New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-04-02
WARDS ALLEGED CONTRACTS
Mr.. FISH THOUGHT PRESIDENT ARTHUR had A
GOVERNMENT CONTRACT.


Mr.. rrsH THOUGHT PRESIDENT ARTHUR had
GOVERNMENT CONTRACT.
James n Fish continued yesterday, In answer to
questions by his counsel stephen g. Clarke. to make
Explanations of his conduct as president OF the
Marine National Bank to Judge benedict ana tne
letters or statements from Ward were INTRODUCED w
evidence. The testimony was mostly conhned 10
6ooS called the contract hook" which was kept
partly in Mr. Fishs handwriting and partly III that
of Ward 1t was supposed to contain only ini3Tlna,
ton about the contract" business. which ward
often referred to. The contracts were entered 6y
number, and opposite each number was placed the
amount needed, the expected profit the date When
The witness was asked by his counsel to explain
abont the loans of large sums Of money IN the
ns Of se Of G' Bsnf ne Meas
BANK BANK to to- the Eric Railway Nv Company,
Of " The bank was 800, 900. and the law forbade
loan of than 10 per cent of the amount OF the
banks capital to one person or corporaIlon.
good customer and the bank was anxious to favor
it. Tho Bank Examiner then. according to MI
Fshs testimony adylsed the witness 70 put , tnf
the loans would appear well on ire oookS MI
Meigs has since died >,
MI Clarke led the witness through the entries In
the contract book" causing. him to point out
which entries were made by Ward, which by the
witness and which by Mr.. Fish's son and daughter
entries werc made from information received from
Ward. When the entries had been proven MI.
Atorney Roet objected to its reception until he
had been allowed to cross-cxam1ne the witness as
TO the entries He asked as how often the entries
usually made on the days gwen IN the pooK, put
that Mr. Ward might have made entries at other
times he tes,ihea 'nas Witnessl furnished the
money.
Mr.. Root-opposite contract No. A" appears the
entry in pencil "s. B. E. and others; no question:
The wtness-That was supposed to refer 10 stephen
B. Ekins, aud 1t meant that no quesuonS "ero " 10
Mr.. Root-Did you make that enryi NV, r..
The witness-Yes, ut the suggestion OF MI ward ne
desired that questions should be asked especially Oh
Mr.. Root see an entry &C. A. A. No questions. :"
Who no. is meant by by &C. A. A.,
Tho witness-Chester A. Arthur. Mr. Ward told me
that he obtained from President Arthur
Mr. Root-what that contract about
The witness-I do not remember the materials 10 Dc
Mr. Koot-I see here entry of $4,000, Did that
The wtncss-It did not. 1t meant that that was the
amount of expected profit -, A.,
Presidentl
The witness-I did not c,., ,-.,,,
was the one who had the from the Government
and turned it over TO Wardf
Mr. RootThat the President Of the United States had
contract with the government ~. nam. Inn,
. under his control. , ~
Mr.. ROOt-When y0u maze tnat entry on marcn 10,
&C A. A. 500 6S9 49," you understood and Intended 10
Indicate by this entry that Grant Ward made pront
of $2S $50 80 upon contract which had been assigned
to them by President Of the United States or some
body under his direction which he had previously OBJ
tanned from Government under cover Of some other
namef -
The witncss--I believed 1t came from Mr. Arthur
Those figures did not write don't know whether the
President of the United states obtained the contract
himself understood that he had had It, did not
make inquiries because Mr. Ward told mo that this bust
ness was obtained by General Grant, and any information
in relation to would be damaging to General Grant
lie should again be candidate for the Presidency.
Mr. Fish said that he never spoke to General
Grant or stephen b. Elkins about the matter He
acknowledged that the pet profits always equalled
the expected profits the contract less the amount
pa r the loan of the money, but said that he
understood that the after expenses were TO be met
AT q future settlement of accounts. He said that
the bank never received checks or warrants on the
Treasury in payment of the loans, because, he was
told the warrants were paid at the First National
Bank. The contract book was admitted in
evidence Mr.. Fish explained bow the III 900 600
was raised which was declared to be needed on
large CONTRACT few months before the failure.
The Marue Bank furnished 100000. j. Nelson
Tappan 100000, and the lest, was raised in
smaller amounts, sometimes by the payment OF
large premium. Mr.. Fish will continue to testify