The daily Argus., 1875-06-10
Thursday. June 10. 1875.
The Mauy York frauds.

doned j ameS II. InkelSVh, WAV n"S 0 - =
historical az ''the chair ir-maker" among the n
consnirators in the Tweed robberiesin New b
Yort Ingersoll was convicted and sent p
N the penitentiary, and has now been par =
doned that his testimony may be used IN i
the civil suits for the recovery OF the stolen e
money It will be remembered that Illden c
and O'Conor voluntarily devoted many t
months to the investigation of the frauds, t
and by personal scrutiny OF the bank ac- '
counts Of all the parties, and comparing
them with the bills paid, were able to trace
largo sums directly to several of the gang;
but still there was lmuch that was unex-
planned. The long statements OF lngersoll
and Garvey clear up what was then lnYolV-
ed in mystery.
The business begun in 1867. No money
could be withdrawn from the treasury
without the signatures of the controLer'
Connolly, Mayor Hoffman, and Sweeney,
chamberlain. The auditing authority was
the hoard of Supervisors, of which Tweed
was president. The first plan of operations
was TO ''put up the amounts OF bills tor sup
niles IS per cent, of which Tweed was to
receive 25 and Connolly 10 per cent. |
Nearly a million dollars was thus obtained. |
This continued until the passage of certain
laws in 1868, giving the controller author
ity to adjust and allow old claims against
the city or county, and to pay these by the
issue of bonds. Ingersoll states that
under these laws the new form of pay
ments began in September, 1868. This
new system was that bills bearing old dates
were to be manufactured, and that 50 per
cent of their amount was to be divided
among the ring. The division was
Tweed, 25 per cent; Connolly, 20; Swee-
ney, 10 per cent; lngersoll, 45 per cent
-uaas oC bo hills moro fofIti0uS
These laws were passed in the spring OF
1868, but no operation under them took
place until September. In September,
Hoffman, the mayor, was nominated can
didate for governor, and was thencetor-
ward generally absent from the city,
Thomas j. Conan, president OF the board
of aldermen, acted as mayor. Conan, on
the 10th of September, sigued about thirty
warrants for these fictitious claims, amount
ing to $3.50, 900; on the 18th and on the
10th other warrants we're signed by him,
the whole amounting to over million OF
dollars. Conan signed in all as acting
mayor warrants for over $2,O00,OO0, The
same warrants were also signed by
Connolly and Sweeney. During 1860
this plan went on successfully,
and in 1870 another act of the legislature
was obtained establishing the Especial
lied to issue revenue bonds" in payment
of all the bills audited by this board. These
short bonds we're payable out of the next
tax levy. But previous to this time 1t was
arranged that bills were to be made up or
the apportionment-35 per cent to the sup
posed creditor, Tweed 25, Connolly 20, ,Swee
ney 10, Watson 5, and Woodward PEE
cent. The old claims bore interest, but thu
claimant got no interest: his share wa
merely 35 per cent of the principal Swee
ney, Connolly, Watson, and Woodward di
vided the interest.
Ingersol opened his furniture factory
which factory consisted of an office and
set of books. He never really had part
ner, but in making out bills, he called him
self "Ingersoll Il Co., u. A. Smith,
&c. d. Bollar & Co." or "A G. Miller,
thus avoiding having all the warrants mad
out in his own name. The warrants, Whe
made out, were then indorsed to hin
When Inzersoll at one time objected I
haying to pay IS per cent of his bills, b
was answered that the other 35 per Gel
paid him was liberal allowance on pur
ly fictitious claim. All this relates only
Iugersoll's own bills. There were 9TH
series of bills passing through in lii
manner.
Ingersoll, Conan, Walsh and NortC
were appointed commissioners to the ne
courthouse Tweed told Ingersoll tn
the commissioners would all want to NAL
something's 80 when the commissioners c
ganized, Ingersoll said to them, All '
have to do, gentlemen, is to certify Il
bills and receive for ourselves about p
cent apiece" This was agreed to by 1
the other commissioners. The comm
sioners never had meeting, but approx
kho afaIu In hnyUnVl
they found that it was necessary to p
up" the bills because Tweed demanded
and Connolly and Watson Is per cent
their shares.
The many payments of the fraudule
sums to the respective parties Of which 1
den was unable in his investigation to {
any trace, are now accounted for by Ing
soil, who, without depositing in bank.
drawing checks. frequently paid the L
ney direct to Sweeney and Connolly in p
son. Garveys affidavit also in like m;
ner explains in detail his transactions W
the Ring, and the revelation remoN
whatever doubt, if any existed, OF the
lberate planning and unquestionable CO
bination of the various parties by VIII
they robbed and plundered the city a
county of New Y ork of many millions
dollars.-ChicGgo Tribune.
The Tribune has made plain, fair q
intelligent statement of facts, but it is
complete. 1t should have gone on to st
that leading Democrats of the state of n
York exposed the Tweed ring and pursl
its members until they fed the country
were sent to prison; that the Democr'
state convention excluded them from
sittings, and nominated for governor
head man who exposed and pursued thu
and that the people indorsed the nom
tion by $4,000 majority; and that the G
ernor (Tilden) is now pursuing the CO
thieves in the same way.
And then the Tribune should have 6
on to say that the Grant ring is hund
times more numerous and wicked than
Tweed ring ever was, and has robbed
neonle of hundred times more money.