Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-10-28
Gradually shOwinu 0u He slnunns
Methods.
AN AMUSING LITIEa FaOe fsA
70 Ward convulsss the Lisssasts WIN
Laughtsr--.As 70 he Old
Hero's Name.
THE GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS UP.

VIII PcooAo onA1OeS ~ g. -
the court room Of Oyer and Terminer
where Ferd. Ward is on trial
BENZ. Fish, the paying teller of the Ma
riDe Bank, was recalled 70 the stand, and
Ward Estened sttsntivsly Is be read of
the amount Of deposits made By himself
and tie frn Of Grand & Ward. Some o
the deposits ranged in the hundreds O
thousands.
General Tracy demanded that certain
books be produced, and they not being al
hand be asked for time to examine them.
II don't propose to delay this case,
was the answer of the Judge, "snd you
will have to get the books the best way you
can"
In his testimony Paying Teller Fish said;
"Oa April &c, 1884, Grant L Ward had a
balance Of SAG, ,OOO, and in the morning Of
May I'd the balance was 1904, 7O2 62. On
May I'd Ward was raising money for the
bank and he managed the deposits" By
consent of counsel, the sheets from which
these statements were given by the witness
were admitted as evidence, thereby exclud-
ing the testsmentary evidence in regard to
oyerdrafIs' Grant l. Ward had two &C
counts, one special and the other general
Ward had en- individual account, and drew
against the three. The sheets of the &C.
counts were also admitted as evidence
Ward had spoken to witness about the
purpose of his special account, but tesl'
mony on that point was ruled out upon the
objection, and the witness was EXCUSED.
Samuel D. Cornell, bookkeeper of the
First National Bank, next testified. Ward 8
balance on May lss ID, 3D., 9Th, 9th and
9Th was S2,2i3 SO. There we're no depos-
its made on any of those days Wards
account was opened in June, 1881. Three
checks drawn by Ward came through the
Clearing House on the morning Of May 9th
to the amount Of $2l5,0OO.
JAMES D. FISH
was the next witness. He sat down, folded
his hands and put on his Spsctacles. Until
questioned his lips we're tightly closed. He
was asked if be did not receive more than
one letter from Ward on May 5th. DE
could not remember.
General Tracy then read number OF
letters from Fish TO Ward, all being re-
quests for money advanced By the bank to
Grant & Ward, and to Ward individually.
They indicate that the bank was accus
toned to allow Ward to overdrsw his &C
counts to large amounts. Some OF the
letters created amusement. One OF them
read:
II suppose VIC can stand it day longer,
but Laa afraid there. IL trouble, ahead 1
am not at all anxious to get into the Erie,
and am sorry that he said anything about
it. If you know of some acceptable man
who wants to be President OF a small bank
down the street, can find q place for him"
Yours, J.D.F.
While General Tracy was reading this
letter everyone laughed. Judge Barrett
held his hand to his mouth, and the jury
laughed aloud.
Mr.. Fish said, smilingly 1T referred to
the Marine Bank"
Mr.. Fish vas examined at length on the
meaning of these letters, and also upon the
testimony given by him upon his own trial.
Mr.. Fish said: On May 5th had no
doubt that we could have gotten relief
from other banks had the Government
contracts been true as | believed them to
be. A refusal to certify Grant 4 Wards
checks would have caused rumors which
would haYe broken them up and then our
bank would be forced down.
THE GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS.
On his re direct examination Fish said
81 knew ofWard in 1876 8; was personally
acquainted with him in the summer Of
ls77; on January lst, 1882, was sssocia-
ted in business with him in the firm of
Grant J. Ward, the latter alone conducting
the business; in January or February 1882
there was chaDgein the relations between
the Marine bank and the firm Of Grant Il
Ward. Mr.. Ward told me then that the
business Of Grant Z Ward would be chang.
ed; that they would give up the stock busi.
ness, and through the influence OF General
Grant, Senator Chatfee, Stephen B. Elkins,
and others, they had been offered Govern
ment contracts for corn, hay. feed, etc and
that if General Grant received the nomina-
ton fol the Presidency the business would
be more lucrative. -,
Wards counsel moved 10 strike out oil
about Gen. Grant. ut was my hope,
said counsel, that the dead hero's name
would not be dragged into this case and
thst be would be allowed to rest quietly in
his grave -,
II have had enough ofthAt," said Judge
Barrett, "the name you mentioned is not
besuirched at all and the evidence
Oiyen is competent" Mr.. Fish con-
tinued: while in Cuba in February,
1882, received q letter from Ward
stating that he had procured government
orders on which he hoped to make profit
offs SO, eco bat that he did not wish it to
Do known As it might ipjure the prospects
Of the Geuerslin securing bis pension, and
then ke would not act with the firm. 10
order to raise money to ell these so called
orders. notes we're made by Grant 4 Ward
aud endorsed by me and discounted ct the
Marine bank or other places. Ward told
me the money Nos usou " ONJ ONS'' ~
wheat &c, with which to supply
the government with its orders
"a given. The special account
Of Grant L Ward kept at the bank related
only 10 Government accounts, Ward stat
ipT that business would be so large that II
would be as well not to mix the money re
ceiyed from it with the general account oi
the firm. received letter dated March
5, 1882, from Ward, stating that be would
need money to supply the Government
with Q large number Of bushels OF os's
O,her letters were offered that were pub
lished on the tusl Of the witness.
/ Natural Gas scheme.
PIrrsBVRo, October 27.-t is under
stood that q movement is on foot to con
H.