The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-10-19

dangerous expedient The question Of
Green's right to his position had been
referred by Hall TO Mr.. 0'Gol man, the
Corporation Counsel. Unecrupulohs as
he was, that official did not, however,
venture to dispute so high an authority
as 0'Conor, and therefore advised the
Mayor to acquiesce. Every investiga-
ton afterward made was the fruit of the
possession Of the Comptroller's Office by
the reformers, and but for this success II
is safe to say Tweed and his fel' ows
might still be exerting paramount in
auence in New York political affairs
Last and most Important result of all,
this move in the game fairly blocked for
the ring its most promising avenue Of es-
cape--it finally drove them to bay
Though the ringwas now fairly dislodg,
ed from the city treasury, and the fact of
enormous frauds having been perpetra-
ted established beyond all question, yet
no specific acts Of plumber had been ira
ced to any individual, nor had the sys.
tenn under which the members of the
ring divided their booty, ifany such ex-
listed, been discovered While investi-
eating certain warrants drawn in favor
Of keyser & Co., the Endorsements to
which were alleged to be forgeries, Mr..
Tilden struck upon clew which induced
him to examine the books and papers of
the Broadway Bank, where not only the
city but the individual accounts of sew
eral members fthe ring had been kept.
On comparing the books, menoranda Of
deposits and city warrants, he speedily
became convinced that some undiscov-
cred rule Of proportion ran through them.
He then set experts to work, and after
some ten days Of patient puzzling, was
rewarded by the whole system of divis.
ion. Tie accounts of Tweed, Connolly,
Sweeny, Watson and Woodward in var
ious banks showed that on every war
rant in favor Of certain persons, the first
named received about "a per cent, the
second 20 per cent, the third 10 per cent,
and the last two 5 per cent each. The
proportions, however, were not absolute
ly exact; the variation, it is true, was not
great, being less than per cent, but still
it existed, The perfect accuracy of Mr..
Tilden's conclusions were demonstrated
at last when, long subsequently, the ring
contractor, lngersoll, having turned
States evidence, explained this variation
1t seems that, not content with raising
each bill so that the original charge was
reduced to "a per cent of the whole,
these absolutely Unsuitable thieves had
also caused the warrants to be antedated,
in order that interest might be charged
from such date to the time of payment.
In this interest Tweed, for some reason,
did not share, nor did it appear on the
face Of the bills, being computed subse-
quently to their approval, and included
in the warrant. Its presence, therefore,
caused the greatest difficulty in the in
vestigation to Mr.. Tilden, and only when
it was accoun ed for was the accuracy of
his results absolutely verified. The sue
cess of this investigation was the most
important link in the whole chain ofev.
idence against the ring. 1t made it com.
plete. At last the mask was completely
torn from the face of Peter B. Sweeny,
and he stood exposed with the rest. Up
TO this time the ring had maintained a
sort of dubious footing in the possible
measures of reform; and only few days
before the Broadway Bank discoveries
,he ring organs had eagerly suggested |
hat if men like Mr. Sweeny and Mr..
Cilden would only act together, all vet
would be well. This was over now. His
hare of the plunder was directly traced
nto the hands of each one of the con.
ederates, and the legal evidence on
which the subsequent actions for its re-
'overy were base was complete.
- On the 9th of October the
Democratic State Convention was held at
Rochester to nominate a ticket for the
coming election. Mr.. Tiden had made
elaborate preparations to control the
and to induce it to totally
ut off the existing Tammany organize
ion and cast it out from all party associ-
.tiOn. The nomination of 0'Conor as a
for the Attorney Generalship
vas an important feature of his pro.
,ramme. In order to insure an issue he
.lso, at the proper time, called together
meeting which appointed reform del.
cation to dispute the right of the regu-
ar Tammany delegates to represent the
ity in the convention. Intimidation,
econded by liberal bribes administered
~ notorious lobbyist named Barber,
lid its work; and Mr.. Tilden, as he sub
himself admitted, demanded
90 much when he suddenly called on a
'olitical party in closely contested State
o lop off from itself an organization that
mplOyed twelve thousand voters. dis.
ursed thirty millions of money each
ear, and controlled the judiciary, police
nd election officers of the largest CITY of
be continent. The ring consequently
ecured partial triumph, or rather sa-
ed itself from overwhelming defeat, by
)rcing through vote without debate
nder the call for the previous question,
mitting New York wholly from the roll
f delegates, and excluding both the
ammany and reform delegates. This
droit move gave Tweed, who was pres
at, the practical control over the con.
ention, A State ticket, not unsatisfac-
,ry to him, was nominated. O'Conor
'as reelected for the Attorney General
nip by large majority; while as further
idication ofspitefulness to the reformers
Ir. Kernan's seat was contested bya
lember of Gov. Hofman's staff. The
anguine expectations which Mr.. Tilden
ad entertained were thus far from real.
led. Had they been, the fate of the
.ng would then and there have been
ealed, as it would have had no chance
/ the election with both party organiza-
ons arrayed against it. AS it was it had
ecured a reprieve, Mr. Tilden no less
Oddly denounced it, laying down the
rogramme which was to be carried out
/ the coming November in the follow.
lg language: Il am free to avow be-
IRE this convention that shall not vote
,r any one of Mr.. Tweed's members of
.ssembly. | Kisses and uproar.1 And
that is to be considered the regular
cket, l will resign my place as Chair
ian of the State Central Committee, and
clip my people to stem this tide of cor
lption." In the words of the Times,
no portion ofthe blame for the suicidal