Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-04-17
A N S

rheir Testimony in the Trial of the Ex-
rank President-General Grant Afir,ns
His Ignorance of the Existence OF the
Alleged Government Contracts.
New York, March 2s.-The testimony in
the triei of James D. Fish, President Of tbs
Marine Bank, was unusually interesting
Yesterday. Mr.. Fish took the stand u
was examined as to the relations
between the bank and the f1n OF
Grant & Ward. He said that he flrse met
Ferdinand Ward in 1876. ~: WAS
M. Green, Nce-President of the bank.
Ward told Fish he was q youns A1an Of
| limited acquaintance and small caplsai,
but ambitious to succeed in business,
and he solicited Fish's advice. AT the Same
time Ward told Fish that he had op-
speculate pro6tably in certificates OF nem-
bership in the Produce Exchange, buying
| them for 500 and selling them at from $3.50
to $3.50 each. Fish lent Ward msaey frem
time TO time to carry on their specuiatlons,
and afterward Ward got Fish to go into
various other schemes: ward afterward
got acquainted with U: S. Grant, Jr..
and introduced Fish to him. The firm Of
Grant & Ward was formed in 1880. Grant,
| Ward and Fish each supposedly contn-
buted $100,o 600 to the capital. Aftet this
Ward wrote often t Fish. The
letters were read in evidence. In them
Ward assures Fish that he has So
cured Government contracts and expects
to get larger ones. The letters almost
invariably suggest that Fish send certain
amounts to aid in WORKING up these invest
ments. Ward also sent Fish each month a
statement Of profits and u check for Fish's
share, ranging from a few hundred up to
and speak of Wards success, which he at
tributes to Fish's giving him q start. He
calls Fish his second father. Or March 2,
1882. Ward wrote:
The general contract business progresses
well, but we must keep it mum, or the papers
will give rs fits" referring to a large grain
contract he has TAKEN, he writes, " may
not be in favor long, 50 take these orders
order in April, which I may try for if you say
so. Now, Il word rs to the General. If some
of those fellows down there dn Washington!
get wind of our having these contracts they
will use it MS n toll to defeat the bill. SO I am
very careful, and ! have cautioned Smith
quiet and do this business in out ide names and
in u quiet way the General will stick by us"
After recess the deposition recently
made by General Grant was put in evil
dcnce. In answer to questions Tut by
counsel for Mr.. Fish, General Grant, ac-
cording to the deposition, said:
81 nm informed that ] was Il partner in the
firm of Grant q Ward at the time the failure
took place. ] never knew that l wss anything
objection Of receivinga letter from Mr.. Fish
about July. 1852, and of answering that |
had a good doal to do that day.: that
but that I believed the matters his firm was
engaged in were all right. The letter, of
which photographs were published, do not
suppose i ever saw the one that was pub:
khed;; suppose Mr.. Ward took very good
pains | should not have it. ! have searched
for the letter l dia receive, but am unable to
find it. / have not been in the habit Of pre-.
serving private letters"
The General was shown another of the
letters purported to be written by him. He
said that the body of the letter was OBJ
viously not written by him: He did not re-
though he was not able to say
it was a forgery. He frequently signed
letters, when very busy, for MI. Work
and Mr.. Ward inc others connected
with his companies, without reading them.
knowing it's contents. The direct exalni-
nation extended only to the identification
of these letters. The General then mad a
brief statement to the effect that at the
tame he went into the firm he had a very
small income, bat had o money that his
while he was abroad, and at his sons sug-
gestion he went into the firm and was to
| nave half his sons interest to live on.
There was afterward aN income raised for
him, INC after that the firm generously
concluded to let him in as a special partner,
as he understood.
On cross-examination General Grant
positively denied that the letter from Fish,
the reply to which has been photographed,
contained any reference to Government
contracts. He had told Ward when Gov
eminent contracts We're mentioned there
must never be any engaged in. He had been
President of the United States, and did not
think it suitable for him to have his name
connected with Government contracts. He
knew there was no large profits in them
except by dishonest measures. He never
knew Of but one Government contract
by the firm, and Ward told him that
consisted simply in buying $50 1000 bushels
saw nothing wrong i'll it. Afterward he
heard rumors that the firm had Govern.
ment contracts, and questioned Ward
about it, but Ward denied it, and said he
would do nothing to injure the General
Afterward Ward, when pushed, explained
that the firm simply lent money to con-
tractors.
General Grant further testified that he
did not draw. out his alleged enormous
profits, but let them lie, except Il small
amount and his s, 900 or $4,000 per month
He lost everything he had in the world by
Ouc 1tslluic. Luz ulSlG before Ulc failure
Ward told him they had over 50, 900 600 il
securities, and asked him to get $500
from Mr.. Vanderbilt, which he did, Dor.
rowing it personally. Ward told him the
firm was in danger because of the critica
condition of the Marine Bank, which helc
$4,000 of the firms money. Mr.. FISH
never warned him of overdrafts, and he did
not know hat Fish was raising money fo1
the firm on discounts until after the failure,
The Rebellion in Manitoba.
OTTAWA, Can, March 2S.--In the Com.
mons last night the following telegram
from Lieutenant-Colone Irvine, of thu
mounted police. to Sir John A. Macdonald
dated Fort Carlton, via Winnipeg, Marcel
81, 1855, was read by the Premier:
"Thep party under my command has jus
arrivea When near Fort Carlton founc
that Major Crozier, with a party Of 100, had
gone to Duck Lake to secure a large quantity
OF supplies there stored. They were met by
some hundred rebels, who held an advan
endeavored TO surround Major CIozierl
rebels fired first. When the firing be
cnrnc general Major Crozicr, owing to thu
disadvantage at which he was taken, retreat
ed in good order, arriving at the fort ut thu
Same time as my party. Ten civilians o
Prince Albert and two policemen were killee
and four civilians and seven constable
wounded: The umbe of rebels killed is no
known. The police and civilians acted witt
the greatest bravery under a heavy fire."
The reading Of this dispatch caused in
tense excitement. Detachments Of A ant