The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-04-12
HIS GREATEST FIGHT
NOW GENERAL GRANT HELD DEATH
At BAY AND FINISHED HIS WORK.

Wew Features Of Story OF Suffering and
roA-One OF the Great Warriors Most
Trusted Associates Tells OF His Last
Hard Struggie.
The true story Of General Grants
greatest battle has never been publish
ed 1t was not fought during the bloody
years between 1851 and 1865 1t was
not waged during his stormy admins
tration in the White House, but il came
during the last few months of his life,
when, bankrupted and made penniless
by the villain Ward, when racked with
pain and enfeebled by disease, he shook
his fist in the face of death and wrote
the book which made his widow and
his family wealthy. No other good book
has ever been written under such cir.
oumstances. Few books have ever been
written which read so well. The Ian
yuage is as simple as that of Pilgrims
Progress" or Robinson Crusoe," and
The story is Of thrilling interest from
beginning to end. To read it you would
lot think that much of it was dictated
II voice not above whisper, and
hat the thought came forth from a
,rain surrounded by nerves which were
over twitching with agonized pain. Few
looks have had so great sale as that
# Grant Hundreds of thousands of
opies were sold, and Mrs. Grant not
ong ago said that her royalties upon il
lave amounted to more than $500, 900.
The book sells well today, and it will
Ne standard book for all time to come.
Much of the real story Of this great
work is told now for the first time in
he words of the man whom of all others
outside Of his own family in those last
lays General Grant most trusted. His
iame is N. f. Dawson, and he is now
he confidential secretary of General
yelson A. Miles. He has had the conf
ience of many great men, and today has
no secret history Of a score Of famous
tatesmen's lives stored away in his
horthand notes, given to him by the
men themselves with the understanding
hat the matter is not TO be published
.ntil after their death. General
irant," said he, "never trusted men
y halves. When first met him, all
lad with which to win his confidence
we're my recommendations. l was en-
jloyed in the war department and was
.sked by him TO come to New York and
% with him when he made his trip to
1exico. l was comparative stranger,
.ut he trusted me implicitly.
"He made me the cashier Of the par.
y at the start and put $40, 900 into my
lands to pay the running expenses OF
ne trip. have never seen man who
rusted those he liked so much. He new.
for a moment thought his friends
rould not be faithful to him, and if
ad written a note for $40, 900 and pre-
ented it to him in the shape Of letter
have no doubt he would have signed
{. He had never had stenographei
18th him on a trip before, and he said
me at the time that he would not OBJ
ct to debating his "reminiscences &C
le."
"Was General Grant really pennies;
/ the time of his failure?'' Mr.. Dawson
as asked.
Eyes He lost everything that he
All. NIulIlH IIt bWhtu Al thO NOlAN
I'D been invested or deposited with
rant &s Ward.
The money from Mr.. Vanderbilt wa
ceived before the failure-the day be-
re, in fact--and General Grant go,
othing from him after that. The
mount he borrowed was $50, 900, and
very cent of this went to Ward and
as swallowed up. / understand that
he had left at the time was about
80 in his pocket and $3.50 in cash be-
nging to Mrs. Grant His friends at
ice offered him their help, but it was
me time before he accepted anything,
nd what he did take came from com
srative stranger.
The offers Of assistance came from all
Irts of the country. Many poor meD
rote that they could loan him money,
Id among others he got one very touch.
g letter from Lansingburg, n. Y.
his came about four days after the
lure Of Grant S5 Ward. 1t was from
man whom General Grant had never
en-. He wrote the general that he haG
ade some money ont Of his business
d that he had saved few thousand
liars. This he said he would like to
nd to the general in his extremity.
inclosed u check for $500, making
payable on account Of his share due
:ant for services ending i'm April, 1865.
his letter he told the general be
uld draw upcn him for more until his
rplus was used up, and that he could
y him when he got ready. He told
general he would lend him 81, 900
once for his note at IL months with
t interest, with the option Of renew
2 at the same rate. This affected Gen.
al Grant very much. He accepted the
eek and used it. After the government
We him his pension he paid the money
ck AZ soon as he could. .-Louisville
urier- Journal.
A Pleasant Post.