Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1885-10-27
THE WARD TRIAL.
A Jury at Last Secured and the Taking
Of Testimony Commenced-James
d. Fish, the
of the Marine Bank, the
First Witness-His Statement
Of the Relations
Existing Between His Bank and Ward
A Loose Way Of Doing
Business.

New YORK, October 26.-The work of
securing jury in the Ward case was re-
sumed this morning, and the jury was
completed this afternoon. He said Ward
had been indicted for larceny, and he read
the statutes covering the crime. While
the district attorney was speaking, James
d. Fish, with his custodians, entered the
court room. He glanced at Ward, and
was removed to private room, where he
remained until wanted as a witness. The
district attorney said Ward, on May s.,
1884, in this city, presented check for
ST. 800 to the Marine Bank drawn against
Bank. Ward received the money from
the Marine Bank. The $4,000 check was
not honored by the First National Bank,
and Ward was guilty of grand larceny by
procuring $71 900 on it from the Marine
Bank. The jury must remember that
Ward was not on trial for running Gen.
Grant and sending him broken-hearted to
the grave, or for sending to the State prison
for ten years gentleman highly connected
in banking circles, but was merely On trial
for grand larceny.
JAMES d. FISH
was the hrst wittess called. He leaned
over in his chair anu glared safagely at
Wss-d who lowered his eyes. Wards
counsel moved that the Jury he dismissed
on account of the statement of the District
Attorney regarding Gen. Grant and Mr..
Fish. The motion wss denied. Mr.. Fish
said: q! am sixty sig years old,a convict in
the Auburn State Prison, to which l was
saw the check handed to me May 5, 1884.
directed it certified after went to the tel
aphnna afld raffO nm Ward W
Question-Is the prisoner here the Ward
you mean
Mr., Fish Cleaning over again)-I would
like to sse him. Yes, that is the man
(contemptu usly. -,
Continuing, the witness said: 81 said
over the phone: Ward, I have your check
here for certihcation for ST. 800 against an
uncertified check for $75.00G.' Ward
phoned back that it was all right, and
certified. tsaw Ward, on May 9th, about
o'clock. He came In Monday morning
before business hours and asked for the
Withdrawal of certified $4,000 check, be-
cause an SSl eco against which the former
sum was drawn had been withdrawn. Mr.
John 81. Carr, the receiving teller, was
present, and instructed him to withdraw
the check. When the exchanges came in
found the LOCO check, which Ward
said was Withdrawn, was presented and
paid by the bank. l rang Ward up and
told him he said it was strange, but that
it would be all right. He was too busy to
come to see me then.
On cross-examination the witness said
that he did not know that Wards account
had been overdrawn on May 5, 1884, to
the amount of 100000. 81 knew that
Ward often had his personal account
overdrawn, but Ward told me the ftioney
was deposited in the Grant & Ward ac-
count. On April IL, 1884, l told Ward
that it seemed to me now affairs were
drifting in a way could not understand
Mr.. Carr, the second teller, had charge Of
the cash account. On May 5th expected
written promise, to make a de
posit to relieve the $s1, 900 check which
did come in; though he assured me il
was withdrawn. We waited for Ward al
the bank that day until o'clock. Wa16
had promised to raise the money, and
| understood he was trying to borrow it or
the 5th of May. 1 was pressing him hare
for money, as the bank needed it, in order
| to get through the clearinghouse on tina
Monday morning. On May Sd ! wrote
| Ward: Get in all the money you can
and hope to see better days. meant fo
him to get all the money he could, and OF
Monday morning he deposited the Van
derbilt check for Sl50,0O0, which wa
credited to his persoual account. lido no
know that at that time it was extra har'
for Ward to borrow money on tn
securities he had. /, do not femem
Der ever soliciting loans for Gran
& Ward on their securities, though
believe was sent to the Seligman's. 1t wa
because / could make better terms. A
that time the Marine Bank was carrying
load for the Erie Company, and l wrot
Ward that would leave if the bank wa
not relieved of some of its securities
which other banks would hardly accep
Ward, 1 think, became director in 5anr
ary, and was one at the time the ban
failed. l was member of the firm {
Grant & Ward"
Counsel then read the following letters