The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1874-09-24
WILLIAM H. BUMSTED DEAD.
Eventful Career of the Boss Tweed
Of Jersey City.-A Man who Was.
tered Three Trades and F0rso0k
Them for Olitical Distinction---A
Term in Prison Followed BY Death.
From the New York Sun, Sept. 81

Shortly after IL o'clock on Saturday
night VIM. II. Bumsted. known as the
Boss Tweed of Jersey City, died at the
residence of his father on Ocean ave-
nue., Jersey City Heights, of typhoid
fever. lie had been sick for nearly a
month, but no fatal results were looked
for until a few hours before his death.
Mr.. Bumstcd was but 80 years of
age, but his career was an eventful one.
His latter years were as closely identi-
fed with the interests Of Jersey City
as those Of VIM. NJ. Tweed with New
York. Nor were the lives and actions
of the two men dissimilar as Tweed
held New York in the hollow of his
hand and squeezed it numerically, so
Bumsted held Jersey City, and was not
whit more tender Of its welfare
Shortly after the downfall of one came
the overthrow of the other. and while
the nets which were to eHtangle Tweed
and lodge him in tie Penitentiary were
being woven, Jersey justice, moving
more rapidly, had consigned Bumsted
to the State Prison at Trenton.
The deceased politician was born in
Yelverton, in Norfolk, England. June
l6, 1885, and one year afterward was
brought by his parents, who then had
no other children, to this country. The
family landed in New York penniless,
and were hardly able to defray their
expenses to Jersey City. Mr.. William
Bumsted, ST., was skilled mason, and
quickly found rcnumerative employ
ment, and the family were soon in re.
nunerative circumstances'in the city
which they decided to make their home
William II. Bumstead, at the age Of 4
years. was sent to public school,
where he did not make, either then or
afterward, any very noticeable prog
ress. The education he received at
this school, however, such as it was,
was all he ever got from outside sources.
Whatever else he knew he taught him.
self, but though profound thinker
and keen, shrewd man of the world,
ne was possessed of a very little infor.
nation derived from books.
AS years rolled on the Bumsted
family increased. Fourteen children
were born. of whom all but four died,
the survivors being William H. and
three brothers. Young Bumsted re-
manned at the public school for ten
years, and at the age of IA was ap-
prenticed to Earle & Co. furniture deal
ers in Montgomery street. But he was
already giving indications of those re-
markably astute and calcula ting mental
powers that afterwards gave him such
power in the city where he had made
his home, and the furniture trade was
far too dull for youth Of his energet-
ic disposition. A years trial sufficed to
tire him it, and quitting his employ
ers he persuaded his father to appren-
tice him to Clark l. Baoot, surveyors
and civil engineers, and it was here
probably that he learned the art which
at later period enabled him to make
those abstruse calculations regarding
the price Of certain property purchased
by the city that ultimately consigned
him te the State Prison. He remained
with Clark 4 Baoot for three years,
and became An efficient surveyor. engi-
neer, and architect. But he seems to
have been cf volatile disposition, and
at the age Of II he resolved once more
to change his profession.
His father then took him into his
own business as an apprentice, and,
throwing his whole heart into his work,
as was his wont. young Bumsted soon
became sklliful and artistic mason.
His father had another apprentice of
the name Of Robinson, and, when both