colonel Of
regiment during the war, earned the brevet rank
of brigadier ge neral. His men, too, are mostly
old campaisners and it is altogether likely that
ina battle with mob, even to protect life as
worthless as Wards, they would strike heavy
blows. Besides in twenty minutes reserves,
summoned from every station in the city, could
reach the jail, with superintendent Murray in
person. Hemmed in on all sides by two thou
sand hickory clubs welded by men whose orders
were to strike and spare not, it would be
furious mob indeed-a worse one than New
York has seen since 1S63-that would not lose
heart and break.
Nevertheless, fcrewarned is forearmed, and
there is little doubt that the authorities in
quiet way have made themselves masters of the
situation, so as to nip any demonstration toward
the Ludlow street jail in the bud.