The New York herald., 1876-12-16

own county Accordingly winans voted as Fisk and
Gould suggested Fisk wanted to Keep faith with him.
but meanwhile several matters uanspired which
caused Gould alter hts mind aud wnans never gos
his rake" This is given for what u may DO worth;
various solutions given OF the winans mystery
among those familiar with life At Albany serve at
least, 10 illustrate she moral and political atmosphere
OF tho place and time.
wuAr THEY corLD oxr
"As for the members OF the lower House" said the
cx. lobbyist ssthcy went for what they could get
Sometimes they got hundred dollar bil sometimes
only ten-gensralIy u was pearer the ten than tho
hundred Asscmblymen are cheap this year." said
Tweed. session They always were "cheAp" stili
those who understood feather their nests could
make good thing in the Assembly One man
from Brooklyn made 81, 200 In one session. odd lots
from SIS. hts lowest job, TO $780, hts highest An
other fellow, newspaper man, carried on with him
nearly $1,000 then he had to wr,o well MS to vote
Besides the Assembly good place to learn things
and It was good place to risc from. You learned
forms Of legislation there q small scale which you
could practise aitcrward . more sxscndoi plan
Several OF political big bugs trained in that school,"
VIRTUE
at was curious iact - continued tho ex lobbyist,
sthat the country members were moro anxious to bc
bought than the city men. They would go homo and
rail At the corruption OF the Legislature and Tho
iniquity Of the lobby, and then on their return
to Albany set at work with viii 10 do any
little dirty job cheap Tweed callcd them his rag
pickcrs During session, TO my knowledge. thcrc
was leading republican whose board bills at Tho
Delavnn House wcrc all paid by Tweed. Another re-
publican lost TO democrat $4,000 ono night at tho
Dciavan playing draw poker Tweed so arranged It
mex, day that the democrat forgavo him the 900,
and the republican voted as Tweed wanted him on
certain bill
DuMous YARN or DoULg LOBBYING.
.'Somctmcs the brbing done by both partics
knew honest republican who was approached by
notorious lobbyist and offered 900 no would vote
for a certain measure. Tho honest republican immc-
dately and Indignantly replied that they using
money to carry that measure through no would vote
against II. All right sad tho lobbyist Il am CON-
missoned by the other side TO oner you 81, 600 10
vote against it This double lobbying not un-
frequently resorted TO- Legislators were bought and
sold in those days like beef"
WATSON AND LoBBY.
Auditor Watson was deeply concerned In tho lobby
ing operations Of the Ring In fact Watson during
the latter part Of his career power In Tammany,
whom Sweeny regarded and TO whom Tweed aD-
sclutcly truckicd. 1t is not generally known that
when the expose of the Tammany Ring began in the
newspapers Watson was OF a tho Ring
magnatcs the most ANXIOUS to stop them
by ..compromise" He suggested tho
buying up Of one Of tho journals most prominent In
this erposS the stupendons rate Of $500 900 for
sience''--a sum which startled even Tweed Failing
In this. Watson turned his attention TO ''senc,ng'
tho politicians, through whose agency the points
against the Ring furnished to tho newspapers
On the very day OF his fatal accident it Is
stated that he had an appointments TO meet
at a road house High Bridge OF these very
politicians and 10 arrange the details OF the payment
of 5000 OO0, for which sam the politician was TO trans
fer to Watson all the papers, memoranda and points
which he held against the Ring, and also TO ac-
cept ONCE under the Ring and thereby Identity him
solf with It In such q way to pre-
clude further attack from him Tweed and
Swecny were opposed to this payment and
this disposal OF patronage, but Watson insisted
that would be the salvation OF the Ring, and carried
his point Had bis sleigh not been into that very
afternoon by obscure party he and hts antagonist
would have probably met, the compromise would have
been effected; tho damning proofs against the Ring
would have been destroyed and, psrchance, the Tam
| many Ring would have been in power to-day.
SPECIMENS.
.sTomn Field and '.Dick' Bradford also deep In
the secrets OF the Albany lobby Mr. Field a,
all particular in hts .trsnsaotions," and did moi
always keep faith with his party. He was
addicted 10 gambling, and when In debt did not hesi
tate to extricate himself might be most con-
| venieut. Gambling was an element OF political
| life In those days, and tho money made
| from the lobby was often lost as quietly In
poker Two of the minor masnases Of the Ring, per-
sonal ana political friends and associates Of Tweed
opened in tho palmy days OF the Ring gambling den
IN Albany and, as they once expressed IT, soften got
back from the d-d republicans in one way the
| money that they paid them in another" Those
| same parties also took rooms on Fifth ave-
| nue., New York, and ran quiet gamo s'for the
amusement OF their frieuds;" so they phrasod It..
Their "friends always lost, howover-sometimcs as
much $500 or 81, 900 In night 'skin gambler,
| ono OF the lowest OF his class, was in Sc
| crct partnership with these two model poll
| ticans and taught them the tricks OF
| his trade OF course from their oGlcial position
| this pair OF politicians had extensive acquaint-
ance, and their .victims" were therefore not only
numerous but select In fact. 1t found that $500
slostn cards this establishment at night ono
OF tho very best ways to obtain official vors from tho
| precious pair next morning.
rHB RING cHARrxn.
Tweed as . member OF the Legislature, took an
active part all its proceedings Sweeny, from the
| Deavan House or from his house IN New York.
| watched the Legislature carefully. Tho memorable
Tweed charter should be properly styled The swecny
Charter" for Sweeny had moro to do with It than
| Tweed Tweed neither . writer nor lawyer;
| Sweeny both. Swccny really drafted and
| designed tho famous instrument. Mr. Alcck Frear,
| who nthered the charter. was sweenys man, not
Twccd's. lie Sweony's neIghbor and near friend
and acted altogether in his interest," whilc Senator
Bradley, Its conspicuous advocate, was swccny's
bosom friend and relative. II "Swccuy all
through" politician phrased 10, and ono Of tho
ends II meant to procure for Swccny,
who tirod OF being City Chamber tho Comp
trollership.
swEHSy's rRxprLEcrToxs.
swceny also endcsvorcd to influence legislation in
directly through his organ, tho Leader OF which no
wns Of the proprictors and editors swccny
editor not He rather 100 elaborate
his style aud too addicted to the display OF classical
learning The real editor oi the Lcdder In its best days
was John Clancy, who had q much higher regard Tor
Mr. Swecny as politician than as Journalist Sti,