The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-04-04
A Contract for the Escape and
Delivery in Spain.
THAT MARK UPON THE STOOP
Hope Abandoned with the Resurrection
Of Charles 0'COnOr.
PILGRIMAGE OF AN INVALID.
The Sponge Thrown Up by a
Broken Down Old Man.
From Harpers' weekly.l

Broken Down Old Man.
From Harpcrs' Weekly.
The unfounded announcement Of the death Of Charles
O'Conor, about tho beginning OF December, 1875,
read in Ludlow Street Jail by Tweed, with feeling
the Of what might be supposed under circum
stances which had gwen the Ring chof notorioty
side Of the great tho fame OF O'Conor
tho other. Until he realized fact Tweed could not
imagine that the death OF his great antagonist would
prove embarrassing 10 his interests. But, as he
says, the anticipated event which excited SO
much sorrow in tho community was moro
keenly lett by him than by anybody else.
He engaged at the time in negotiations for
his release Propositions for restitution and settio
ment with the State BY himself and his fellow
deiinaucnts favorably entertained, ono Of the
Law partners or Edwards Pierrepont then Attorney
General OF the United States and now Minister to
England) having the matter in hand. In the event Of
the deccase of O'Conor Tweed felt that there no
other person with whom he could hope to settle, and
the tolls In which he left seemed hopeless
ENLARGEMENT that no fell into utter despair Ho had
bated for years already without result except that
he had squandered his igotten riches upon lawyers
and on courts, suffered Imprisonment with the pros
pcct OF u life torn in Ludlow Street Jail in OK.
change for his previous place in The Penitentiary
Blac1wos Island Worse than all else. no had sacr.
iced his property, piece by piece ruinous prices,
under tho cloud OF legal Attachments to the fees
for carrying his legal battles This had reduced
his means, so that in view OF disastrous shrinkage
and foreclosures no found himself brought face TO
face with actual bankruptcy Tho approaching trial OF
the great So 000 900 against him de-
maud upon his cash for fees which he plainly
saw he should fail TO His remaining possessions
were not available to raise ready money and credit
pecay with the lawyers out Of tho question his
money gone. his courage broke down ALSO and no
resolved flight the remedy both for his bank
ruptcy and his hopeless Imprisonment Could ne OBJ
hahn his liberty he might fragments Of hts
estate From his prison bars he his fortune, like
Araft broken in the rapids, scattered and heipessy
drifting into irretrevable ruin. His costly and nu-
counselIors had deserted him in battaons and
with hrs shrinking purse camo not only change OF
his temper, but OF his advisers and followers In
Short having lost the great judges and lawyers OF
eousss he had created and controlled he found him
self forced fall back upon their clients his follow
prisoners of the jail.
.4 PREPARATIONS FOR FLIGHT
Tweeds messmate in Ludlow Street Jail was Charley
Lawrence, tho silk smuggcr, whose oxtraditon led to
tho abrogation OF tho treaty with England He had
previously chummed with Tweed in the agrce-
ablc sphere OF the Americas Club, OF which he
tho official secretary, and, fact the chief steward
ana purvcyor-gcneral This person being client Of
Judge Picrrcpont's Office 10 Tho extradition matter
Tweed all the necessary details OF the existing
treaties and laws tho subject from actual con-
situations in the Jail in his presence and having
concluded upon flight ho resolved to reach SPAN
rs tho most cxpcdiont shelter, in view Of tho alb
sence OF any cxtraditon treaty with that country.
Another OF the inmates OF Ludlow street prison
person OF many professional aliases, who has
hoo fclv iadu IN n ntfarv
He best known by the name OF ''Bliss and was tho
engineer OF tho extraordinary Northampton Bank
robbery He also professionally engaged 10 tho
famous Washington "safe burglary which the
occasion of investigation undcr tho late adminstra-
lion Of General Grant This person lodged on
the upper floor, and had approached Tweed with
Tho proposal to avail himself of tho removal OF
the iron gratings OF his window, which was on
The ground ioor and which. would enable them both
10 escape, the who're matter to BIO managed from the
outside by the associates Of "Bliss" The proposition
had at lrst bcsn laughed at by Tweed He had never
previously entertained tho idea OF flight Ho only
oiled, "what could do with myself Where could
hope to hide mysclf?n Conccalment for Tweed was,
it seemed to him, impossibty. But meeting
his "professona' neighbor daily In the courtyard Of
tho JAIL where they took their exercise, the subject
was more definitely discussed. and the out
side friends Of tho professional" being called
IN, Tweed persuaded OF the practical
bilty of plan which they presented and for the
cution OF which nc engaged pay stipulated amount
OF money. Flight, he had reasoned, must be his only
relief His conferences with his advisers pecu-
ary skilled In such matters convinced him that this
STEP If entertained at all, must be taken with such
absouteness as to have conndants knowledge OF
his plans exist among his friends. Ho must sur
render himself exclusively the control OF those who
tho ioh leaving ement intellf.
gcnce behind him by which could be traced
hauled And accordingly, member OF his family,
nor his counsel any friend or person whatever OF
his previous connections knew OF his proposed flight
any part In its executon neither did they Know
OF his whereabouts any time, until 1t had become
necessary for him TO communicate with them after his
ares. in Cuba by the Spanish officials
DETAILS ARRANGEMENTS.
Tweed understood that he be taken In charge
By well organized body Of men, distributed through
put the country having every facility, their connec-
lions and method being thoroughly tested and well
established. He was furnished with short key for
,elegraphic and tor postal facility
rhe latter included system OF enclosures through hvc
iincrent envelopes with addresses removed points
de was to End occasion 10 visit his house in Fifth
avenue corner OF Forty.third street, and de-
liver himself over, secretly and unattended, at his
own door. The execution OF the agreement included
his landing in Spain, under the Spanish dag
and on Spanish territory, safely and secretly. lie
was gwen tho namo OF John Sccor. by which he was
10 be known to his connections, and his personal
Identity aud his own were to DO concealed from
III persons without exception from the moment he
passed out of his stoop The exact minute oil de-
,,,,, ems Gxoa nj eight O'Clock In the evening" not
more tpau one minute before to one minute nfer that
hour exactly The time Of his Hight was lett undecr
mined hut he was visit his house on certain days,
and when tho whole was ready, sign was TO DO
,,vsn Nv n certain secret mark upon the stoop which
6e could see as he assembled the steps.
y" ,.aranslv Tweed took occasion TO obtain from tho
sheriff md his Keepers the usual privilege o. The jan
ward 10 visit his family aud transact some business.
IN, sheriff being allowed by law TO treat prisoners ioI
dent TO this privilege as necessary ior TUG pu.poso ~
enanlinu them TO get and look after their SUITS