Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1873-12-18

Ter OF New York. With hisn Tweed
formed an alliance. Connolly vas greedy '
and clase-ksted. He never could secure
Z popular following. He hela the Office
as the pleasure Of Tweed. who sss. iow.
ever. compelled so'sharc equally with him
IN the disi.ion Of the moaey planSercd
from the city. That same year. 1861.
Tweed vas elected 90 the State Senate
from the Fourth Dissrics by = large ma
jority. In the Senate be found . maieri-
y opposed to him politically. How he
used that majority 10 effect his purpnses
is one Of the chronicles Of Albany which
is yet 70 he written.
t. 1n 1869 Tweed found a counsellor far
wiser and much more hoaest than himsalf
'iasthe pnrsne1k QrsessR Sxcsaey. sAss
also found fippan, but brillian. advocate
in 4. Oakley Hall. man free from cor
rupt motives, but one willing 10 blind his
eyes to the crimes committed around him
as reward for temporal power aud pleas
ant notorieiy. When these four men
Tweed. Connolly. Swceny and Hall
joined their various forces and talents
the Tammany conspiracy was complete
To 1870 the Grst revolt against this con-
ceusrased power began. II was badly
planned and disrepu,ably officercd. Nur-
ton, Genet. Creamer. Peter Mitchell, Mi
chael Murphy and others. who led the
movement in the Legislature. were no,
the men through whom reform could
come.
1t looked for time, however. as If the
movement would succeed Tweed was
beaten in the. preliminary skirmi>h in the
Senate. lie pretended to surrender and
voted for the charter Of the Young De-
mocracy. But he had secretly formed an
alliance with the Republican party in tue
Legislature and could afford TO bide his
time. Meanwhile his rivals had lost their
heads. Ia the flush of temporary success
they divided--On paper-all the Offices
in the city among themselves. The char
ter under which this grand distribution
was to take place was taken to the Assem-
bly,. where it was understood that it would
pass BY general consent. Blu, to the dis
may Of many, and to the dismay of the
Young Democracy. it was defeated.
Tweed's rivals surrendered a, discretion.
Crcamer, Norton. Mtchcll-all but Gc-
nct-suci for terms Of peace. The mex,
week Twced's charter was introduced.
and. receiving the support OF all the Re-
publican Senators excepting Thaycr of
Rensselaer,. it passed. This was followed
by other measures which made the power
of the Ring wcll-nigh absolute. 1t was
then that the system Of plunder began to
work out its amazing results. Bills against
the city were deliberately raised from
so. 600 20 s5C0. coo. aud the enormous
excess divided between Connolly aud
Tweed. who in turn shared part OF the mo-
ney with subordinate strikers. Hall looked
OF ana held his peace. Sweeny put forth
an effort to stop the stealing. but was
overborne. The accounts of the Comp
troller's Office were secre;ed. and the gen.
cral public. as well as the Democratic par
ty. were hoodwinked and misled.
Among those who sought to prof. in
the general carnival Of fraud was James
ODrien. who, as Sheriff of New York,
had received upward of $500. 900 for three
years service. After retiring from Office
he cooked up a bogus claim nggregating
$500. 900 and demanded its payment
The Board of 4 udit refused to consider it.
although Tweed espoused O'Brien's bad
cause. To strengthen his chances Of get
ting. the money. OBrien placed a conf
dental clerk in the Comptroller's Office and
secured transcripts Of the fraudulent vouch-
ers therein contained. Armed with these
evidences Of the guilt of his former cox,-
rades. he again demanded his plumber -
1t was again refused. The ring had grown
so bold aud they felt that their lease OF
power was so long and strong that they
could brave any exposure.
!. Thereupon O'Brien turned his evidence
over to the New York Times, and that
paper printed it. The effect was start.
ling. With one voice the people deman.
ded the punishment Of these men who
had betrayed so great a trust. They
were thrust ont Of the Democratic rarity.
whose temple they had de6!ed. Said
Judge Davis in sentencing Tweed: .O'Con-
| nor, who had been uamed here. and who
J holds the foremost rank in his profession
. and who stands without n stain uron q
, character as pure and noble as any mans
in this great city. Immediately from hi.
r semi-re;irement came aud aided in the
: rescue of this city from its great coIrup.
tiun. Aud Tiiden, who stood as the
leading man at the head Of the Democrat
. ic State Committee of this State. devoted
weeks and months Of toll in ferreting ou
these crimes. in asecriaining from ,hes,
: bank accounts wha, had been done. iii
he was able to lay before US the other da
on the trial the result. crystalline in il
5 simplicity and so clear that no man could
( fail to read its meaning
: Agains. feeling of wrath which va
: universal Tweed opposed the power Q
: his ill-go,ten wealth. H. doubtless be
e lieved tha; no jury could be found t.
) convict him. Ills courage did not for
sake him. While Connolly skunk ava,
D to other lands TO avoid punishment
, Tweed stayed and Tough, j, out, Hov
r the figh, ended is told in the heavy sen
+; ,ence passed upon the great public plum
/. dercr.