The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1873-12-11
From tie Ulsca (N, II Observer. yar' =.
= rs THE STORY: OF WIN. n. TWEED ,

s.r;s @ THE STORY OF VIM NJ INV hhD' '',
1El 4 plain Narration Of His Life and the Rise
IoS1:gz and Fall Of the Famous Famn' Us J, Ring. .eoz
% Trvelye l, yearsin the peniteutiary at Black
,veins Island and fine Of $12, 1902 This was
the penalty pronounced against William NJ.
Tweed, In, the Court Of Oyer andeIermlner, by
Judge Noah Davis, on Saturday afternoon. AT
! o'clock on Sunday morning the prisoner was
taken to the Tombs, and in that Egyptian Plle
of more than Egyptian misery ne IS nov con
fined. The last act OF the drama IS Piayeu.
The man who alittle while ago was senator,
a sarsr1neryisor.a cenimissioner-the Chief power
in the chief CITY of the continent-ls now
condemned convict. If any measure OF sue
cess attends the efforts of his counsel to secure
a MITIGATION of sentence astay OF proceedings,
or 81 new, trial, it will not alter the essential
Sact chat rTweed,s place henceforth is with the
optlsws of society. It is time to consider the
mans life and character with the same calm,
disnassionate view that we shonld take of the
dead, for Tweed is dead beyond the = hope OF
William NJ. Tweed was born in the city OF
New York, fifty years ago last April. his pa
rents, were poor people, and the boy was early
thrOwn: upon his own resources. he learned
heitrade of chair-maker, and worked at II
for few years. He soon became ambitious OF
political distinction, andto increase his quail,
ications and improve his chances ne entered
the University Law School, from which ne
graduated as member of the bar. HIS power
began in stheiold volunteer ire department. OF
the metropolis. He became foreman OF big
S;yn-an engine company famous in the lower
part of the city. His immense vital energy
and his organizing ability: were here developed
and exhibited. In that day a popular fireman
was positive power in local politics, and Tweed
began; to- make himself felt. = t5 sa5.as - =,
I'm 1851 heSwas elected alderman from the
Seventh ward, serving in the Common Council
through the years 1928. In the fall OF
1852 he was elected to Congress from the nth
disbrict, which then embraced the Seventh and
Tbsrteenth wards of New York and the village
of -Williams5urgh, L. 7. He took his seat IN
the House in December, 1885, while. his term
~ alderman was about expiring He was thlr-
tysyears old st that time, with the promise OF
fair future before him. While in Congress ne
was elected school commissioner OF the Seventh
ward. The year after his term as representa-
tive expired2he was chosen to the board of su-
peryisors, and continued to holdia place there
until the day of his overthrow.
In 1861 he was candidate for Sheriff on the
TaInmany ticket. The Office is one of enor-
nous emolument and Tweed struck for 1t with
his usual energy. He reckoned himself worth
$50. .O0os at that time and he had made the
money honestly. He expended the last dollar
of it in the canvass, lecl on by the hope and
belief that,he would triumph. He was beaten,
and during the. winter which followed ne found
great officially IN meeting the house-rent and
paving his butchers and grocer's bills. 1t IS
probable that his career as public plunderer
dates from the day of his defeat as sheriff.
was not fine-grained man nor troubled
with mary conscientious scruples. He saw
himself as the victim of what he looked upon
-aSasconspiracy. He had distributed his money
among various.ward organizationsin return for
their promised assistance. They divided his
fortune and withheld their support. He re,
solved to seet even" with the public, who had
preferred another to him, and he set about the
lob with the coolness. of q great general and
the wiekedness of "a great robber. In 1SoZ !, ne
became deputy street commissioner, and Walie
holding that Office he got his hand freely ln0o
the public purse for the first time. AT aoou'
the same period: he made himself the leading
spirit IN the Tammany organization.
He showed soon that his power as an organ
izer was very great. he drew men around nln
usually by appealing to their selfish natures
4
aof honor and trust. He proceeded on the the:
Sory that every man had his price. If rlva
arose to dispute his authority he crushed thai
rival if he could and if he couldn't he crushed
9:thesriyalry by supporting the man Tor some
Office and thus making, him his ally. In this
way he spiked the guns OF Fernando WOOD
and called. a, truce, with his popular enemy, the
"Bie Jndee,a Michael Connolly.
In 1867. Richard B. Connolly, a timld man
plausible in manners but exceedingly corrup
st heart. became controller of New. York
With him Tweed formed anialliance. sConnol
W. was greedy and Selose-fsted. He never
could secure a popular following. He hello
Office at the pleasure of Tweed, who was how
ever, compelled to share equally with him IL
the division of the money plundered from the
city. That same year 1857 Tweed was elect
ed to the State Senate from the Fourth district
BY large majority, In the Senate ne found
majority opposed to him politically. How ne
used that majority to effect his purpose IS one
of the chronicles Of Albany which is yet to be
written. We may undertake the task hereat
ter.
slt In 1869 Tweed found counsellor far wise1
and much more honest than himself in thu
pe,son of Peter B. Sweeney. He also found s
fippant but brilliant advocate in A. Oakley
Hall, a man free from corrupt motives, but ont
willing to- blind his eyes to the crimes commit
ted around him as a reward for temporal power
and pleasant notoriety. When these four me1
Tweed, Connolly, Sweeney and Hall-joinee
their various forces and talents the Tammany
conspiracy was complete In 1870 the frs
revolt against this concentrated power began
It was badly planned and disreputably oficered
Morton, Genet, Creamer, Peter Mitchell, Mi
chael Murphey, and others who led the move
ment in The Legislature, were not the mer
through whom reform could come.
It looked for time, however, as If the move
ment would succeed Tweed was beaten IN th'
preliminary skirmish in the Senate He pre-
tended to surrender, and voted for tbs charte
Of the Young Democracy. But he had secretly
formed an alliance with the Republican party
in the. Legislature and could afford to bide thi
time. Meantime his rivals had lost thei IN M