The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-02-16
THOUGHTFUL FRIENDS.
The Two Persons Who Saved Gen. Grant
from A Or olute Bankruptcx


from Absolu Bankruptcy,
Gen. Grant and all the members of his
family have been, as might have been
expected, very reticent as to the privs-
tons and anxieties they have suffered
since the failure of the firm of Grant Il
Ward. But the facts communicated TO
old friends in confidence have been grad
uAliy coming to the public, without any
Intentional betrayal of trust anywhere.
80 much, however, is known, that it oc-
Cured to the writer OF the communica-
ton herewith published that con-
neoted and careful account of Gen.
Grants ptcuniary straits would be more
satisfactory TO the people, and would
give juster view of his situation and
OF his trials and conduct, than the
more or less exaggerated stories that
are afloat. The communication which
follows was written by one whose
relations with the Grants and have bee n
and are sucn as to insure the most inu-
mate knowledge of the interesting facts
stated. Or course the writer prepared
aud furnished this communication
without the knowledge of any member
OF The Grant family, and without any
solicitation on he part of any one con-
nected with the Mail and Express. But
so interesting story will speak for
itself. Hele II il:
"Four days after the failure Of Grant
d Ward Mr.. Charles Wood, of Lam
singburg, New York, wrote to Gen
Grant, whom ne had never seen, offer.
ing to lend aim 81 900 for twelve mouths
without interest,", with option of renewal
at same rate. lie inclosed check for
$500 'on account Oi my share due for SER
vices ending about April, 1861
"At this time Gen. Grant had abso-
lutely no money Tor current expenses.
Every thing he owned in the world had
been invested or deposited with Grant n
Ward. About $50 in his pocket book
and $50 III cash belonging to Mrs. Grant
was what he had to live on. The trust
fund had been invested in Wabash Sc
curltles and the company at this iunc-
ture deianlted payment, while the guar
antors, the Il. ID. Morgan estate, could
not pay until the company mad de
faulted Tor six months. Gen. Grant sc-
cepted the timely offer of Mr., Wood
very gra ully.
about the same time Mr.. Romero, the
Mexican minister, came to Gen. Grant,
and also insisted on aiding him with a
loan OF $lOU. The general declined at
trst to receive the money, but Mr. Ro.
W
abount on the table. But for these
two acts of friendship, one from a
man Mhom Gen. Grant had never
seen, the other from gentleman by no
means wealthy, the distress OF the gen
erai would have been actual The
checks hich had been paid out a few
days before the failure were, OF course.
not met, the payment on May | ON the
trust luud Mas swallowed up by Ward,
and there was absolutely for time no
other resourse.
"Mrs. G ant, however, had little
house IN Washington, which shs had
bought some years before for 81, 500, and
she was able to sell this in Il few week :
for So 300 A check was a. once sent to
Mr. Romero for the debt to him, the
OutstandIn2 checks on Grant & Ward
Tor personal or family expenses were
paid, and little was lett for living
during the summer. The sons had ali
been ruiued by the failure as absolutely
as the rather, aud Two OF them, with
their Families, were obliged for a time to
live with him.
sin this emergency the general was
asked 10 write coupe OF articles for
the Century Mag ,2iue. He was offered
$1,000 for the tw,, aud consented to try
his hand at literature. The articles
were written and the payment made,
and about Christmas the general was
able 10 pay oil the necuniarv indebted
ness TO his friend, Mr.. Wood, with
whom he is still personally unac-
quainted. the occupation of writing
interested him; the story Of his old cam
psigns distracted him from the thoughts
of his Wall street troubles; be continued
to write, and finally decided to
compile his military memoirs. The
first volume Of these is complete
and the second nearly so. The
work gives details OF his early
history not previously known, and q
graphic picture OF life In Ohio before
1899, when he went to West Point. His
account of the MeXiccn war is also eX
tremely interesting rs ha was in every
Battle except Buona Vista, under both
Scott aud Taylor. Tho narrative of
those campaigns, as seen by a lieuten-
ant who Afterwards became the fore
most soldier Of his time, il said by those
who have seen II TO he fascinating even
to unnliiitary readers, while the
sketches of the great generals in both
northern aud southern armies whom no
knew as subalterus il something the
like of which has never been written
by such an author in all history Mail
and ENpress