The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-10-31
AN INTERVIEW WITH TWEED.
HIS RECOLLECrIONs OF LEADING
POLITICIANS.
How the Tweed Ring Managed Politics in
New YOrk--The Endorsement of Civil
service Reform from an Unexpected
source.

IN. Y. Herald.1
ReportsrmAtariG IA ?, y2n the only member Of the
Mr.. Tweed-The only one. Ingersoll and
Woodward are both out. sweeny lives uptown.
.'Why, did, Hall run away-on the score Of your
Hall, think. has been crazy, or growing
fell.2w, with his weak little puns.," .
drawing up advantageous or cunning bilsf'
He was fair at that; not accomplished not
real expe t.. Hall was pretty good on his legs,
to preside ut dinner. or make ready speech"
swEBNy.
What is the meaning Of the rumor that
sweeny and the swssseny influence are at work
probably going into politics again. You know
he never came to the front much, but wanted to
rule from position OF retirement. He can
reach influences l cannot reheh.'
But you never qu@rrelled much with your
NO; they didn't quarrel with me, because /
was the only man who would go to the front.
They couldn't rely on each 0 her II anything
desperate was on hand. | remember once there
aad net e beda q 81 h' sad fefe EoN EEh & ss
may ma go 60, but do9t want To-, : :Poeh. pooh, said
ri go myself, SO went that night. and Be,
presldel,, So I took the chair. and wasnt livery
ming for recorder against. Barnard, This
reeollection is at random | saw. as the roll
delegates. Said to a secretary: Have o mo-
ton made to. dispense with calling the rolp 1t
was done. All in favor Of Mr.. Barnard as the
msetne is s yeh there Wse riot
and was driven into one corner. Isaiah Ryn,,
sa nrd d TS hs q 2ps my for s GFHwP ~na
scared. but / didn't say y SO. i'm not afraid Of
o whole ward Of yoau fighting villains said 1,
| and we all got out"
Then you never auarrelled with Sweeny2'
"Oh, Sweeny is hard overbearing, revenge
full man.. He wants his way and treasures up
We were 50 opposite and unlike that we got
along very WELL"
=. Hoy did yog., ever take into your confidence
Connolly was before my time: had to take
the world as it was and not make 1t anew. He
was powerful man ,in, his ward and district
segm Ea m 9% Of P9 Ga ans a fgon Jon 10 w9a hsr aas s
through there and talk against Connolly ii
would be Ct YOU, peril We could not get along
vote he controlled. He had been an old Federal
Custom FL House officer, and in Mavor Have
meyer sS -, -, .aa.,, :, tna ,auno ,.,ax :,
few whom your mind admires Notwithstanding
your misfortunes7" 7"
/ JOHN II. HOFFMAN.
Mr.. Tweed shook his head as If there was no
80 o eod fa JOINT Ge1 f. Hoau Tfs "a aoat
several times disagreed, / could never make
tious and capable, but he often harmed us bJ
| Objecting In cases where he could not have
harmed himself. II, you read my testimony on
was notapproachable with money"
| THE ERIE RAILROAD.
Your. relation to the Erie Railroad. Mr.
Tweed has subjected you to considerable y cen
THAT came. from my position as State Sena
tor. Vanderbilt war ted me to help him in legis
lative matters and promised to carry large
into q stock speculation, so / could make some
money. He didn't keep his word, and Fisk ant
GOULD came 70 me and offered to set me right
Which OF those men was the ADLER, Gould ol
"Oh, Gould; he has not his equal in America
m a Of sd anecdote Ndhiag Ss g him eY IL
was never ashamed. He always had q fresf
story liked his company. Iremember wher
used that expression. Gone. where the wool
bine twineth.' He explained that to me; Ht
said that when he used to peddle around the
always had sprig Of vine climbing over them
He simply meant by that illustration that the
investment inves had gone up the spout-gone to
Whom do you regard as the most successful
city politician of Nesy York in the thirty years
John Kelly. He was always plodder-al.
ways saving something and always learning
something. He stood well. with the church
his support there. never did but one thing fol
him; twenty, years ago l helped him beat
(WalshO for Congress"
| PRESIDENTS.
What President did you first vote for Mr.
pst think It It was va, Polk. know voted first io'
Which of the public men who aspired to the
LET me see," answered Mr.. Tweed. reflect.
He was very light-almosta nonentity. Fillmore
Sin: tSinks ssia ria NJ; TTsed with :ss : sadas1 I!
eyer kneM | was pretty well acquainted witt
MAJ % VI aas h9 gsaa snd to ssks es e
back in 1852 and 1866. He seemed to be Big
democratic and headed q real leader.
was Douglas Democrat up to the beginning Of
the war and War Democrat after that"
You never saw Mr.. Lincoln2"
| "No. l never met Lincoln privately, but
thought very well OF him."
| A NEW VIEW OF TILDEN.
What kind Of President would Mr.. Tilder
have made had he been peacefully inaugu
rated2
well" said Mr.. Tweed musingly. IF Con
gress were called to meet on the 4th of March
President would have to send in htt
message on that day.. Tilden would have i
always puts off everything"
But If he has 50 much representation in his
habits how did Mr. Tilden become 50 rich?"
by firing people out" said Mr.. Tweed. "Ht
would Just sit down and wear out the patience
Of ANYBODY in business as he would In politics.
He was a railroad schemer, you know, Sup
pose you had 5000 shares Of stock in some