The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-04-04

exercised right In which he had only the sheriff to
consult, being with him discretionary and iegit-
Several such visits having been made TO his house
at the usual hour. alter DARK no secretly made some
preparation OF personal matters. and putting his bust
ness anars in as good order possible finally reached
the 4h Of December 49, which proved the occasion
Of his departure.
On the evening 81 that day he was driven In the
customary hack attended oy two Keepers to his
honsa Ascending the sioop he saw the sign. IL was
ABOUT haltpast seven O'Clock ana dreary December
evening The signal ut aroused him with start
In. shock, and las ho describes The occurrcnce)
blood and his nerves were nled with electrical cx-
element which thrilled every fibre OF his Con-
trolling himself with some effort he led his attendants
TO tnelr wontcd and welcome FEAST which on this &C.
caslon was amply provided In the dining room.
Mr.. Tweed concealed his excitement by an affected
display OF appetite and nervous and DELICIOUS attention
10 his guests. The clock the mantel, which had
been carefully regulated, seemed TO him 10 DO almost
immov able, - the hands developed tho slow minutes
OF the half hour preceding eight O'clock The keepers
ate, and he took good care Also that they drank The
meal engaged the profound attention Of the men, and
they put in their lime effectively aud promptly But
Mr. Tweed says he thought he never had assisted al
anxious and dilatory service OF courses He dreaded
on the one hand 10 serve them SO hurredy as TO nave
thcn rise and get In his way and on the other, he
feared his detention with them beyond the close
stricton Of bis moment OF departure This anxiety
somewhat obscured the nuctuaton OF his resolution,
which IRON time 70 time brought rcvusions mpeiing
HIM 70 give up the escape altogether.
But at Just the right moment one OF the keepers
and went 10 The washbasn IN the room to wash his
hands get ready the luxurious and usual cigar
after dinner Tweed took the opportunity also,
and saying ne would wash IN the adjoining room, he
passed into the hall closing the door as ne left the
room. He quickly took the first hat and coat aud
slipped out the front door. He was a iugitivel He
saw the hack before the door without driver, who
also took advantage Of tho occasion In the kitchen.
Not person or sound appeared 10 respond 10 his
appointment. u was not quite one minute past eight
The rcvusion OF his previous excitement seemed 10
have set in and he began to experience peculiar SEN
sationa
Hc had stolen forth from hts homo TO place himself
in tho hands aud guidance OF picketed gang OF
despcradoes AZ he shrunk back under tho shadow
OF tho stoop 10 seemed TO him long period OF doubt
and self until hts attention was attracted
by the noise Of wheels, and he saw common trades
mans wagon, such as Is used by srocers aud express
drivers. He saw alson mans arm reach out from the
cover which was tho sign that II was tor hun. AS he
descended tho stoop he also saw man passing slowly,
winch caused him 10 hesitate; but this person
said, In low tone, "Au right; got 10 tho
wagon" SO ne scrambled INTO the covered
Madison avenue but thoy got there having
OF tho track, some wounted police and passengers
stood in the way and the fugitive stopped for two
or three minutes Before tho rightcd and he
had started again tho suspense seemed TO him an age
The presence Of The police the possibility Of his detec
ton and capture, the sense OF flight brought out
vivid realization OF his situation. He had borno tho
ndgnitles and tho prvatons Of his prisons and his
punishment heretofore, but that seemed something
voluntary Like tho Indian In captivity and torture,
he did not heed It.
MENTAL REvULsIox.
