Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1873-11-28
WILLIAM M. TWEED,
His Conviction, Sentence ana ImprIs
Onment.

his metropolitan admirers and supporters,
was convicted on the majority of the counts Of
the indictment recently found against him.
There is very little doubt that the ex chief
was as much surprised at the verdict as as any
person in the community. The ease with
which moneyed rascals had escaped punish
ment in that city heretofore certainly rendered
the expectation of the prisoner not an un-
reasonable one.
Before the verdict was rendered the chief
was apparently the most unconcerned Of all
the spectators in that crowded courtroom.
He entered the enclosure from the ante-room,
looking as bright as though he had just
emerged from a Turkish bath, and nodded
smilingly and significantly to the hosts of
friends who greeted him. Whisking off his
overcoat, he took seat by his counsel, whose
jaded and carc-worn looks were in striking
contrast with his own, and, after exchanging
morning greetings with them, chatted away,
seemingly in the most agreeable mood inn
aginable. There was abundant reason for
this exuberance of feeling and extraordinary
flow of spirits, for was he not, by the verdict
of this jury, to be cleared of the mists Of
calumny by which he had been so long sur
lOulutu9
The jury came into court, and the Boss
still smiling, eyed the imperturbable face of
the foreman. He saw nothing there of the
fate in store for him, and his smile relaxed in
to broad laugh. "Gentlemen, have you
agreed upon a verdict" issued from the lips
of the clerk, and the answer came promptly
from the jury box, "We have" Tweed and
his counsel pricked up their ears. "What say
you, gentlemen-is William NJ. Tweed guilty
or not guilty?" "Guiltym
The verdict fell upon the audience like a
clap of thunder. What! the great chieftain
declared felon? Impossble!! 1t was true.
That New York jury had disappointed a coun-
try and solemnly declared that the man who
had stolen his millions was just as guilty as
the poor wretch who had stolen a hundred
dollars! Tweed himself was struck with dis
may, and terror shone from every line of his
large and usually jolly features. Even the
huge diamond with which, during all the trial
he had adorned his shirt-front, shone with
diminished lustre as if it too partook of the
gloom and sorrow which pervaded almost every
other countenance in the room. Then Sheriff
Brennan, an old political companion, a man
whom he had led to victory in many ward
and committee struggle, placed his hand upon
his shoulder and asked him to accompany him
to prison. Tweed tried to smile, but the at.
tempt was a dead failure, and he blanched
like sunfiower in rain-storm.
Poetic justice would demand that at this
point the "Boss" should be taken to Jail and
be confined with vulgar thieves, but the truth
will not allow the statement He was taken
out of the courtroom, hurried into a carriage
and, attended by two deputy sheriffs, conveyed
to his law office, ostensibly to finish up some
business before his incarceration. His eoun,
sci Immediately filed a motion in arrest OF
judgment, and that motion was to be argued
on the 22d.
On that morning, Tweed came into court
with a small knot Of friends and employees
Though fallen, he looked like a king among
the crowd around. His eyes were red, and his
cheeks furrowed with unwonted wrinkles
His daughter, niece, and son were seated be
side him, ali looking sallow from grief, ant
under their eyes were deep brown burrows
showing that since the verdict was rendered
they had passed sleepless nights. The motor
in arrest of judgment was argued by his coun
sci and the counsel for the prosecution, anC
overruled. The only notable thing connected
with the discussion was the acknowledgment
by the latter that they did not expect verdic
of guilty.
After a few preliminary remarks by tn,
Judge, Tweed was ordered to stand up, whicl
he did slowly, and on being asked if he ha'
anything to say why sentence should not b.
pronounced, replied, almost inaudibly
Nothing" his counsel adding, "He ha
spoken through counsel" Judge Davis thel
resumed:
william NJ. Tweed, you stand convicted by
verdict of jury Of twelve honest men Of a larg
number of crimes charged against you, united i
one Indictment, and that indictment, in the opin
| ion of the court, could not have been otherwis
without violation of the oaths the jury had taken
or utter disregard of the obligations under whic
| they rested to speak the truth and the Who'll
| truth. With all the opportunity you had-had 20
| faithfully performed your duties 10 the public
| to win the honor and respect OF the whole commu
nifty you saw Mt to pervert the opportunity you pof
sessed and the powers with whichy you were clothe
| in manner more wicked more Infamous and NOR
outrageous than any instAnceof like character whic
the whole history Of the civilized world contains
Instead Of protecting the pubic, lou plundered II
| instead Of standing guard when the law placed yo
over the Treasury OF your county, you threw tha
| Treasury open, not merely TO your own rapacitl
| but also to the avar,ce Of your associates unde
| circumstances which made it transparent that yO
| were engaged in concerted conspiracy to pluI
der the Treasury of this county, in which you an
your associates in crime were principally TO bent
| ft. The evidence on this subject can leave n
manner OF doubt in the minds Of any. The con
| mencement Of it all was the ente.lng by you o
| those duties as President Of the Board Of Aud
on the 5th Of May. The very next day aftC
that Your career Of plunder began, and froI
Whole 100 " accounts before Ii that ''i Boar ar
| had been audited and certified, and the warrant
issued and money paid, the evidence is conclusiy
| that the whole proceeding was instituted to carr
out concerted plan to enrich yourself and thos
associated with you. If there was no other test
mOny, that in my judgment would be conclusiyel
| established by the fact that on each Of thes
| several claims, as they were passed on and ult
mately paid, your share Of the plumber was clearl
fixed and prescribed at twenty-four per cent Will
| the share Of your associates has been fixed by
somewhat similar standard Of plunder, Itis imposs
Bile to believe that the distribution Of 100 cases,
| which the moneys were received on these warrant
| that Just twenty-four per cent of each sum shoul
always be allotted to you, without an understand
| ing in advance, by concerted arrangement tina
this great sum should be your fixed proportion Of h
| moneys, Of which the county should be plundereC
II is in vain to suggest that your trial and convi
| ton has been the result Of any partisan feeling
that this was, after all, as one of II
| jurors summoned on the panel eXpresse
It, struggle between the ins aud ii
outs No; the whole struggle has been slrugg
between honesty and fraud, between virtue an
| crime"
The Judge here in vindication Of the non-part
san nature Of the prosecution, alluded 10 Il
Times in first giving the figures the light, and
| the great assistance rendered by Charles O'Cont
and Samuel j. Tlden in the preparation Of leg
proceedings, and continued: {" 1t would I
| wrong and unjust to entertain for m
ment the idea that your conviction hi
been the result Of persecution at the hands
any person or party. 1t has been the result Of ey
| dence so clear and plain that never have seen
case where evidence was so utterly overwhelming
and where 1t so impossible for jury to fa
| to come to Just and conclusive verdict. Throul
the whole OF this trial you remained, up to Il
very moment Of your conviction, as calm al
serene as though you relied upon your innocenc
when 1t was Overwhelmingly apparent to all tn
yodr serenity was only that audacity that con
dence In the omnipotence Of corruption rath
than reliance upon your innocence. 1.-THE JUDI
emphasized this sentence by bringing his cencht
hand down upon his desk. The duty OF the Cou
now Is to pronounce upon you the sentence
sentence that may be adequate to your crime"
The several counts on which Tweed WI
found guilty were grouped and fifty-one di
tinct sentences imposed, making his ter
twelve years Imprisonment in the county ia
and imposing fine of sl2,75O.
Counsel then gave notice they would mo'
for bill of exceptions, and Judge Davis sa