New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-04-14

The verdict in the FISH case is reasSuring. 1t
shows that the ld-fashioned notions of honesty
are not obsolete as the public might have been
led to believe had the amazing elfrOntery OF the
defendant been Justified by n verdict of ac-
duittal. When the Ward-Fish exposure first
occurred men wondered how this bank prcsl-
dent and astute and veteran fnancicr could
have been beguiIed by mis- young friend and
partner, but tho revelations of the recent trial
fully account for the whole infamous business
by showing that Fish was perhaps the one man
in New York who could have kept Ward afloat
so long. How he did this has been shown. lle
simply robbed the bank right and left in the
most direct way, and with scarcely pretcnce of
Disguise The forms of legitimate banking
were maintained by such reckless tricks rs
taking the note Of Wards colored porter for
forty thousand dollars. Securities deposited -
collateral were permitted to DO removed IN
day or two by the borrower In other cases
large loans were made without any collatcrals
having been received. While carefully refrain
ing from awkward inquiries concerning the
alleged contracts, Fish was drawing thirty or
forty thousand dollars a month in the shape of
dividends In fact he was pockcting the funds
of the bank which. after passing through
Wards hands, camo back to him; and when
these proofs of his guilt were pressed home to
him during the trial. this fitting partner of
Ferdinand Ward could not sec or admit that
there had been anything Legitimate in his
transactions.
There is no case on record in which prosper
GUS bank was 50 deliberately plundored and
ruined by its president. Men have become
gradually involved in speculatlons, and 10 save
themselves have taken the money Of others, but
this was not case of that kind. James ID.
Fish was the victim of sudden impulse of
no pressure Of circumstances. With his eyes
wide open, knowing from the cha ractcr OF the
transactions proposed to him that they could not
be legitimate, ho cOolly went into this most
gigantic and aulacous scheme of fraud, and
threw aside every business prccaution, every
banking guarantee that coud Interfere To pre-
vent the complete pillage of the institution over
which he presided. And as if the evidence of
his infamy already accumulated were in
sufficient to convince the public of his true char
acter, this shameless thief did not scruple to en-
deayor to shield himself behind tho honored
name of General Grant, and insulted tho death
bed of Americas most distinguished citizen by
q base attempt to involve the dying hero III his
own iuIplIu.ic. IctcIlI illdl HIS
made it plain that the two scOundrels, Ward
and Fish, betrayed and deceived the General.
la their cOwardy efforts to make II catspaw of
him, they have removed the last doubt as to his
thorough guleessness. But the public will
| neither forget nor forgive this last atlocious
calumny, and it will increase the general salts.
! faction at the conviction Of Wards active
| partner.
| 1t is to be hoped that the righteous verdict of
the jury in the Fish case will be followed by Il
sentence expressing the utmost rigor of the law.
This is no case for lenicncy, for cvasions or for
any remission of penalties. There are literally
no extenuating circuIs stances, and If in so plain
and wcll-narked II case severe and exemplary
punishment cannot DO enforced, Il blow will
have been struck at the credit cf our admins
trative system, calculated to produce the worst
results Hereafter.