Smyrna times., 1873-12-10
WHOLE NO. 97I

ted to the State Senate from the fourth dis
trlct by large majority. In the Senate he
found majority opposed to him politi-
caily' How he used that majority to effect his
purposes Is one of the chronicles of Albauv
which is yet to be written. We NAV under.
take the task hereafter.
In 1869 Tweed found counsellor far wiser
and much more honest than himself in the per-
son OF feter b. Sweeney He also found a
hIppant but brilliant advocate in A. Oakev
Hall, man free from corrup motives. but one
willing to bird his eyes to the crimes commit.
ted around him as reward for temporal power
and pleasant nOtOriety. When these four men
Tweed, Connolly, Sweeney and Hall-ioined
| their various forces and talents, the TammanV
conspiracy was complete. In 1870 the first
revolt against this concentrated power began.
It was badly planned and disrepulably oficered.
Norton, Genet, Creamer, Peter Mitchell.
Michael Murphy and Others who led the move.
ment In the Legislature were not the men
through whom reform could come.
1t looked for time, however, as if the
movement would succeed. Tweed was beaten
in the preliminary skirmish in the Senate He
pretended to surrender, and voted for the
charter of the young democracy. But he had
secretly formed an alliance with the republican
! party IN the Legislature and could afford to
bide his time. Meantime his rivals had lost
their heads. In the flush Of temporary sue
cess they divlded-on papcr-al the offices in
the city among themselves The charter,
under which this grand distribution was 10 take
place, was taken TO the Assembly, where it
was understood that it would pass by general
consent But to the amazemcnt of many, and
10 the dismay of the young democracy, it was
| defeated.
Tweed's rivals surrendered at discretion.
| Creamer, Norton, Mitchell-sll but Genet
sued for terms of peace. The next week
Tweed's charter was introduced, and, receiving
the support OF all the republican Senators ex.
cepting Thayer, of Rensselaer, it passed. This
was followed by other measures which made
the power of the ring well-nigh absolute. It
was then that the system of punder began 10
work out its amazing results Bills against the
city were deliberately raised from $4,000 to
$500,000, and the enormous excess divided be-
tween Connolly and Tweed, who in turn shared
part OF the money with subordinate strikers.
Hall looked on and held his peace. Sweeney
put forth an effort to stop the stealing, but was
OverbOrne. The accounts of the comptroller's
office were secreted, and the general public. as
well as the democratic party, we're hoodwinked
and misled.
Among those who sought to profit in the
general carnival Of fraud was James o Brien,
who, as sheriff of New York, had received
upward of 100000 for three years service.
After retiring from office he cooked up bo-
! gus claim aggregating $20U, 900, and demanded
its payment. The board of audit refused to
consider it, although Tweed espoused o Bren's
bad cause. To strengthen his chances of get
ting the money, o Brien placed a confidential
clerk in the cOmptroller's office and secured
transcripts Of the fraudulent vouchers therein
contained. Armed with these evidences of the
guilt of his former comrades, he again demand
| ed his plunder. 1t was again refused. The
ring had grown so bold and they felt that their
lease of power was so long and strong that
they could brave any exposure.
Thereupon D Brien turned his evidence over
to the New York Times, and that paper printed.
it. The effect was startling With one voice
/ the people demanded the punishment of these
men who had betryed so great a trust. They
were thrust out of the democratic party whose
temple they had de6led. Said Judge Davisin
sentencing Tweed "OConnor, who has been
named here, and who holds the foremost rank
in his profession, and who stands without
stain upon a character as pure and noble as
any man s in this great city, Immediately from
his semiretirement came and aided in the res
cue of this city from its great corruption. And
Tilden, who stood as the leading man at the
head of the democratic state committee of this
State, devoted weeks and months OF toll in fer
retlng out these crimes, in aScertaning from
these bank accounts what had been done, Gill
he was able to lay before us the other day on
the trial tie result, crystalline in its simplicity,
and so clear that no man could fail to read its
meaning"
Against feeling Of wrnth which was univer-
sal Tweed opposed the power of his i'll. gotten
wealth. He doubtless believed that no Jury
could be found to convict him. His courage
did not forsake him. While Connolly skunk
away to other lands 10 avoid punishment
Tweed stayed and fought it out. How the
fight ended is told in The heavy sentence
passed upon the great public plunderer.
An abseDt-minded man entered Troy shoe
store the other day and wanted his boy mea-
sured for pair of shoes. But where's the
boy?' asked the dealer. "Thunderi |" said
5 the man, I've left the boy at home I'll go
r and get him - and off he started Ter his house
six blocks away.
'It is a very large church, but they can
hear distinctly in the back rewS," said friend,
y speaking:of sanctuary so is my church
n very large" replied DR.. S.; "but the
1 trouble is don't talk to the back pewS, as
Z there is never any body in them"
t Upon the "outer wall of neighboring fe-
d male college the other morning, was discover.
e ed, conspicuously displayed, the sign Domes-
e tic Sewing Machines. Some of those speci-
o mems of total depravity known as college stu
It dents did it. p
When Major Pauline Cushman arrived in
l. San Francisco lately, she wanted to lecture,
n but couldn't afford to advertise So she iusl
o cowhided man in public, and is now one oi