The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-10-08
POSING AS A MARTYR.

Ward sat in large easy chair IN MS
comfortably furnished room in Ludlow
Street Jail and looked in 8 sad and alb
sent-minded manneS out of the grated
window upon number of children who
were playing an+ singing upon the OPP
posite side of the street ''There Is
picture of innocence ana happiness" he
said, pointing to the prancing little ones.
Turning around in his chair in nervous
manner, he continued, 'No one will ever
know the load that have been carrying
tor the many long, weary months that l
have been within these walls. l have
heard and read many statements that
have been made in reference to nv deal
ings in the firm of Grant & Ward that
have reflected in most dam
aging manner on my char
acter. Under the most biting
criticism have kept still and uttered
nothing in reply to my accusers. If the
many things that have been said were
true, l would and could have no word OF
complaint to utter, but from my own
knowledge of what 1 have done it has
made me shudder at times to read of the
debISing and mean things am said to
have done-statements which have not
had the slightest foundation in fact. The
time is coming whenI will be able TO do and
say something for my own benefit. Since
my Imprisonment have been laboring
all knew how for the benefit of the
creditors of Grant & Wari. For eight
months worked by day and by night to
make out statement that would show
the condition of the affairs of the firm
at the time of the failure. The slate
ment that l made, which showed
the name of every person who had any
business with Grant & Ward, the amoInt
of money that was advanced by him and
the amounts that were paid to him as
profits, was given to Mr.. johnson, r,ceiv-
er of the Marine Bank, and Mr. Davies,
the receiver for Grant & Ward This
statement shows what was done with
every penny that came TO my hands while
the firm of Grant & Ward existed. Mr.
Davies has written that the Indebtedness
of the firm was $1,000, 900, and that
S1l, 900, 900 of this amount had been
paid, leaving a balance of So, 900, 900.
These are round numbers. Now the i'm
preston has gone forth that | absorbed
the $1,000 900; that it went into my
pocket for my individual benefit"
"It ismy desire to aid any of the creditors
of Grant & Ward in the recovery of money
that may have been unlawfully paid out.
have worked diligently to accomplish
this, and it makes no difference what may
become of me will continue TO until the
end. If the Illegal claims against
Grant & Ward were pressed the
amount of Indebtedness might reach
$50, 900, GEO, but there are many people
who will hesitate long time before they
will present their claims to the receiver
and ask that they be paid. l have been,
and am now, CONDEMNED because | have
not made public the statement that pre-
pared. l have not done so bee .use did
not think that sit was proper for me
in the position that / occupy TO do
so. The statement should be made pub
lie BY the receiver, AMI | believe that it
is his duty To do 50, and do not under
stand why it has not been done, but |
have been given the credit for it. There
is one thing certain, that the statement
will have TO be made public. l am get
ting tired. There is Il stain upon nv
name and family that must be
1t is believed by /.
every one who has no acquaint-
ance with the facts that | made millions
out of the firms transactions. l did not, /
and to-day am not worth dollar. am
made the sclpeSoat, and everything is
laid at my door. 1t is not right. There
are others who must be held responsible. /
If the statement, which, TO large ex-
tent is my Justification, is not made pub /
lie will be compelled TO give it to you.
In the Warner suit could not bring it
out, and in the criminal suit that has
been brought against me | will not be /
able to show my real position. | have |
been uader a cloud long enough, and it /
is only justice 10 myself that it should !
be known who shared the profits /
with Grant & Ward. The books /
Of the firm show every transaction. /
There is the account of Mayor Grace. /
He used TO discount notes of Grant
Ward for five per cent, and in addition ,
was paid 81, 900 that he advanced. He |
got in round numbers. as l remember it,
800, 600 in profits. He says he made
nothing out of the firm. My statement
taken from the books will show that he
holds notes of the firm for $50, GOO, but
his docs not approach his profits"
"Did the firm of Grant & Ward evef
nave anything 10 do with the fund of
$3.50, 600 given to General Grant and
held in trust by Mcssrs. Morgan, Hoyt s
Jones?n
"Ycs, but no part of this mcney was
ost. Mr.. HOyt ut one time loaned
Grant & Ward about $4,000 on call,
against which he held securities worth
wenty per cent more than the loan.
This, understand, was part of the trus.
money. The loan was paid off before
he failure of Grant & Ward, aud sinca
hen we never held a cent of the
money to my knowledge. Genera
Grant knew nothing about the business
If Grant & Ward. He had no knowl
dge of its affairs. If 1 could
lave gone to Sc him after the
allure and explained 10 him tls
Is uTe of many transactions he would, !
,elieve, have been satisfied and wonl;
lot have recorded the unfavOrab!e OpiI-
on of me that he did. But he, like everI
me else, has blamed me for things that
never did. Light, however, will sooner
II later be thrown on nv transactions
nd strange things be cleared up. | may
'e crushed, but I am not dead. Other
eople have had heir day and have suf-
cred, but there is an end to everything,
nd Ferdinand Ward will be heard from
d his own behalf"