The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-06-29
The Tweed Case.
ATTORNEY GENERAL FAIRoHILD's STATEMENT
%AtRANY June %


Sweeney and William NJ. Tweed. BE re-
lates the commencement and progress Of
the suits against various members of the
ring, and first takes up the case against
Sweeney, detailing different stages of the
case up to and including acceptance OF
$400, 900 in compromise thereof. This
| course was taken on the recommendation Of
| Wheeler II. Peckbam and 8. p. Nash,
counsel for people, who reported to the at
torney general that this was the most ad-
visable course, in view of the fact Of pos
sible disagreement of the jury In case of
going to trial, and the fact that. even If a
verdict was obtained, the defendant would,
under previous stipulation, be allowed to
leave the country, and the execution on his
property would probably not realize over
one hundred thousand dollars.
Regarding Tweed's case Fairchild says,
in February las, Mr.. Townsend called on
him saying he wished tn negotiate for
Tweed's reeRse, and on the 18th of Febru-
ary sent him copy of Tweed's statement.
at the request Of O'Connor. Tweed's agents
and the attorney general visited Tweed In
| jail three times, and with Townsend and
Peckham once, and once with Bryant and
his representatives. They were always
told that counsel for the state would not
question him till he had fret made, in his
o gn way, full statement In writing of tes-
timony which he could give and of docu
ments and circumstances by which his oral
testimony could be corrob GRATED. he was
to give all he could, no matter who was
affected, or whether he deemed persons
important; Of that the attorney general
was to be their judge. 1t was determined
that these conditions should be rigidly CON-
piled with.
First, because 1t Is a well-known rule
that when a man in Tweeds position, con-
vIcted of crime, offers to sell his testi-
mony against others to secure his own
safety, he must be corroborated in every
material particular, and stand the severest
tests, or his testimony Is valueless as evi.
dence. There was also further fact, that
Tweed had, on other occasions, given testi.
mony which he mus} now contradict If he
served the people.
Second, because even II Tweed should
give up his property, yet il he had within
his own breast knowledge of evidence OF
guilt of others such knowledge might be q
source of wealth and power to HIM, and
should he again get power and live in CON-
parstive luxury without chase after his
uffenses had been condoned by pubic
officers, it might be gross scandal and
grlevous source of decentralization to peo-
pie. If, however, he should give to the
public prosecutors all of bis evidence, and
il should be such as 10 enable them 70 de
tect and punish those yet unpublished, and
he should then come from prison so poor
that he must go back to his early and
honest occupation for q livelihood, the
lesson of Tweed at liberty would be better
even than that of Tweed 10 Jail.
The attorney general received, April IT
document from Townsend which was tc
be the basis of an examination to ascertain
if Tweed could be of such use to the public
as to justify his release. The agreement
between Townsend and himself was suct
as Townsend testified before the Woodir
committee. Townsend then said ther,
was distinct understanding that unles
Tweed be released from imprisonment anS
he be accepted for such purposes a. h,
chose to use him for, the paper was to b,
returned to me without any one seeing /
except such gentlemen as he (the attorne,
geueraD found necessary TO consult with II
relation to 1t. Peckham and do not know
bnt others, that was the understanding. Ii
Townsends letter he asserts the documen
was to be shown only to Fairchilds fathe
and Tilden, and the attorney genera
says wherein Townsend's letter varie
from his testimony the letter Is In
correct, and that this Is an illustration
Of the misststements of his letter. Far
child says, safer his statement was de
llvered to me, showed II to 8. Fairchild
to Tilden, to Peckham and whitney, cor
poration counsel. read a portion Of
to j ,hn Bigeiow, secretary of state, an,
Peckham informed me that Mr.. Nash rea,
small portins of 1t while it was In Peck
hams possession. Those are all the pei
sons who saw 1t or heard II read, betwee
the time it was delivered to me, April 18th
and the time l returned 1t to Townsend
June 18th. After the statement was RI
ceived 1t vas necessary that the examinatio
: for which as l have before stated
was to be merely the basis the beginniD
should be made. / consulted with Tide
as to how he should be gotten to do thiI
and he advised that / try to persuad
O'tonor to examine Tweed, as his know
edge of the facts was already so great.
may say here, as 1t appears to be Of interes
q that this was the only advice given to m
by Mr. Tilden. He also gave me some il
: formation concerning the bank accounts
u the ring matters. O'Conor refused, an
J, Peckham and Whitney undertook to exam
i inc, the result OF which showed thi
Tweed would be of value in IL
Sweeney suits, and the one In which Il
city was the defendant. Tweed, howeve
made an assertion which made his test
y mony valueless. The he, however, col
, tradicted when examined by corporate
II counsel. Tweeds oesiimony In the Sweei
d ey action did not consider justified h
& release. Fairchild says Tweed's statemsl
B. affected but few persons of no importanc
and he could find no use that could |
made Of Tweed which would not be
barren Of practical results as to make Il