New-York tribune., 1871-08-08
PRlCE FOUR CENTS.
THE BROOKLYN RING
HOW GREAT JOBS ARE MANAGED IN TIN
SUBURBS

n
THE WIDENING OF FLATBUsu-.
sWINDLE--A SHARP THEATRICAL sPTCULA-
TON.
New York is not the only city wherein
rottenness rules and corruption rTIins. Brooklyn has
little Ring of its own inferior TO that OF greater sister
only by reason OF inferior treasury and smaller
of punder In the perfection Of s organization
in the effectiveness Of its precautions against discovery
and consequent overthrow, in Its adrotness and skill
approprating the moneys of the people the Brooklyn
Ring" may justly claim equality with Tammany.
The Brooklyn Ring is decidedly complex affair.
Like that OF NewYork IL has "BOss" the person
Mr.. Hugh Mclaughlin, OF limited intellectual ca
pacity and meager educational advantages who in somo
nscrutable way has become master OF the political stua-
ton-not merely controlling primary elections by tho
usual process but debating allappoinmens and dstrb
uting the political patronage absolutely and rresponsl
bly, and this tOo when he is out of Office well when
he is in. He has amassed fortune within brief pc
riod-a fortune wonderful In the rapidty OF
its growth, in its mysterious production
from the arrest possible nothings OF capital,
intellect, or exerton Mr.. Mclaughlin is a Democrat of
course, butiworking he does In Mysterious way for
the q complshment Of his ends he allows few Repub-
means TO hold ohce his friends however boast that these
Republican ineumbents Of local Offices are useful
than men OF other political views could possibly be in
their places.
Next to him stands the Water Board an IRRESPONSIBLE
commission, appointed without the consent OF the peo-
~,
do almost everything else involving heavy outays Of
money the part of the city at large OF the citizens
OF particular localities. This Board, embodyn, in itself
most of the profitable power belonging to the munic.
palty consists OF Messrs. w. A. Fowler Il. j. Lowber,
and Archibald NJ. Bliss, three gentlemen whose
earnings, direct otherwise, have been
usually large since their appointment, 70 that
they now rank among Brooklyns wealthy citizens.
During the war, Mr. Fowler, Chief Of the Water
Board, accumulated handsome fortune by judicous
investment In white beans but becoming involved in oh
operations subsequently, he lost as rapidly as he had
gained his wealth, involving with himself such of his
friends held his paper. Broken, without means and
heavily in debt he entered politics. and, becoming
master-sprt in the Ring he found no difficulty in aecu-
mulating another fortune. This Water Board il tho
Ring and Mclaughlin is its master 1t has its members
in the Common Council It's tools sit on the Bench The
Board of Supervisors does its bidding and in every arec
ton its rule is absolute and imperative. Not content
with the power 1t WELD absolutely IL brings to bear
in the Long Island Club all the personal and social In
fuences possible seduceiwhere It cannot cOntrOl.
An instance OF its social influence related TO TIE
TRIBUNE reporter by prominent Brooklyn citizen, who
has had largely 10 90 with tho suits growing out OF re-
pavement 1t that in pursuance OF
plan to improve property belonging to members OF tho
Ring, the Water Board determined to lay patent pave
ments number OF streets, and having done so, the
cost thereof assessed the owners OF property
along the lines OF repaved horoughfaes The property
holders undertook contest the validity f these
ments in the courts and in doing so alleged specific
frauds gross character which they prepared TO
prove against the individuals committing them. Tho
suits brought before Judge Gilbert, who threw
them out on mere teohnicates. In appealing from his
decision the propertyholders' counselors offered 10
prove their allegations, whoIeupon the Corporation
Counselor, William c. DE Witt, admitted the facts in
general way, by which means, while the went 10
the upper Courts fully proved lexpose pre-
vented, and individual reputation allowed TO
suffer. Judge Glberts aid in thus preventing present
alton OF the truth to the public, wa OF course merely
act of friendship to his brother members Of the Long
Island Club. What these frauds were in full it impOs
sibe any TO learn but OF them have been
discovered at least in part, and are detailed in this
article.
THE MORRIS WAR THE RING.
It will be remembered that during December, 1869 Mr..
Distrct-Attorney Morris inaugurated vigorous cam
paizn against the political cormpons OF Brooklyn, by
securing indictments of about 80 for participation
in election frauds few only were tried but thero
enough developed to establish the truth or Mr. Nor
riss language uttered few days before az public
meeting, in which he declared:
81 know now, what believed formerly-as stated i'm
my first card-that there has been general system Of
fraud pursued at the last election believed Il AZ that
time-1 know 1t to be the fact now There wa- general
system TO connt in ana count out az all hazards and ty
poses They have succeeded IN counting in three OF
their candidates"
TIE indictments were specific in their character rnd
such as to force convictions, among which
that Of Judge Buckley, who having paid the penalty ~
his crime, still sits the Bench enabled by his eminent
scrvceabeness TO the Ring to maintain his position in
defiance OF the people whose Of decency and
honor he has repeatedly outraged.
The subsequent history of the Morris il wCl
known For once the Ring tremhed for it, power II be-
evident that unless tAeiDstrictAtoncy cou!d ho
"boucht of" "choked or" tie days OF Ring rule in
Brooklyn numbered. II necessary that some
thngshoud be done az once An arrangement was made
10 postpone remaining until subsequent
OF the court. Meantime Mclaughlin and bs cunfreres,
by the discovery Of facts in the DsrctAttorneys
Oca history able 10 bring charges gnst him or
having appropriated To his own Use moneys no; belong
ing to him. What they prepared to prove never
appeared. The prosecutions instituted by the District
Attorney were dropped, and his case in turn
moved the public eye by means Of citation to
pear before the Governor. And thus the Ring escaped
exposure DistrictAttoney Mors's hands though 10
is well known he had ample proofs Of alf that IL cited
below. OF course Mr.. DistTictAttorney Morris -
not disposed TO say harsh things Of bs Old
aversares and present friends but during the pendeney
of fine quarrel he made some interesting statements,
which we have succeeded in uuearthg Ol the benefit or
tie general public.
THE CLINTON AND PIERREPoST PAVEMENT
During the recen. repavemeut agitation ia Brooklyn,
it was publicly limited that the property holders were
preuared % prove nj least in whic. paving
contract was bought by a bribe of s65OU This, itwas
understood was in the matter of rcpaylng Pieuoponst,
but neither the parties giving the hint nor their attorneys
would consent make more specific statement OF the
facts III searching for detailed information, however,
Dr. Wells, a prominent physician Of Brook
lyn was found, who was more communicative,
and with him a long interview was had.
The conversation held at his residence IN Clinton
St. aud he volunteered TO make oath TO his statements,
should they be impugned in any way Speaking first on
minor matters, he called attention TO the fact that
various prices had been paid for Nlco!son pavement In
BROOKLYN OF these, Cintonst, paved by special COM
mission before the perfection OF Ring organization was