Mr. Tweed dates from this inception Of his flight
complete change, wnicn has since taken full posses
OF his character and hts tone OF mind Many
hours and days OF like experience have since deep
ened his emotions, aud all who nave seen HIM since
his RETURN and who know him IN his previous pride,
have boon struck with tho revolution In his mental
condition.
rhe wagon soon started again and drove zlgzag
across the city toward The North River, which was
soon reached beside big truck the pier they
stopped. The driver said
sect out on tho river side"
Tweed got out seeing that tho truck covered i'm
from observation he alighted. stood near
tho truck also, who Indicated that Tweed to de-
scend into rowboat, In which he quickly embarked
and crossed 10 the Jersey SIDE The place OF this de-
parture may DO indicated AZ IN comparatively direct
not very far away from Wcehawken ferry. THIS is u
lonely and unfrcquentcd locality u night, and the OPP
shores " 81
under the Palisades have Dcen modified IN their Wild
ness Of aspect Wy road which reaches TO Fort Lee.
with occasional steep ascending roadways used by the
quarrymen cutting Out and cartng the Belgian pavo-
mcnts
The rowboat landed Tweed at an unrequentcd spot
in this neighborhood, not far distant from the well
known place where alexander Hamilton Killed IN
the duel with Aaron Burr. There he met by
when he driven oil into the region beyond the
river and tho Paisados, climbing and descending AS
occasion was, but In direction and TO u termination
whore nc never had been before, and could not now
ascertain indicate. Tns lonely ride in the
rapid pace when not delayed by tho unfavorabls road
way. They rsssod ints trs peculiar region beyond
may found wild and primitive
in the Adirondacks and refugee would be
mic and Sunday beer gardens tho population Of
tins picturesque territory Is chiefly German. Back
from the river thero arc few travelled highways, and
the lew old farm houses havo dilapdated aud de-
serted appearance Reachng one OF these dccayed
and unobtrusve homesteads, Tweed was received by
another Of his new found friends, VINO greeted him
quietly with assurances OF kindness and safety. Being
led tho house, his host tenuercd HIM the OF
accommodations either the ground story or the one
above After examination tho second floor was chosen.
In this refuge Tweed continued IRON his arrival, the
4th day OF December, until about the first week In
March.
After ntfu nights rest the fugitive rose next
morning TO realize that he was an exile at his
threshold, IT were From The neighboring bluffs
hills he could see his home IN the city Of New York,
which ho dared not visit, aud where he born and
raised" When could no again return TO It? His
present resting place was intended to last until 1t
convenient Tor him to start Tor Spain after little
further delay Tor preparations. Bat II months
before he set out, or could tear himself away from
New York.
The first caro- in the morning to put on his dis
guise aud transform himself into his assumed per-
sonality, mr. JOIN Secor," an invalid gentleman,
seeking merely lille and fresh arr well re-
lief from business pressure. &c. his whiskers being
shaver off and his LAIR clipped short, he put on wig
The removal OF the whiskers gave his features, his
jaws and cheekbones greater prominence, aud with
the wig and pair Of gold spectacles, he was quite
transformed Tho wig was OF reddish yellow hair,
crnklcd curled In appearance cut square and quite
we'll down on his neck
READING THE NEWSPAPERS
The next anxiety OF the day to get tho newspa-
pcrs 1t have been most exciting sensation
TO him when they obtained. Nothing but Tweed.
Column alter column and whole pages his hight tho
search by the Sheriff and detectives the theories and
conectures OF the reporters, tho proclamation OF
officially, the communications and letters from
every quarter Tho uproar seemed unprecedented,
and ut 1t had lis effect upon him. II occupa-
tion Tor his mind. He read each day, and had every
paper he could get brought 10 HIM. the excitement
oil tue search was peculiarly his Many times
corner Of the discussion seemed 10 point
toward his aiding place he started up to
60 upon his voyage, then waited until the
next days batch OF news, and diverted from he
idea. Reading the papers was his chief occupation.
He seldom vcntured out OF doors the daytime. A
walk in tho early morning. and occasional Iate
down ride IN the covered country wagon through the
unfrequented wooded lanes. led up the routine Of his
time Tor several weeks Amer that, he got oppor-
finally wound up with naturally absorbing interest
the daily reports oil the trial The famous So 900 900
SUIT against HIM, as deliberately presented IN tho New
York papers.
BEGINNSG CHANGE
IL was during this opportunity OF quiet and medita-
ton. which his surrounding circumstances tor the nst
time afforded In many wears. that the striking change
began which has been observed In HIM since his
and which the scattered Indications In the brief
diaries which he Kept clearY indcntc II Is