The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-12-03
Tweed.
BITS OF HISTORY.

cause why his name should go on the his
toric page. Tweed although mere thief,
will live like Jonathan Wild and Jack
Sheppard. A still higher distinction is
reached, for while they robbed individuals
he robbed his country. This all rogues are
not permitted to do, much as they may de-
STREET Tweed thus has n connection with
that list Of noted criminals whose robberles
led them to wealth and distinction, from
which they were afterward precipitated.
Such men as Cardinal Woolsey and Lord
Bacon may disdan the former brushmaker,
but nevertheless, he can justly share their
distinction. American history certainly
affords no equal with them in the magni-
tude of his frauds. Now that he is con-
yicted. the city will breathe more freely,
and the prosecution of his associates will
bc resolutcy urged. Tweed's crime is not
one of merely modern date. Virgil says
that when Hnas entered the internal re-
gions he saw those "who sold their country
for gold and made and repealed laws for
money" (.frH teges pretio dtquG rCfirt.) The
ring made this an almost daily occurrence.
A REMINIsCENCE.
While speaking on this subject am led
10 the memories of my mercantile life at a
time when passed almost every day Me
Murray's brush store in Franklin square.
Here might have been seen mt that time
tall and fine looking young man who APP
peared to have little thought except on
business. which he dispatched in Il very
ready manner How little could any one
have dreamed of the notorious career which
this man has since ran, and the infamy he
has reached At that time there was Il
very bright class of young men IN the
with whose foreman | was acquainted, and
here Bill Tweed was a general favorte.
The Seventh ward indeed was his home.
and it was an unlucky day when his pride
and ambition led him to seek "A more fash
iunable abode. This was not done until he
had become rich politician. and his i'm
pOr,ancc was too great to permit him to
live on the east side of town. Twccd's
career abounds in amazing audacity, per-
jury and theft combined, with vanity of
an unusual degree. lie ripcncd rapidly in
crime under the favoring influence Of Tam
many, and his talents, which are of more
than ordinary character; became rapidly de-
velope1 The time soon came when he
could demand an enormous fee for his
signature, that being necessary to the pay
ment of important claims. Men who could
not get their bills audited by Dick Con-
molly, the controller, learned that Tweed's
name would ensure success. | can NOW
refer to claim which had often been pre-
sented in vain until the applicant appeared
before Tweed and besought his influence.
Il have no time to talk about it," said the
boss. ''lf my signature is worth $500 YOU
can have it," The money was paid. the
magic name was written and the bill was
ut once audited by the financial accomplicc.
From this method of petty shaving he rose
to the highest rank in fraud. The ring not
only became giant robbers but they gath
cred around them the worst class of vii
lains. With Barnard on the bench, and
Tweed not only in the senate, but also en-
thrOncd in municipal power crime became
in demand. The murderer, Sharkev. was
one of Tweeds pets, and indeed it might
be said of this city as Shakespeare said of
England:
Have you a runlin that will swear drink
Revel The night, rob, murder and commit
The Oldest sins the newest kind Of way,
England shall give him office, honor, might"
The court house was planned, and it was
determined that the spoil should equal
three millions. Church street was opened,
and another million was levied on this i'm
provement Every leading expenditure
was placed under tax, and the result was
wealth. Tweed bought nearly 81 200, 900
worth of real estate at one time in Broad
way. lie was so full of money that lust
before an important election he gave $50
600 to the poor of the seventh ward. 1t
was easily done, for he was making that
sum almost every week. As the money in
creased, new methods of investment were
needed. A bank was started by the ring,
and then Manhattan market was built as
joint stock concern; but suddenly the
grand drama of fraud changed and retribu.
ton appeared Two years are past and the
result is before the world. The wealth of
the ring has fled as rapidly as it was made.
Tweeds property was sold at an immense
sacrifice, the Manhattan market stock is
worthless, and the great thief has hardly
enough left to pay the cost of his defense
The writer has linked these facts along
with Renaissance because Tweed is OF
the same aye with himself Both were
young business men in this city at the same
streets. Hence the sudden and dishonest,
as well as dangerous elevation of the brush
maker, and his subsequent fall has been of
vivid interest to one who watched his
course from distance. The writer has al
ways felt thankful that he was free from
ambition, as illustrated in this city, and the
history of the ring has confirmed the
Shakespearean utterance in Woolsey's adj
vice TO Cromwcll "COr7UptiOn aotaS nat
more than hOneSty." With such lessons be-
fore us, happy are those of whom it may
be said that far from the maddening
crowds ignoble strife their sober wishes
never learned to stray"
TWEED IN HIS GLORY.
This was his daughters marriage, which
was celebrated with great pomp in Trinity
chapel, the most fashionable church in
America. On this occasion everything in
dictated an utter Indifference to expense and
the public money ran like water The da-
monds which the bride wore on her shoes cost
more than a mechanics annual income
The asscmblage on this occasion afforded a
grand display of the Ring and its retainers
There were such men as Pete Sweeny,
Dick Connolly, Judge Barnard, Jim Fisk
and their associates, who represented ten
millions Of plumber. Never did Trinity
chapel witness such a gathering of unblush-
ing vulgarty and fraud as dcsecmted Its
sacred precincts on that occasion. What Il
contrast is afforded by this crowd and that
which gazed on Tweed, the prisoner, con-
yicted in the very court house whose pccu-
latlOn made him rich, and where once his
portrait held lin the supervisors room) II
conspicuous place. The next step will be
state prison, where once more he may try
his hand at brushmaking and mediate on
the scripture lesson of the green bay tree.
To WHOM CREDIT Is DUE FOR HIS CONyIC-
TION.
Mr.. Lucius Bigelow thus speaks of the
credit due to the Assistant District Attor
ney in the Tweed trial. lie says;
Henry c. Allen, Assistant District At.
torney, New York city, is deserving of the
highest credit for the skill and fearlessness
with which he purified the panel of the
disreputable characters, criminals, etc,
whom Tweeds counsel strove to place
upon the jury. The Graphic says