The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-12-02
GkeGtttel.Iigsttter:
THE STORY OF TWEED.
The Career That Has Just Ended In
the Penitentiary.-A Plain Nara.
lion of His Life and the Rise and
Fail Of the Famous Ring.


lion of His Life and the Rise and
Fail of the Famous Ring
From the Utica Observer
Twelve years in the penitentiaTy a.
Blsckwell's Island and fine OF $l2,70O
This was the penalty denounced against
William N. Tweed, in the Court Of Oyer
and Terminer, by Judge Noah Davis
This last act Of the drama Is played. The
man who little while ago was Senator,
supervisor, Q commissioner-the CHIEF
power In the chief city Of the continent
is now condemned convict. If any
measure oil success attends the efforts Of
his counsel 10 secure a mitigation Of SEN
terce, stay Of proceedings, or q new
real, it will not alter the essential fact
that Twced's place henceiorth is with the
outlaws Of society. 1t Is time TO consider
the mans life and character with the
same calm, dispassionate view that we
should take of the dead, for Tweed Is
dead beyond the hope Of resurrection.
William n. Tweed was born in the city
Of New York 90 years ago last April. his
parents were poor people, and the boy
was early thrown upon his own resources.
He learned the trade Of chair.maker,
and worked at II for q few years, he
soon became ambitious OF political diS.
,inctiOn, and to increase his qualifications
and improve his chances he entered the
University Law School, from which he
graduated as member Of the bar. His
power began In the old volunteer fire de.
Dlrtmcnt OF tho metropolis. he, became
foreman of @Big Six"-au engine com.
plny famous in the lower part Of the city.
EIisinmcnsC vital energy and his organic.
ipg ability were hero developed and ex-
bi6l,ed. In that day popular fireman
was q positive power in local politics, and
Tweed began 10 make himself felt. -
In 1851 be was elected alderman from
the Seventh Ward, serving In the Com
mon Council through the years 1952-'53.
In the fall Of 1852 he was elected TO Con.
press from the Fifth District, which then
embraced the Seventh andH Thirteenth
Wards Of New York and the village ol
Wilamsburgh, Long Island. He took
his scat in the House in .Decembar, 1858,
while his term as alderman was about ex-
piring. He was thirty years old at that
lime, with the promise OF a lair future be-
lore him. While In Congress he; was
elected School @ Commissioner OF the Sew
enIh Ward. The year alter his term as
representative expired he was chosen TO
the Board Of Supervisors and continued
to hold place there until the day Of his
overthrow. ...-..... -, -, ., ~ "a
In 1851 he was q candidate for Sheriff
on the Tammany ticket. The Office Is one
Of enormous emolument, and Tweed
struck for it with his usual energy. He
reckoned himself worth $4,000 at that
time, and he had made 1t honestly. He
expended every dollar OF 1t In the cam
yaSs, led on by the hope and belief that he
would triumph. He was beaten, and
during the winter which followed he found
great difficulty in meeting the house-rent
paying the butchers and grocer's bills. 1t
il probable that his career as public
punderer dates from the day Of his defeat
Is Sheriff. 70
lie was not a flne:grained man nor
troubled with many conscientious .scrui
pies. Hc saw himself as the victim OF
what be looked upon as conspiracy.
he had distributed his money among
various ward organizations In return for
their promised assistance. They divided
bis fortune and withheld their support.
He resolved to "get even" with the pub,
lie, who had preferred another to him,
aud he setabout the job with the GOODNESS
Of great general and the wiCkedness OF
agrest robber. In 1852 he became dep
uiy street commissioner, and while, hold.
Ing that office he got his hand freely into
The public purse FOR the first time. At
about the same period he made himself
the leading spirit in the Tammany organi.
nlion. '''
l!eshowed soon that his power as an
organizer was very great. He drew men
around him usually by appeals, to their
selfish natures. To one he gave money;
to another some place Of honor and trust,
He proceeded on the theory that every
man had his price. II rival arose TO
dispute his authority he crushed that
rival il he could, and II he couldn't he
crushed the rivalry by supporting the
man Tor some office. and thus making
him his ally. lnthis way he spiked the
guns Of Fernando Wood, and called a
truce with his most popular enemy, the
"Big Judge" Michael Connolly.
In 1867, Richard B. Connolly, timid
man, plausiblein manners but exceeding.
lycorrupt at heart became Comptroller OF
New York. With him Tweed formed an
alliance. Connolly was greedy and close
listed. He never could secure popular
following. He held Office at the pleasure
Of Tweed, who was, however, compelled
to share equally with him In the division
Of the money plundered from the city.
That same year 1852 Tweed was elected
to the State Senate from the Fourth dis.
uIct by large majority. In the Senate
he found a majority opposed 10 him
politically. How he used that majority
10 effect bis purposes Is one Of the chron.
cles Of Albany which Is yet to be writ
ten. We may undertake the task here
alter. ttra- ':'-tta.-. ~
In 1860 Tweed found q counsellor fer
wiser aud much more honest than himself
in tho person OF Peter B. Sweeney. He
also found q tlippant but brilliant advocate
ina. Oakley Hall, o manfree from corrupt
motives, but ono willing to blind his eyes
to The crimes committed around him as a
reward for temporal power and pleasant
notoriety. When these four men-Tweed,
Connolly, Sweeney and Hall-joined their
various forces and talents the Tammany
conspiracy was complete. In 1870 the
hnt revolt against this concentrated
power began. It was badly planned and
dl,reputably offlcered; Norton, Genet,
Cleaner, Peter Mitchell, Michael Murphy.
snd others who led the movement In the
legislature, were not the men through
whom reform could come. ,,.:-E q :
It looked for time, however, as u the