The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-09-15

I enlarged its facilities Tor plunder. VI
the frs: triunvirste Tweed says: "After
we had once decided upon measure it
was virtually accomplished, for there
was hardly ever time when we were
not able to carry anything" The coun-
| ty treasurer WAS their servant, and they
| paid him for his assistance. Their MAN
source of revenue was percentage on
what may be described rs genuine bills
made out with excessive charges.
The triumvirste existed until 1864,
| in which year 1t became
quartet, Henry Smith beng admitted
to share in its honors and emoluments
In 1865 John Fox WAS added. In 1866
James Hayes WAS initiated into the my
teries of the Ring; and in 1869 Andrew
j. Blakely and Isaac j. Oliver were
drawn into ! limited partnership IN the
iuiuuities of the concern, with d iull
share in It's profits All OF these men
were members of the Ring NJ some time
or other. though ut no time were tLey
all members together. The profits
amounted to Is per cent. on claims
allowed, and bills presented were
drawn TO cover this commission
to the politicians over and above
the contractors gains. Tweed has select
ed many particular claims which came
under this category, and has named in
general WAY Ingersoll, Watson Il Co.,
keyser u Go. and Garvey rs firms with
whom there was permanent arrange
ment made for the propagation of fraud.
In 1870 this netsrious combination
which was, rs It were, the type or figure
of the more celebrated Tweed Ring
went TO pieces on account OF n quarrel
among tue members, due to their jeal
ousy of the leaders growing power.
In that year Tweed sent himself
10 the Senate and combined with
the Republicans to abolish the
old Board OF Supervisors. 1t Is
with the dealings OF the old ring that
the testimony thus lar submitted has TO
dc, and one of the most important facts
brought out incidentally is that which con-
Germs sherifl's tees. 1t appears that bills
presented by Kelly and Brennan paid
no backmail to the great Rob X y,
while those submitted by OBrlen did;
and the claims of the latter (stlIl un-
psid) were purchased by Tweed and
Connolly in 1871 at an enormous pnce,
IN considerati of o Brien's promise to
get Tllden to give up his crusade against
the Ring. This was probably the worst
bargain Tweed ever made. The
witness has only just touched upon the
origin of the great Ring, the germ OF
which lay in sort of political mess
table organized in one OF the city build
ings by Tweed, Hoffman, Brennan and
Cornell While dining together they
discussed politicsl affairs but made no
corrupt com binstion Tor the sake OF plum
der. In due time Hall succeeded Hotf-
man, Connolly took Brennan's place and
Peter b. Sweeny dropped in to form one
of the party, and behold! the famous
clique was complete. As the first Ring
WAS created to buy Republican Super
visor, 50 the second WAS formed to False
money to buy Republican Legislature
AS Tweed, who was in the State Senate
"found it impossible to do anything there
without paying for it."
If Tweed continues to testify with the
same straightforward purpose to tell the
truth and shame the devil which he has
hitherto evinced, the people may expect
interesting revelations. 1t Is good to see
that these confessions, which are source
of confusion to political rogues and hypo-
critic, are the strongest vihdIcatlon also
of honest and Jealous public men like
Tllden and Kelly. 1t Is not strange that
some persons who have strutted about IN
the spoils of the Ring for long time
show grest deal OF dread as the day
approaches when the stolen plumsge is
to be stripped from them.