Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1874-03-25
THE NEW YORK RING.
The Former NiGIionaires Now Homeless
NagRbOnds.


4 New York correspondent writes. If
ever the hand Of the Almighty has been
apparent in the affairs of the city such a
manifestation is to be noticed in the break
/ ing up of the ring. 1t had reached such
defiant iniquity that the community stood
nghast. The taxes had been increased to an
amount which was but another name for
contiscation. TAe only way to obtain re-
duction to fair terms was TO bribe the asses-
sors ply inside influence. As q direct result
rents advanced, and the poor, who from the
bulk OF our population, were ground still
more severely to meet the rapacity of their
government robbers. The farce of liberality
was exhibited when Tweed, to conciliate
the masses, gave $4,000 TO the poor
taking at the same time ten times the
amount by increased taxation. The hu-
initiation ofths great city had never been
equaled; the extent of plunder will never
be fully measured. Such were the crimes
OF the ring when it was thrown, in q man.
ner so marked and complete that one could
hardly avoid eXclaiming, "This is the
finger of Cod
] shall not treat this revolution in which
the press the Times and HorpcJ's RcckIy
especially rendered such eminent service.
The result Is before the world. First, the eff
ficient tool in the street. widening frauds
was killed by his gay-sprited team, which
had been purchased with stolen money,
Next TO Watson went inn Fisk byth bull
let of the youth whome he had lured to
ruin The first was a great loss 20 his as
sociates, but the second was still greater.
tisk's department was the manipulation
Of the courts. He owned McCunn, Curdozo.
and Barnard, and the latter shared the
orgies OF the NIandsfield residence. The
rotten judiciary soon met their time of
Judgment. Cardozo escaped impeachment
by resignation. McCunn, when expelled
from his seat on the bench, felt the blow so
severely that he died, while Barnard still
drags out a shameful existence. With
Tweed and Ingersoll in prison, with Con-
nolley, Sweeny, and Genet homeless vaga-
bonds, the next step was to punish the bank
which assisted them in their fraud, and in
this we may hope that our Mayor and Con-
troller will be successful. In such a con-
nectiOn / am compelled to notice the death
of Henry Smith, who was the best man
of the entire band, and whose chief ill-for- |
tune was that he ever became one Of its |
Tweed, personally speaking, is poor. He |
sold large amounts of real estate to meet the |
of his trial, and on this the depre- |
cation was immense. He was cheated by |
every one who acted in his service, and |
after his conviction he conveyed all that |
was left to his lelatives-whO will never re-
convey 1t. If Tweed were released today
ne would be dependent on the bounty Of
lis kindred and they will-take good care
II what little is left. Henry Smith, who
was estimated ut IA half million, was Iured
nto Wall-street operations, by which he
unk almost his entire fortune. It is said
hat he was deceived by the plausible re-
presentations made by one of the ring,
.ohn Mcbride Davidson, who led him into
he trap and shared the tremendous loss.
The speciality which fascinated them was
he Hannibal and st. Joseph railroad,
which subsequently shrunk with astonish-
ng depreciation. Smith at that time was
aid to have become irresponsible. What
vas left of his property was in other hands.
fortunately for himself he had, during the
domination of the ring, obtained the Office
# police commissioner, with a salary of ,
10000 year. When the ring was driven
o exile, or subjected TO punishment, he
vas the only one that was in a place of {
the witness Garvey. Hav- j
ng been the least guilty of the band Of
hieves his punishment was the lightest. I