Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-01-20
DYING TnnlnlanX.

The glory of Iammany has departed, or, al
least, bias suffered eclipse by the exposure, dis
glace and deposition IRON office of its principal
sachems. Its political power has gone for the
present, but the organization remains, and its
capacity for mischief may return. To prevent
this the legislature of New York has aimed a
blow at its life, believing that so long as its
memory remains, its name will be an abomna
ton TO honest men an en- encouragement to
coiruptionists. A resolution adopted by the
senate and intended 10 disclose grounds for the
forfeiture of the charter, requires the officers o.
the society to furnish copy Of the constitution
and bylaws of the society; the names of the
present members, and the respective tunes OF
their election; The names OF the present officers
and OF The officers who have served during the
Lass four years; the annual income of the socie-
ty and the sources thereof; the amounts OF
money expended in each of the four last years
for what obj cts the expenditures were made
and the amounts paid t. "indigent or distressed
persons"
The "Tammany Society or Columbian Order"
was organized IN 1889, but received its charter
in 1905. Its prclessad object was to afford re-
lief TO the INDECENT and distressed members OF
the society, their widows and orphans, and
others, who may be found proper objucts of its
charity. A sachem confid to a reporter that
the society will not respond fully 10 the demand
OF the legislature, because 1t is secret organic
alton, its constitution aud bylaws exist only in
the original manuscript; no one has ever been
allowed to copy them, and the right of the e.-
islature to obtain their secrets is denied. The
society has long ago departed from its originaj
purpose. 1t was respectable for many years
after it ceased to be benefcent, and its infamy is
notmore than about fifteen years old. Its proper
ty IN real estate Is valued at about $500 900, and
its yearly income from rent paid by the eity is
S36 co., Here is its weakest point against the
legislative attack, since the charter expressly
limits the yearly value Of its real and personal
proTery 10 $1,000, The sachem who gives Thu
information says that these rents are almost it.
only source Of income, the receipts from nltia-
tiOn fees and dues never amounting to more than
$500 OF $500 in year.
The same authority deeares that the society
has sometimes, when II had funds on hand
given relief to distressed and INDECENT mem.
brs, but hasn't made it its business to run
around and hunt up such cases. Widows and
orphans also "haye been attended 10 at times.
This yrtuous bat rather respondent sachem
denies that Tdmmdny is a democratic society;
it has always had members belonging to the
other party, and is not identical with "Tammany
haIl." Things were "prety loose" he admits,
while Tweed was grand sachem; but he bas
been got rid Of, and "rbe whole f1ht has been
starred because OF refusing TO recognize the So
c,ied general committee, which Judgc Barnard
Jet into Tammany hal last week" We do moi
learu from this sachem's remarks that Tam
many has any excuse for living longer 1t
cannot cease to be offensive while it remains
above ground, aud the legislature cannot do
better than 10 blot out Of existence the name
aud the thing.