New-York tribune., 1875-12-24
THE NEWS IN THIS CITY.


confirmation before they were to be believed.
The opinion had gained ground that Tweed
had been hiding in or near the city
awaiting the result of the negotiations for settle
ment which were believed to have been entered
upon q considerable time ago. and to have been
kept in allegiance by Charles OConors illness. Few
who believed that such negotiations were set on
foot-and many reasons have been brought
forward to sustain that belief-supposed that
Tweed had gone to Cuba or to any place from which
he could not reach this city by short journey.
Some supposed that he was in Canada, and that if
Mr.. OConor recovered settlement would be reached
in short time, and Tweed would reappear in his
former places of resort.
On the other hand, the news was Immediately
accepted as true by persons who from the start had
accepted the theory that Tweed, on Saturday, Dec.
4, when he escaped from his keepers, went on board
vessel in the East River, and left the country.
Most of the police officials have considered this
theory to be the correct one, and their inquiries
have been guided largely by that opinion. Ii the
report from Havana is confirmed of course there will
he no further effort in the matter by the Sheriff or
the police as Tweed is entirely out of their reach,
there being no extraditon treaty with Spain.
SUPERINTENDENT wATIING's OPINION.
TRIBUNE reporter called upon Superintendent
Walling last night to what he thought of the re-
port that Tweed had arrived in Havana Mr..
Walling said he not surprised at this news and
thought it was likely to be true. He had expected
to hear from that quarter several days ago
that Tweed had arrived there. He
said 1t appeared to be probable
that the dispatch true, from the fact Of the re-
port being that Tweed reached Havana in
schooner as at this time of the year the easterly
winds prevailed, making favorable weather for
tl,a J,,-a flor T,va
which expired on Tuesday, comprised about the
length of time usually taken for sail
ing vessel to make good trip to Havana.
Though the steam-yacht Thyra was a schooner
rigged vessel, she nevertheless a steamer, and
could be readily distinguished from schooner on
account of her smoke-pipe aud cabins on deck. So
it was improbable that he went on this boat. Mr..
Wallings theory was that Tweed left his house soon
after going In with the deputy sheriff, took pri-
vate carriage and went directly to the East
River, where he embarked on board
steam launch chartered for tho purpose,
and made a direct passage to Sandy Hook,
where he went on board the schooner, as he had
plenty of time to do this before the fact of his es
cape was made known The statement that the
deputy sheriff made, that he was only in the house
- minutes, has been thoroughly investigated and
proved to be false, and it has been
TO his house stood at the curb hour and forty
minutes before the officers came out of the house,
which would give Tweed plenty Of time to leave the
house and get to Sandy Hook, and under way for
s,a before the escape made known TO the
authorities.
INSPECTOR DmKs thinks THE REPORT PROBABLY
TRUE.
Inspector Dks said that he was very much sur
prised to hear that Tweed had gone to Havana, be-
cause it contrary to the views of many who
claimed TO understand his motives. Nevertheless,
said the Inspector the report is probably true. The
police have not received any information that
would conflict with such statement,
and many things have pointed toward the
West Indies as probable retreat at this time of the
year. When Charles OConor was taken sick and it
was expected that he would die, Tweed and his
friends lost hope, and it was then determined to
place Tweed in such a position that he could stand
on fair vantage ground to effect the much desired
compromise. There are many why as
shrewd a man as Tweed would not quit the
city or its vicinity. Here he could have directed
the movements toward the compromise, and here he
would have been able to work with greater power
than at a distance. This has been of the
strongest reasons why the Sheriff and police have
believed that Tweed was not far of.
On the other hand, Tweed and his friends must
have felt that if Charles OCOnor died they had no
chance of success i'll negotiations The adverse de-
clsion by the Court of Appeals doubtless hastened
the movement. Inspector Dilks stated that ii Tweed
was in Havana he probably escaped on the
steam-y yacht Thyra. This vessel, it will be remem-
bered cleared for the West Indies and could easily
have taken Tweed on board after he escaped from
Warden Durham. The New-York police have made
thorough search of the city, and Others have worked
actively IN other cities and in different see
tions of the country where the fugitive might
have been secreted. II did seem probable, said the
lnspector that some trace would have been found if
Tweed had remained in this city or its vclnlty but
all the cews that had been thought to be most trust
worthy had pointed directly to his escape in the
stean-yacht and he was probably now in Havana
as had been reported.
VIEWS OF OTHER POLICE OFFICIALS.
Inspector +. c. speght, who was on duty at the
Police Central OGice last night, upon hearing OF the
report that Tweed had been seen iii Havana, said
that he thought that it very likely to be true
His impression at the first that Tweed escaped
by sea, as If he had gone anywhere by rail, he could
ca ily have been traced lie did not think that
Tweed was two hours in this city after he escaped
from the custody of Warden Durham. From long
personal knowledge of Tweed, Inspector Speight
thought that the most probable thing he would do
would be to 20 Immediately to some foreign country.
Commissioner Voorhis was Of the same opinion.
He said that the report did not surprise him in the
least He was prepared to hear that Tweed had
landed in any foreign port, and he thought il posi-
Bile that the report Was true.
SHERIFF CONNER UNDECIDED IN OPINION.
Sheriff Conner, in speaking Of the reported arrival
of Tweed az Ilgvap-, said that the story might be
true, alth-9s nh Thyra probably sailed on Doe 4,