Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1873-12-04
The Conviction and Sentence Of Tweed.

The New York Herald of the Goth gives
the following account of the scenes in the
Court room Immediately after the render
ing of the verdict by the jury in the Tweed
case:
II was TO very many persons in the
Court---by the way, there was not one
lady present to even give the great cor
ruptionist solacing smile--a most
significant moment as the bIrly figure of
Brennan stopped down to the side Of the
bench. and, looking in the face Of the in
flexible Judge Davis, whispered few
moments to His Honor, and the magistrate
then asserting, Sheriff Brennan picked
his way with great difficulty through the
crowded court to the side of the doomed
and convicted man who was to soon fill a
feIon's cell. Sitting near Tweed on the
left hand was Richard Tweed, the brother
of the accused, an aged, white-h haired, and
white.bearded man. with the same promi-
nent and marked Jewish features tina: are
noticeable in all the male members of the
Tweed family, both young and old.
Richard Tweed seemed greatly moved at
the disgrace put upon his brother, whom
he has always looked upon as one who
could, like Archimedes, move the world
if he chose, and now none were SO poor as
| to do him reverence. Closer in the circle
sat young Bill Tweed, or General"
| William III. Tweed, who was made, it
| is said q General in the militia and a
| member of the bar on the same day, and,
| two weeks after being made member of
| the bar, was made an Assistant District
| Attorney for the good County of New
York. This young man is dark-visaged
| person with side whiskers, and has the
name of good-natured young fellow
about town. His eyes were red with weep
| ing and he seemed overwhelmed with the
| disaster which had befallen his father.
| Behind the prisoner sat his son-in-law,
| Ambrose Maginnis, Of New Orleans,
| whose bridal hour had been crowned
| with bushels of diamonds, and silks, and
purple, and fine linen, that outshone 1.-THE
wealth of Ormus and OF Ind" Maginuis
| was crying, and his face betokened real
sorrow at the doom of the false public
servant. At the right of Tweed sat Char
ley Lawrence, formerly Spectator in the
ballet business, and who was now up to
his ears in business of a far more serious
nature. He wore glasses, and looked at
Judge Davis appealingly, but that face
was like the face of rock set against
sts,rm. These people were the special
guard of Tweed, and they seemed 10 think,
from the expressions which fitted to and
fro uneasily in their countenances, that
the conviction was most incredible
thing to their minds.
Tweed himself seemed struck with dis
may, and terror shone from every line of
his large and usually jolly features. His
face blanched as his old political COM
palion, man whom he had led in many
ward and General Committee struggle,
placed his hand on his shoulder-the
hand of the law--and asked him if he
was ready. Tweed tried to smile, but the
attempt was failure, and he blanched
like sunilower in the rain as he nodded
his head that he was ready, and Sheriff
Brennan, warrant in hand--or rather COM
mitment In hand--beckoned to his deputy,
Shields, who had been deeply interested
In the drama. And now there is a hum,
almost amounting to low roar, and
Tweed, the great plunderer, ex-prince of
politics, proprietor of palaces, diamonds,
and who was at one time IN command of
10000 retainers, rose to go forth in the
stern grasp of the law. Passage was
made slowly, and the numerous bands of
Tweed sympathizers gave way on either
sde--Tweed and his friends passing into
an adjoining room. The doors were shut
To with bang to prevent rush upon the
prisoner, VINO disappeared.
Then small group gathered in the lit
tie alte-chamber, and Richard Tweed
shook hands with his brother and said to
him.
~ guess it will be all right in the
ends'
81 hope so, / am sure" said the con-
victed ex-potentate OF the buried Ring.
An Associated Press dispatch Of the
ED gives the following account Of the
sentence pronounced by the Court on that
day:
After the counsel had concluded their
arguments on the motion for an arrest of
Judgment, Judge Davis delivered a few
preliminary remarks, after which Tweed
was ordered to stand up. which he did
slowly, and on being asked whether he
had anything to say why sentence should
not be pronounced, replied, almost in.
audibly, Nothing" his counsel adding,
Gle has spoken through counsel
Judge Davis ther resumed:
.Mr Tweed. you stand convicted by jury OF
twelve honest men Of a large number OF crimes
charged against you united in one indictment, and
that verdict In the opinion OF the cour could not
have been otherwise without Il violation Of the
oaths which the jury had taken, an utter disre.
gard of the obligations under which they rested to
speak the truth and the whole truth.
with all the opportunities you had--had you
faithfully performed your duties TO the public-to
win the honor and respect OF the whole commu-
nifty, you saw lit TO pervert the opportunity you
possessed, and the powers with which you were
clothed. In manner more wicked, more Infamous
and more outrageous than any instance OF like
character which the whole history Of the civilized
world contains Instead OF protecting the public
you plundersd II instead of standing guard where
The law placed you the treasury OF your
~, You threw that treasury open, not merely to
your own rapacity, but also TO the avarice OF your
associates, under circumstances which make 1t
| transparent that You were engaged In concerted
conspiracy to plumber the treasury OF this county,
In which both yourself and your associates In
crime were principally % be benefited.
"The evidence on this subject can leave man
ner OF doubt in the mind Of any. The commence
ment OF Il all was the entering by you on those
duties az President OF the Board Of Audit On the
18th day OF May The very next day after that your
! career OF plumber began. and was followed from
that day forward consecutiyey till the whole 100
accounts before that board had been sudied and
| certified and warrants issued and money paid.
| The evidence Is conclusive that the whole pro-
| cceding was instituted TO carry out concerted
plan to enrich yourself and those associated with
Won II there was no other testimony, that, In my
Judgment Nonld be concfusiyeiy established BY