The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1889-05-25
BROADBRIM'S N. Y. LETTER.

On Saturday last gentleman returned
to Brooklyn who has been absent from that
city several years. His return created but
very little enthusiasm; but his departure
was one of the most sensational events of
the most sensational year that the country
had seen since the war. The gentleman
was James d. Fish, the partner in vilainy
and fraud of Ferdinand Ward, of the firm
OF Grant Il Ward, who had been serving a
term at Auburn for robbing the Marine
Bank. For over thirty years Mr.. Fish had
been known among the fipanciers of New
York, and his reputation, if not as high as
any mans, was nevertheless sufficiently
good to give him entry into New York's
best society. He lived in moderately gen.
erous style, wore white "choker," and if
not deacon or trustee, he, by his gener-
ally pious behavior, was regarded as elig-
ible to the Office. While many presidents
of banks were richer than Mr.. Fish, there
were few whose financial integrity was
more highly regarded, in addition to which
he was an eminently cautious man, and
like Bailie Nicol Jarvie he never put his
hand out any farther than he could easily
pull 1t back.
The story of his connection with Ferdi-
naad Ward almost reads like a romance.
Nothing can be conceived more opposite
than the difference between the two men.
Fish was solemn, sedate and dignified; Ward
was utterly Insignificant, diminutive and
reckless Small in stature, of hustling and
uneasy manners, with sort of monkeysh
expression of face that would seem to beget
anything but confidence The only marvel
is, that in place like Wall street where
every fellow is suspicious of every other
fellow, that such an Insignificant mortal
could ever have established himself in the
confidence of the close-fsted old money
ho no ruhO Oaaka that OAldan mn bair
home. Only year and a half before he
blessomed out as a millionaire, he was
small clerk in a small bankers office, and
he considered bis services amply rewarded
with fifteen dollars a week. The Produce
Exchange was about erecting its new build
ing and these was a sudden appreciation in
the price of its seats Ferdinand began to
speculate in small way on borrowed
money, and it was not very long in a chang
ing market before he found himself the
possessor of few hundred dollars of his
own. He had struck new bonanza and
fer time he kept ths secret to himself.
At last he began to long for larger field
of speculation. He wanted to buy fifty or
hundred seats, instead of one or tive, and
he cast around for somebody to supply him
with the funds. He unfolded his scheme
to James d. Fish. Fish listened, thought
the matter over, and jumped in. The legit-
duce Exchange did not long satisfy his am
bitiOn, and then he conceived and carried
out that gigantic scheme of sWindling and
plunder which led the Grants to ruin, which
shook this city like an earthquake, which
was the social and financial death of Fish,
and which landed Ward himself in States
prison for long term of years.
The strangest feature of the whole affair
was the revelation of Fish's double life.
On Wall street he was all dignity and re-
serve; In BROOKLYN the embodiment of a
pious churchman; but the ether Mr.. Fish
could be found after bank hours behind the
scenes of the scenes of the opera bouffe
flirting with Young actresses who, after the
play was over, went out with him to mid
night suppers and in flowing bumpers of
the choicest champagne, drank good health
TO the generous patron whose purse was
ever open to their demands. Among the
festal throng of the opera bouffe was a
lovely young creature named Sally Reber.
Half the dudes in New York were breaking
their hearts for her, but their sighs were
In vain, for 1t was whispered that she had
protector and that she was going to leave
the stage. Fish was sixtY-hYe, Sally was
only twenty, but just previous to the crash
she disappeared. She was finally located
In q small village In New Jersey where a
child was born, and few days after the
young mother died. Then to the great
scandal Of his family he acknowledged that
Sally Reber was his wife. He attended her
funeral, then he was indlted; he was tried,
and conYicted of converting the funds of
the bank 20 his own use and sentenced to
States Prison for tan years. After serving