The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-12-06
ESCAPE OF BOSS TWEED.
ATOO COnfding Warden.
NO CLUE TO HIS WHEREABOUTS
RumOr That He Escaped a Week
Ago.

New YORK, Dec bill Tw eed was taken
to his residence on Madison Avenue this
afternoon by Assistant Warden Denham from
Ludlow street jail. On arriving there he re-
Quested to be allowed a private interview with
his wife, which was granted. After being up
stairs some time Denham sent one of Tweed's
sons to ask his father to come down. The
young man returned in few minutes saying
he could not find his father. The house was
searched, and SO was the whole neighborheod.
Tweed was not to be found, and although the
city has been scored by the police, up to mid
night the Boss has not been unearthed.
Warden Denham's Statement.
NEW YORK, Dec. 5.-Warden Denham last
night gave the following statement to a repor-
ter concerning the circumstances surrounding
the departure Of Tweed from Jail and his sub
sequent escape:
81 received no special authorization from the
sheriff or anybody else for Tweeds removal
from jail Its customary to take out prison
held civil suits for drives for their health
or for the purpose of affording them an oppor-
tunity OF visiting their friends or relatives. To
my knowledge Tweed was taken out four
times for this purpose since his reception here
on the 22d OF last june In each of these
cases of absence invariably accompanied him.
The report that Tweed, Timothy Campbell,
Civil Justice elect, and myself, left the Jail
Friday last and drove in carriage to the
state of Tweeds health necessitated these
drives. We left the prison little after ten
o'clock. The party consisted of Tweed, his
son, VIM. Keepe Hogard and myself We
drove to the Bowely through to 4th avenue and
10th street, and thence to Broadway. Proceed
| ing up the latter thoroughfare a short distance
| into 9Th avenue and 59th street up the western
boulevard, crossing Harlem bridge We drove
| through 127th street to 9th avenue to Central
Park. Here we remained fifteen minutes.
| Thence to Madison avenue, where Tweed's
| house is situated. Leaving the carriage at the
| corner we entered the house between and g.
We met Mr.. Douglass, Tweed son-in-law, and
sat down and talked awhile: Shortly after
| Tweed intimated that he would like to slip up
| stairs and see his wife moment Permission
was given him. waited perhaps five minutes
or perhaps little longer before l remarked
that it was time to start for the Jail, and that
son went up stairs but shortly after announced
| that his father had not gone up stairs. was
surprised to hear this, and told Hogan to go up
and make further inquiries and search, while
examined the lower part OF the house. Before
| doing 80 took the precauticn to open the front
door and take view of the area. The carriage
we had occupied during the day still stood at
at the door. The keeper, after making thor
| Ough search in the house for Tweed entered the
carriage and drove as rapidly as possible to the
police station at 18th street, where, at oar re-
quest, general alarm was sent out. Both
| young Tweed and Douglass manifested great
| excitement when apprised of the fact of Tweed's
escape. have no theory as to the mode of
IW66Q 3 6HC6pe, duu du IutI6 U6Wllu6I6u Uy
| the occurrence. I saw Mrs. Tweed standing at
the head of the flight, and upon questioning
her she appeared to be greatly excited. last
saw Tweed at 80 p. m.
Edward Hogan, the keeper, repeated sub
stantially the particulars related by Mr.. Den
ham.
The Effect of the Escape.
The absence of Tweed will be no bar whatev-
er to the continuance of the civil suits which
will proceed unless action to the contrary be
taken by the defence. No bail is forfeited by
Tweed's escape except upon the indictment for
criminal offences. These are nearly thirty-nine
in number, and include an indictment under
the ''m ock auction act'' for obtaining money
under false pretences, for embezzlement and
forgery in the third degree. The last is felo-
under the existing treaties with England and
most of the civilized countries. The amount
of bail forfeited under bonds for Tweed's ap.
pearance 10 the criminal suits is not known,
but will be very nearly $4,000 Sheriff Con-
nor and Warden Denham are liable to fine of
$1,000 and one years imprisonment for neglect,
and if Tweed is not forthcoming they will be
apt to get the full benefit of the law.
Not the Slightest Clue.
Superintendent Walling at late hour this
evening stated that thus far not the slightest
clue had been obtained which might put him
on the track of the fugitive as the police are
unable to find any person who saw the coach
which is supposed to have carried Tweed away,
or the driver of the coach who had been left at
his residence by the sherif's officers. The po-
lice are of the opinion that Tweed passed out
of the front basement door and was taken to
Goth street and East river, where he embarked
on a small steam vessel.
A Runor that Tweed ESQ aped n Week
Ago.
A report has been in circulation all day to.
day, but cannot be verified, that Tweed escap-
ed week ago and is now well away from the
country.
Excitement i'm the City.
Midnight-There was no cessation to day to
the excitement created Saturday night through
out the city by the announcement of the escape
of Tweed. In the club rooms and at every
place of public resort it was the theme of con-
versation, and rumors were rife as to the man.
ner in which the B ,ss had hoodwinked the Off
GERS. No information could be gained at the
Jail, which was all day besieged with reporters.
Warden Denham could not be found. Sheriff
Conner, who had not retired to bed since he
first received the intelligence was driving round
the city giving orders to his deputies and max
ing every possible effort to get some clue TO the
whereabouts of Tweed, but all to no purpose.
The deputies were securing the city in every d.
rection for clue. Detectives attached to the
Central Office were also working hard but their
efforts were of no avail.