The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1877-04-11
THE Boss's STORY.
Pun Account of Tweed's Escape From
Jail.

Jail.
New YORK, April 3-Harper's Weekly for
tomorrow will publish an illustrated article
describing the fiightan exile of Vim. Tweed.
The following are the chief points of the
story. The approaching trial of the great
six million suit against Tweed threatened a
demand on his cash resources for fees, which
he plainly saw if he should fail to
answer his remaining possessions were
not available to raise ready money
and credit especially with lawyers, was out
of the question. His money was gone and
his courage was broken down also, and he re-
solved on fight as a remedy for his bank
ruptcy and his hopeless imprisonment.
Having lost the great judges and lawyers of
the courts he had created ana controlled,
he found himself forced to fall back upon
their clients, his fellow prisoners in Jail.
Tweed's messmate in the Ludlow street
Jail was Charley Smith, the silk
smuggler, whose extradition led to the abro-
CATION of the treaty with England. From
him Tweed learned all the necessary de-
tails of the existing treaties and laws on TIE
subject, and having decided upon flight he
resolved to reach Spain as the most expedi-
enI shelter, in view of the absence of any
extraditiOn treaty with that country.
Another of the inmates of the
Ludlow street prison was person
has since been safely lodged in a peniten-
tiary in Vermont. He is best known by the
name of Bliss and was engineer of the extra
ordinary Northampton bank robbery. He
was also professionally engaged in the
famous Washington safe burglary. This
person was lodged In the upper floor and
had approached Tweed with a proposal
to avail himself of the removal
of the iron grating of his win
dow, which was on the ground
floor, and which would enable them both to
escape The whole matter was manged
- 81 10 huo az IF
proposition had been at first laughed at by
Tweed, but meeting his professional neigh
Dor daily in the court yard of the Jail, where
they took exercise, the subject was more
definitely discussed, and outside friends of
the professional being called in,
cability of a plan which they pre-
sented and for the execution of
which he agreed to pay a stipulated sum.
No member of the bar nor his counsel, nor
any friend or person whatever OF his pre-
vious connections knew OF his proposed
flight, or had any part in Its execution;
neither did they know of his whereabouts
at any time until it had become necessary
for him to communicate with them after
his arrest in Cuba by the Spanish officials
Tweed understood he was to be taken
in charge by a we'll organized body of
men distributed throughout the country,
having every facility, their connections and
method being thoroughly tested and well
established. He was furnished with short
key for telegraphic communication and one
for postal facility. The latter included a
system of enclosures through five different
envelopes with addresses at removed points.
He was to find occasion to visit
his house and deliver himself over
secretly and unattended at his own door.
The execution of the agreement included
his landing in Spain, or under the Spanish
flag and on Spanish territory, safely and Sc
IL -.
Secor, by which he was to be known to his
new connections, and his personal identity
and his own name was TO be kept from all
persons without exception, from the moment
he passed out of his own stOop The exact
minute of departure was fixed at oclOck
in the evening-not more than one minute
before 10 one minute after that hour. The
exact time of his flight was left undeter-
mined, but he was to visit his house ON GER
tain days, and when the whole train was
ready sign was to be given by certain
mark on the stoop which he
his steps. Accordingly Tweed took occasion
to obtain from the sheriff and his keepers
the usual privilege of the Jail yard to visit
his family and transact some business. Sew
eral such visits having been made to his
house, at the usual hour after dark he Sc
cretly made some preparation of personal
matters and putting his business affairs In
the 4th of December, 1875 which proved the
occasion of his departure. On the evening
OF that day he was driven in the customary
hack, attended by two keepers, to his house.
Ascending the steps he saw the sign. II was
about half past O'Clock and a dreary De-
cember evening. The signal at once
aroused him with a startling shock,
and as he describes the occurrence
his blood and his nerves were filed with an
electrical excitement which thrilled every
fiber OF his frame. Controlling himself with
some effort he led his attendants to their
wonted and welcome feast which, on this
occasion, was amply provided in the dining
room. The keepers ate and Tweed took
care also that they drank. At just
the right moment one of the keepers
rose and went to the wash basin In the room
TO wash his hands and get ready for the
usual cigar after dinner. Tweed took the op-
portunity, rose also, and saying he would
wash in an adjoining room, passed into
the hall. closing the door as he left the room.
He quickly took the first hat and coat and
dipped out the front door. He was a fugi-
tive. He the hack before the door with
out the driver who also took advantage
of the occasion in the kitchen. Not per-
son or sound appeared to respond TO his
appoin ment. 1t was not quite one minute
past o'clock He had stolen forth from
home to place himself in the hands and
guidance of picked gang of desperadoes.
As ne Snruuk Ddck unOer the SnauOW OF the
stOOp, il seemed to him a long
period of doubt and self
examination, until his attention was at
tracted by the noise Of wheels and he saw
common bridesmaids wagon, such as is
used by grocers and express drivers. He
saw also mans arm reach out from the
cover, which was a sign that il was for him.
As he decended the st0op he also saw a man
passing slowly, which caused him TO hesitate,
but this person said. in a low tone,
-'all right, get in the wagon" So he scram-
bled into the covered wagon, which drove
rapidly around the block into Madison ave-