The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-06-02
SOME STARTLING AFFIDAVITS
How Tweed, Connolly and Sweeny
Took the Peoples Money.
BEAUTIFUL BANK BUSINESS.
How the Ring Rewarded It's Po-
litical Favorites.


aeeover the money which the are declared TO
lave lrauduently obtained from the city and
county treasury in connection mainly with the
bullding OF the new Court House, was one b egun
against william NJ. Tweed, the alleged chief OF the
King for the sum OF $o,000,000, which are COM
puted as MS share OF the ill-gotten gains. This
pult was brought IN the Supreme Court, and the
complaint, q volumInous document, setting forth
she grounds OF the action, was published
IN the HERALD at the iime At once
Tweea's counsel interposed an object on to
che complain claiming want OF dehniteness
W liz charges, and accordingly. in legal parlance,
moved for OIL OF particulars. This and three
horions german 60 1t have been hanging hie Tor
ZONE time, the argument oil 1t having been de-
erred repeatedly on one pretext ana another, till
dnally 1t reached an argument yesterday in Su-
preme Conrt, Chambers before Judge Donohue.
MI Dudley Field appeared for the motion and Mr..
Wheeler ii. Peckham IN opposition. Enough docu-
mentary evidence in the shape OF atldaylts was
submitted 10 occupy the leisure time OF Judge
Donohue during the coming vacation. They
really. however. contain but few facts additional
to those heretofore published, being made up Of the
statements of lngersol. Garvey anc Keyser, Tire
subordinate members OF the Ring, to che modus
operaHdi through which the money obtained,
and the further statements OF various lockers and
examiners or accounts the statements made by
Mr.. lngersol are more novel In their character.
We give below a pretty full abstract OF his all-
davit, with indications OF che leading points in
the arars.
AFFIDAVIT OF JAMES II. NGERsoLL.
He begins by stating MS age as thirty i've, that
his father learned mis- trade from Tweed's father,
ana In that Tweed Deiri"nded him. He then
goes to say that In 1867 his father and himself
ceased furnishing supplies on account OF per-
centages required; that aterward he called
upon Tweed at the Street Department, and
through Woodward learned that he mist TX
his bills so as 10 "put upu thrty-fve
per cent; that he began work under a new pro-
gramme; that his 1rst receipt OF warrant nom
the Finance Department, on account OF such deal
lngs was on January 20, 1865; that he shortly
after Withdrew from his fatner's concern ana set
up business on his own account; that ne made out
bis bill under the firm OF lngersoll Co., except
where he used fictitious names; that he never
made any afidavIt as TO the correctness OF his
blls ana was never asked 10 do so.
Daring all taat time understood from the acts
and caslOnal speeches OF Tweed, Connolly, Wat
son and Woodward that had only TO do as was
directed by tne.n or ans OF them, and Lnat the al
against SAID tts Corporation and s said ID county
would De 81 arranged that would be Web paid
tnereout, and that rom the residue ana like deal
ings wit. others furnishing pubic WORK aud sup
plies the necs ssary expenses OF managing TIE
State Legislature aud New YORK local government,
win ample rewards Tor the managers OF sucn
local governments. would De realized. Tnis
was common talk, and supposed 1t be
uerstood between mysell ana the persons ABOVE
Lauied. That among the heads or controlling man.
sQers IN these lespecte were Peter B. Sweeny,
Tweed ana connolly All my orerauons herein
alluded 10 were on this understanding. As
aefstood daring all that time, ana believe, the
Glowing persons thus conducted the business OF
.urnIsolng work and materials or supplies 10 the
aid pubic ofnces and buildings under arrange
ments between themselves respectively ana tue
iaid Tweed Connolly ana woodward suDstan-
TALLY similar to those when / con-
quoted my business herein mentioned; tnat
Is 70 say, Andrew j. GarveT, John Il. Key
ser, Jonn Mob. DAVIDSON, j. 7. Bar
nard, J. I. Barnard 4 Sons, Daniel Berrlen, 4. J.
