The Washington critic., 1885-11-10
W1RD LOSES HEART.
His Proud Spirit Broken by His Inn
triannu,,ut

His Proud Spirit broken by His Inn
prisonment.
A friend of Ferdinand Ward paid him
visit at Sing Sing a day or two ago and says
that Watds appearance had become so
haggard that he hardly knew him. "You
can't begin to imagine how miserable |
am,n sold Ward 81 thought the warden
would consider my physical condition aud
put me at some work that could do, but
was mistaken. The first day was put be-
hind the boiler shoveing ashes into barrels
aud loading them on truck. Every time
| lifted a barrel | thought my back would
break. Since then have been kept busy
grinding stove covers. The dust flies into
my eyes and is gradually binding me. Just
look at my hands, lie held up pair of
hands that would have been transparent II
dirt had not been ground into them. There
were abrasiOus all over them and the fingers
seemed stifeued by hard work 81 cannot
eat the food they give mc,n continued
Ward, supprcssing his tears. al eat with
1,lS5 other prisoners. At 6A5 in the morn
ing we take our greasy tin plates and form
into line. We pass our plates to the cook,
who slaps little pile of what Is called
hash on each, piece of bread is stuck on
top, and this, with tin cup of coffee made
out of stale crusts of bread, is our break
fast. My stomach rejects this stuff.
wrote note to the warden ON Monday
praying him to use the $3.50 brought here
In buying me decent food. | was referred
to the chaplain, who told me TO write to my
wife. ! did so, and on Friday received
some canned meats aud fruits, which cat
In my cell.
zone thing is certain and that is, | will
not live to serve my term out unless | get
something that | can eat and work that |
can do. Keeper Scripture, who has charge
Of the shop where | work, is very harsh to
me-" The tears that came into Wards
eyes as he spoke required great deal OF
rubbing to dry them, and he trcmbed
violently. Ward said that all the money
be had in the world was the $50 he brought
TO the prison with him, 800 Of which wore
the proceeds of the sale Of his watch which
cost him $3.50. About the affairs of the
firm of Grant Il Ward he said: 81 don't see
why Davies doesn't make plain statement.
He knows all about them. The statement
| gave him, If II crrs at all, Is in favor of the
creditors. | think Holt ought to recover all
the money Warner got from the firm In
my statement to Davies, | charge Warner
with having received $50, 900, because that
is all could prove, but he really received
more than $1,O00,000. If everybody who
proftted through the firm were compelled
to return all In excess of six per cent. in
tercst tnere WOULD ne more tnan enough To
satisfy every honest caim.n
Ward admitted having sold some dia-
monds while in Ludlow Street-jail, but
said they were stones he had bought several
| years ago.
-Four days before my faiure,n he con-
tinued, 81 had on deposit Sl,0O0,00O worth
of city revenue bonds, which could have
sold in any bank II had been the scheming
villain some people are pleased to think
me, converted them into Government bonds
and left the country. The thought of flight
never entered my head" Here his keeper
| glanced sharply at Ward and tapped his
foot smartly. Ward arose and said In a
frightened way: 81 must go now. / am
awfully obliged for your visit. | can re-
ccive visit from friends only once month.
hope can live to get out of here and be-
| gin life anew" lie went away wipng his
| ewes,