Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1885-03-29
GRANTS TESTIMONY
In the Tthl of President Fish, Of
tlp Marine Bank.
THE eENERlL's CONNECTION WHIT
through the III Starred Firm of Grant
& Ward 49, The Forged
st Letters.
THE RAscAiTIEs OF WARD AND FISH

NEw YoRt, March 2S.-James d. Fish,
President efthe Marine Bank, was exam
ined yesterday as to the relations between
the bank anl the firm of Grant & Ward.
He said be first became acquainted with
Ward in 1876, and that the latter solicited
his advice about certain business ventures,
and persuaded him to go into various
schemes. Ward afterwards became ac-
quaintsd with U. S. Grant, jr, and the firm
Of Grant & Ward was formed, Grant, Ward
and Fish zach supposedly contributing
100000. "A number of letters were read
in evidenss about various government con-
.rocts which Ward assured Fish had been
secured, aud which referred to progress
made.
Referring to lopg grain contract he had
taken Fish testified Ward wrote him: We
may NOT be in favor long, so | take these
orders when can gst them. There is to
be large order in April, which | may try
tor if you say So Now word as to the
General: IF some of these fellows down
there In Washington, who opposed the bill
for his retiFement,) should get wind Of our
having these contracts, they will use it as
tool TO defeat the bill,
He Cautioned Smith.
$50 am very careful, and have eau
tened Smith against saying anything. AS
long as we keep quiet and do this business
in outside names and in quiet way the
General viii stick by us.
After a recess the deposition recently
made bHGsneral { r mt was pat in evidence
In answer TO questions put by counsel for
Fish, General Grant, according to the depo-
si,ion, said; l am informed that was
partner in the firm of Grant & Ward, at
the time the failure took place. | never
knew that was anything else than a
special partner. i have dim recollection
of receiving letter from Mr.. Fish about
July, 1882, and Of answering that l had
good deal to do that day, that it was doubt
ful when could 60 and see him, but that ]
believed the matters his firm were engaged
in were all right"
"The letter Of, Of which photographs were
published, / do not believe was the letter |
answered. don't suppose | ever saw the
one that vas published. suppose Mr..
,Wafd took very good pains that should
not have it. have searched for the letter
I did receive, but am unable to find it. |
have, not been in the habit Of preserving
griYate letters
The General was shown another of the
letters purportiIg to be written by him. He
saidthe body Of the letter was obviously not
written BY him. lie did not remember the
letter at all, and could not identity the sig.
nature as his, though he was not able tosay
it was a forgery. He frequently signed let
ters, when very busy, for Mr.. Work and Mr..
Ward and other connected with the compa-
nieswf npi reading them, lie might have
signed this, but without Knowing its con-
tents. The direct examination extended
only TO the identification OF these letters.
The Generals Interest.
The General then made briet statement
to the effect that at the time he went into
the firm he had a very small income, but
had some money hat his son had managed
and added TO for him while he was abroad,
and at his sons suggestion ne went into
the firm and was to have malt his son S in
terest to live on. There wss atterward an
income raised for him. and after that the
firm generously concluded to let him in as
special partner, as he understood.
On cross examination General Grant pos
irively denied thai the letter from Fish, the
reply TO which has been photographed, con-
,ained any reference to Government con-
tracts. He told Ward when Government
contracts we're mentioned that there must
pever be any engaged in. He had been
President OF the nited States and did not
hink it suitable for him to have his name
connected with Government contracts. he
krew there was no large profit in them ex'
ceIt by dishonest measures.
lie never knew of but one Government
contract by the firm, and Ward told him
that consisted simply in buying $4,000
bushels Of oats on the Chicago market. lie
saw nothing wrong in it. Atter~ard he
heard rumUrs that the firm had Govern.
ment contracts, ana questioned Ward about
it. but Ward denied it and said he would do
nothing to iniure the General.
Afterward Ward, when pushed, explained
that the firm simply lent money to contract
ors. General Grant further testified that
he did not draw out his alleged enormous
profits, but let them lie, except a small
amount, and his $1,000 or $4,000 per
month. He lost everything he had il the
world by the the failure.
The night before the failure Ward told
him they had over 100000 in securities,
and asked him 10 get Sl5O,OOO from Mr.
| Vanderbilt which he did, borrowing 1t per
sonally. Ward told him the firm was in
danger because OF the critical condition OF
the Marine Bank, which had $3.50, 900 Of the
firms money. Mr.. Fish never told him Of
overdrafts, and he did not know that Fish
was raising money for the firm until after
the failure.
Financitr Ferdinand's Criticism.
Ferdinand Ward showed little interest
when General Grants testimony was shown
him last night in Ludlow street jail, but he
read it through carefully and then said:
There seems TO be an inference that the
signature 10 the letter OF July 6, 1882, might
have been a forgery. Anybody who can
successfully forge the Generals signature
must be an adept at the business. The fact
of the matter is that the General was fre'
uuently called npou to sign his mama, for IN
connection with his manifold business, there
were q number of anxious persons to secure
his autograph he readily granted these
requests. Why this letter was written will
come out on my trial Until then decline
to speak about it
"Who wrote the letter?
Most Of the letters requiring the Zen
erals signature and relating to the business
of Grant l. Ward were written By our cash
ier Mr.. Spencer. read them to see thas
thew we're all correct and would get the
Generals signature AferwArd."
The General says that Mr.. Work fire.
auently got his signature
"Yes. Mr.. Work was upstairs IN the
Generals Office. He had no connection
with the Office Of Grant & Ward, and his
business was kept distinct from ours Bat
Id far