The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-04-26
THE TAMMANY RING.
Brief outline of its origin, History and
Overthrow.
from the N. Y. World.1

From the N. Y. World.l
A brief resume of the origin, rise and
downfall of the famous ring may be
appended. Tt had its origin in the
Board OF Supervisors, and was, as is the
nature of ring, without distinction OF
party in its immediate composition.
Among its leading spirits were VIM. M:
Tweed. Supervisor. State Senator and
Commissioners of Public Works; Rich
ard B. Connolly, Comptroller; County
Auditor Watson; Woodward. the clerk
OF the Supervisors; Park COMMITS
s'oners Sweeny and Fields. Ac-
cording to Tweed, A. Oakley Hall,
elected Mayor by the ring. which was
organized completely on January /,
1869, when he became Mayor, Mr.. Con-
molly having been two years Comptrol-
Ter. Its most direct manner OF operating
was by corrupt agreement with con
tractors having bills against the city to
have these bills "raised" enormously
and then audited, the thieves taking the
enormous addition and paying the con-
tractor, unless he was for some reason
favored only, his just claim. Audit was
refused these bills unless they were, SO
raised. In 1870 the supervisors had
passed upon some $4,000, 600 OF these
fraudulent bills, when the Republican
mHjOLlGy Ill bue ISS iol1ouios Wn'o.
had created the board and given 1t
it's opportunities, gave way to a Demo-
cratic majority Of one in the Senate and
seven In the Assembly. Besides the
danger of revelation OF its vast frauds,
the ring had in prospect some $18,000,-
600 more OF bills, nearly all fraudulent.
At this time the Young Democracy was
busy drafting new charter providing
for spring elections and o city govern
ment less enthralled by Albany legisla-
ton. But suddenly Tweed, who was at
the time in the State Senate, sprung.his
famous charter, which was pushed for
ward with such tremendous haste that
suspicion was directed against those
active in it's support. It was opposed
before Tweed's Senate committee by
by the House in the latter days OF March,
1870. by vote of So to Is in the House,
and 80 to in the Senate.
The powers conferred were unparal-
leled, and the ring made good use OF
their time. On May 5 was that notable
meeting of the Board of Special Audit,
Tweed, Hall and Connolly, whereat
SO ,312, 500 was ordered paid out, of
which the city scarcely owed ten per
cent. Tweed, as it was afterwards
shown, got twenty-four per cent, and
others appropriate lesser amounts. The
exposure of the rings accounts came in
July, 1871. Connolly was the first to de-
sert the ring, putting himself, the Sep
TENDER following, into the hands OF Mr..
Tilden and Mr.. Havemeyer, and, on their
urgent pressure, appointing Mr.. Green
| his deputy and acting comptroller. Mr..
Tilden, Mr.. O'Conor and others were
now in active consultation about the le-
gal steps to be taken. How the proof
was obtained from the Broadway Bank
accounts, how it was decided that the
State should bring the suits, Tweed's
varied history since they were begun,
the flight of Connolly, Fields, Wood
ward and Sweeney, Sweeney's return
the Woodward compromise, the pro.
posed Tweed compromise now under
discussion, and other details, are toe
numerous to need recounting.