Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1876-07-21
Tilden and Tweed.

We print elsewhere the testimony of
Samuel j. Tilden, on ross-eXamnation
in the case of The People Us. William NJ.
Tweed 1t shows that Mr., Tilden's mem
ory, under path, Is very defective. 1t
shows that while Mr.. Tilden was willing
to use Mr. Tweed when that great thief
was prosperous, he was equally willing to
disown him when the ex-Boss was lodged
away behind the bolts and bars of the
Penitentiary. Tweed, as the head of
powerful gang of ballot-box suffers,
ready to work in the interest of Tilden,
and Tweed tried and convicted as felon,
are, in the mind of Coo Tilden, two diff
ferent personages. In answer to the ques-
ton: when did your acquaintance with
Mr.. Tweed beginYn Gov Tilden replied:
II really can't tell" Further questions
on that point failed to fix the date of the
acquaintance with any degree of definite
ness in the mind of the Governor, and he
finally gave to the court the following
rather startling and surprising ihforma.
ton on the subject of his intimacy of a
dozen years with the Boss, namely: ~
never knew him much" Then occurred
the following colloquy
Q,--Yuur relations were not oil close thenY
A.-No, never.
Q.-They were rather distant, suppose?
A.--Well, they were reserved.
Before the cross examiner got through
with Mr., 1ilden he was able to produce
and exhibit to his inspection a number of
letters from him (Tilden) to Tweed, the
dates of which ran back to 1866, showing
very close intimacy One of these let
ters was notice to Mr.. Tweed to attend
meeting of the National Democratic Com
mittee at Washington City, although Mr.
Tweed was not, 1t appears, member of
the committee. Another explained his
CTilden's) failure to keep an appointment
with Tweed, and arranged for meeting
in Philadelphia, Still another commends
" n perg old friend Of ours 10 the good
offices of Tweed for small appointment,
saying of the old friend of "ours": He
used to be very efficient and useful
worker, and is an entirely reliable man."
When these letters-showing on the part
of Tilden great intimacy with Tweed, of
whom Tilden had just said, emphatically,
81 never knew him much'-had been
read to the court, the Governor lost his
temper just little. He thought the let
tiers had "no earthly connection with the
case" but Mr.. Field convinced him that
he was in error. The Governors memory
about money matters proved to be no bet
ter than his memory of the date of the be-
ginning of his acquaintance with Tweed,
us witness the following:
@. During that time Twhile Tilden was Chair
man Of the State Democratic Committed was Mr..
Tweed frequently consulted and applied to for con-
tributions to the committeesY
A. Not very much
@. Did he make large contributions to that COM
mittee while you were at its headS
A. He did not. tH8 t
q. Did he make anyS
a. suppose he made some. #r
z. Did he make any through you? A
A. Very little, il at all.
g. Any; do you remember any9
A, do not remember.
Having learned that Mr.. Tilden's mind
was II blank on the subject of Mr.. Tweed's
contributions to the Democratic cause,
Mr.. Field submitted to the inspection of
the Governor check, as follows
New YORK, Sept. s, 1868
The National Broadway Bank will pay to the
order of William NJ. Tweed five thousand dollars.
MILAN NJ. TWEED.
Indorscd.
Pay S. j. Tilden or order.
For deposit with the North American.
S. j. TnDEN
1t is quite plain that Mr.. Tildens init
macy with Mr.. Tweed cannot be proved
by Mr.. Tilden. But il is a-fact, neverthe-
less, that Mr.. Tilden used to write conf
dental letters to Mr.. Tweed; that he re-
ceived money from him In sums of
So 900; that he never assaulted him for
any of his knaveries until he TweetD was
driven to the wall by Republicans; that
his (Tilden's) Sheriff allowed him Tweed
to escape from Jail, and that he (Tilden)
never SO much rs reprimanded the Sheriff
for his misfeasance or malfeasance in
office, and never made any effort to recap
ture his old friend. Chicago Inter Ocean.