The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-10-13
GENERAL GRANTS AFFAIRS.
An Intimate Friend and also Colonel Casey
Talk-Ward's Interview with the General.

TaIk-Ward's Interview with the General.
Washington Special.
An intimate friend of she Grant family makes
the following statement: General Grant had
5000 900 worth of frstclass railroad mortgage
bonds, which were the result of several opera
tons with prominent and wealthy friends in New
York These securities he kept In box, which
for safe keeping he placed in the vaults where
Wards papers and valuables were When he
came down to the Office to get his box the day
after the failure it was gone, and the Sc
curities have never been heard of from
that day. Ferdinand Ward, in the
only interview he had with General Grant
after the failure. acknowledged that he
had taken these securities, sold them and made
way with the money. This is the reason why
Grant was so completely hankrupted. "Gen.
Grant told me, said the narrator, that he never
had such an experiences as occurred at that meet
ing with Ferdinand Ward why, the creature
crawled and groveled at my feet said Grant.
He declared that he expected to go the periten-
tiary; that he ought to go there; and that he was
unable to explain why he had acted as he did. l
have never had such an experience, and trust
that may not have another"
Col. James f. Casey, the brother of Mrs.
Grant, in speaking of the condition of the Grant
family recently. said this: 1.-THE trustees of the
fund which was raised for General Grant have
acted with great fairness. When this money
was raised it invested in Wabash rail-
road bonds at Is per cent above par The
$3.50, 900 bought 1873 81, 900 bonds. The estate of
E. s. Morgan guaranteed the interest at per
cent for ten years, and two years of that guar
antee yet remain. The trustees have on foot a
movement to take up those bonds at par, and
give the money thus received to Mrs. Grant.
The only question in the way is as to the 10 per
cent above par, but think that, too, will be
stored. Mrs. Grant has said nothing about this
matter to any of her friends. The act of restora-
tion is entirely voluntary the part of the gen
tlemen interested, and l have no doubt but that
it will be complete"
What amount Of the proceeds of General
Grants autobiography will his family get2" was
asked For some reason the publishers have
kept this secret.
'The per cent. is very large. They told Mrs.
Grant that they were sure Of selling 300, 900
copies some time ago. and / learn that the sub
scriptions have been increased nearly 100, 900
copies since then. This does not include the
edition for England. This will leave Mrs. Grant
very comfortably off, and the boys are young,
and must take care of themselves.
II want to correct one misrepresentation, said
Colonel Casey. ut was very generally reported
throughout the country, and believed, that Pres
ident Arthur offered to appoint Fred Grant
captain of staff commissary or quartermaster in
the army. This is mistake General Grant
would have been very much gratified if the
place had been given his son. But Arthur would
not do it. though friends who knew General
Grants feelings and anxieties presented the mat
ter to the President and urged it as strongly as
they could with propriety"