Banckis sons, Alexander Brandon. James Cav
anAgn, M. ". Davis. East Chester Quarry Com
pany Gregg 4 Brother, Gregg 4 CO, ArcniDald
Hail. Jr, CHARLES Al. JacoDus, Johnson Rotary Lock
KinesIa1d, A W. LOCKWOOD & Lockwood CO.,
Edward Marrenner, Manufacturing stationers,
guam, New York Metallc Roofing Company, New
YORK Printing COMPANY Jon1 o'Donnel, w ID.
!. .. seymour, Kennard 4 Hay. Francis siaerson,
John sleerson, }. w. SMITH ana Tne Transcript
He says, further, that he mas examined the list
OF warrants drawn lor Work, materials and sup
hts own possession or accessible 70 HIM, and be-
leves tnat the said schedules are true and cor
actions. until he was injured, In January, 1871,
Watson delivered all warrants from the n
nance Department As referred TO as being Is
sued TO lngersolI, and all otner warrants. All
" Ingers0llis bills were made out against
Walson was called County Auditor, he appeared
10 direct the whole business OF delivering out all
Either through Woodwsrc or 10 some other i1i was
Z was mace known 70 me nom time 10 time mat
rants Tor me; and uniformly called at Watsonis
once, received rom MIN the warrant or
warrants intended s LOT me-; ana IN every
the few devIatlons hereinafter stated
division OF tie proceeds until the close OF the
transactions mentioned IN The preceding
n ts no. ,O say me m na q Augns. lsV
ness managers Ia dealing with tue warrants
Aforesaid aud distnOlting the proceeds Tnen
Wood a frnrn hta
participation therein, and thenceIortn he part
which had previously been performed Dy MIN
mainly devoyed upon me.
Early In 1874, aireT Watson's death, Ingersol
nad . conversation Win connolly IN the SAID
molly then excaImed. "Wnat snail DO nowf |
nsye 60. no sead nsfe nseTso rsnaed mat
but trat ne understood his business, and as bills
passed the said department ne could attend to
noiy answered promptly That's good. 1 will
see that tls warrants are issued as usual
remarked that ln2eTsols name appeared too
oteni 80 they agreed TO use nc tious names in
some OF the bills and, after using two ncI
tious names, 9 third one was added &C Wood.
slightly altered, y. A. smith fur Andrew j. smith,
Z. ID. Bolar 4 Co, ior Conrad Bollar, and A. q.
muller for Adam Muller, the real persons having
Or the public offices. He then added 'In-
gersoII 4 Co. thus aihng the me. warrant lor
we're issued IA pursuance OF an arrangement
made between Tweed, woodward and ngerso.
the system Of issuing such warrants requi ed
some attention 10 the laws passed nom time TO
time py the legislature sucn as me city tax levy
o. the county tax levy, whicn contained numerous
special Appropriations OF limited sums for real or
imaginary kinds Of expenditure by the govern
ment or the said CITY or OF the said ounty.
understood from watson, aud believe, /
that In WORKING sucn system or practice, u was
necessary TO frame the bills rendered tor WORK, /
materials ana suopes. 20 that eacn OF suon Bills
could 20 ranged under oil those special appr0.
lratons without exceeding II. Bulls 20 rendered
10Y pay ment out OF these appropriations rom the X
current annual income bore O GATE quite near 10
presentation N.
Lhnb Issued 90 aforesaid. "a payment therefor, Il
were alWatA ~ believe, ioI Tue precise sum
menuonso ~ tue oil without interest,
OIner warrants mentioned IN SAID schedules
were ISSUED unaer laws wnlel allowed them 10 DO
PROVIDED Tor " the issue anu sale 81 onoa or said
cay Or OF sala COUNTY paJ abe at distant perloos.
NaTrhnia VI tue last mentioned kfnu, with which
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