Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-05-01
FERD WARD is OUT
After Seven Long Years Of
Prison Life
He is SET At LIBERTY AGAIN
His Brief Career ~ the Young Napoleon
Of Finance in Wall Sreet-Hs
Ruined General Grant.

tnnes. who ruined Gen. Grant and
helped FAh in his work Of running the
Marine bank. the Napoleon Of
finance. - free His cell door was
ratified In front Of him for the last
time st o'clock .. m He took his
place in . line with his fellow con-
victs and khufaed the lockstep
with them to the big dining
room. After his breakfast of
esrnedbeef hash and strong black coffee
he went to the clothesroom. where the
suit Of clothes he wore the day he en-
tered prison and new suit made In the
prison of cheap. coarse material were
placed before him. He donncd his own
suit. Then he was searched for the
last time, and finally he went
10 the property-room, and the things
that he had with him when he
came into the institution wsrs returned
TO him. The principal article is a pock-
etbook containing $500 In cash. He
drew IN addition To this $l0.s0 which
the prison board has decided he has
earned by his six and half years of
labor in prison. and with this he will
go into the world 10 begin life.
No one here believes that Ward is
broke, and every one who has talked to
him since he has been in prison expects
to see him make the fur fly rs soon as
he puts his scheming brain TO work
again.
II Ward has arranged bis plans for
the future he will not di~ulge them. II
am still under indictment by the United
States grand jury" said Ward. with
some degree OF apprehension, ''and I
do not know that l am, in fact, to re-
gain my liberty. OF course, am glad
that my term here il over. II / felt
was sure OF being absolutely set free
and there were no more turbulent
times ahead of me might feel free to
talk about old affairs and the new life"
Warden Drown said he had received
no intimataons that Ward was to be ar
rested ON the old indictments obtained
by the federal authorities.
After all the details mentioned above
had been carried out the warden led him
to the door Of the prison and there no
was informed that he was At liberty to
go whittier he will.
II was o'clock when Ward left the
prison. He refused to be intervie
and was driven rapidly to the railroad
depot, whore he started immediately
for New York, en- route, it is said. for
Stamford, Conn.,, where he has an only
child son, years old, at school.
Ferdinand Ward was sentenced October 81
fees, 70 ten years. imprisonment with hard la
Dor for embezElesnont and obtsining money un-
der false ~" nsss. Ward was the son Of a
Baptist minister end rose from messenger boy
Of the produce exchange 10 be manager OF
the respected nrm OF Grant Ward
NAY g. 1854, II was given out that Gr-,.t g.
Ward had closed their doors The re-
port spread Ike wildnre. At arst crooked
work was suspected, but so good was the
frm's name and 80 solid was considered its
basis that such theories we're rejected with
scorp Young Ward was looked upon as tusi-
ness man Of unusual shrcwdness. and his close
connection with the Grants and many other
influential and moneyed persons placed In his
HANDS The means whereby 10 could obtain al
mes, unlimited eresif. Tho morning after the
reported failure the doors OF the little office Of
TIE nrm 10 the hank building corner Wall
dreds Of eager and Interested friends.
Ward ccrfroa,ed them sn with a
smiling oountenancs, and through his clerk Il
was givea out that tho losses enstaned all told
did net amount 10 more than heooJ0, and the
doors were olassd merely on account OF the sus-
pension Of the Marine bank
Wal street. was In panic. Seney. the Brook
Ign millionaire ph!snthrop.st; Hatch, the
president Of tho stock exchange, and
numerous small brokers wcre pressed
70 tho wall. Sticks were worthless.
The banks were beslegcd By frightened
and suspicious depositors But alone
amidst tie ruin he had caused stood Ward.
calm and rnrufled. beholding on Gil sides ruined
friends and brnefsctors All the money Gen.
Grant had saved and laid by in order that he
might End his days In ease and corrfsrt went like
easn. He only partially succeeded in exun-
gushing tho enormous dsat and was left alnost
destitute in his cid ego. Pubic sympathy was
with the man who had done 80 much for his
country. snd wto. ty Wild ana consciencsless
specuiator. had lost his al
Revenge was demardcd. aud May 81, 1854,
Ward was arrested and landed la Lucilos street
Jail, where he was joined i've Gays later ny Lis
friend, James ID. Fish. against whom s'rf,csent
proof had been gathered 70 convict him as =
partner In Wards crimes. A few weeks later
Fish was tried and convicted aud sentenced to
seven years In Auburn He hes served his term
and now resides with his daughter In New York
city. WARES trial cane BY the foilssin October.
General, nov s,cretsI ysTrsey was retained In his
behalf Every essrt sac ulsSe 10 obtain " ard =
freedom. but all to no purpose, ana October
81. 1894. he was sentenced 70 TIN years 81 har4
labor at sing Sing prison by Judge ssrrett Al
ayst he Was put 70 work cleaning pe;s, but
eventually he Was plsocd In the printing once
~ ~ AZ nj n ~a had