Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1877-04-12
The Flight and Exile OF Vim. I'll. Tweed.

|
Wm NJ. Tweed, The ola chief of The
Iammany Ring, has given to the public
through the columns of Harper's Weeklu'
the story of his escape from his keepers
ana his flight from the country We con.
dense from the narrative the following ac-
count
weeds messmate in Ludlow Street Jail
was Charley Lawrence, the silk smugoler
/ whose extradition led 10 the abrocati0n Of
the treaty with England. From him
Tweed learned all the necessary details of
the existing treaties and laws on the sub
lect, and, having concluded upon flight.
he resolved to reach Spain, as the most
expedlent shelter, in view of the absence
OF any Extradition treaty with that coun
I uy: another OF the inmates of the Lud-
loW-Street Prison was a person of many
| professional aliases, who has since been
lodged in Penitentiary in Vermont. He.
is pest known by the name of "BIiss. -
and was the engineer of the Northampton
Bank robbery. This person lodged on the
upper floor, and had approached Tweed
with a proposal to avail himself of the re.
moval OF the iron gratings of his window.
winch was onthe ground floor, and which
would enable them both to escape. the
whole matter to be managed from the out.
side by associates of Bliss.
No member of the bar, nor his conn.
sci, nor any friend or person whatever
OF his previous connections knew of his
proposed flight or had any part in its exc
cution. Tweed understood that he was to |
De taken In charge by well-organized |
body OF men, distributed throughout the |
country, having every facility, their con-
nectIons and method being thoroughly
tested and we'll llestablished. He was fur.
nlshed with a short key for telegraphic
m and one for postal facil
ny. Inc latter included a system of in
closures through five different envelones
with addresses at removed points. He was
TO flnd occasion to visit his house and de.
IlVer himself over secretly and unattended +
at his own door. The execution of the
agreement included his landing in Spain
OF under the Spanish flag, and on SpanaI j.
lsh territory safely and secretly He was
given the name of John Secor, by which !
ne was to be known to his new connec- :
ions, and his personal identity ana his :
OWN name were to be concealed from all
persons without exception from the mo. :
nent ne passed out of his own stoop. - )
= The exact minute of departure was fixed 7
u eight O'Clock in the evening, not more | I
nan one minute before or one minute f
liter that hour. The date of his fight r
vas left undetermined, but he was to visit / +
us mouse on certain days, and when the h
FhoIe train was ready, sign was to be +
'lVen by certain mark upon the stoop, .
sh1ch ne would see as he assembled the q
teps: Accordingly, Tweed took occasion F,
OBTAIN from the Sheriff and his keepers b
nc usuai privilege of the jail yard'' to
Islt his family and transact some busi, IT
ess. Several such visits were made. and =
a the evening of the 4tIr of December . .,
SO, ON being driven to his house. he saw -
le sign Controlling himself with some =,
Ioft, lie led his attendants to their "a
onted and welcome feast, which on is
us occasion was amply provided ! n
tne dlnlng-room. The keepers ate. ~
1d Tweed took care also that fhev IL -
Sank AT just the right moment. one Of ~ -,
e Keepers rose and went to a wash basin ~ A.
tne room to wash his hands and get -, 80
ady Tor the usual cigar after dinner. co
Seed took the opportunity, rose also. to
a, saying he would wash in an adjoin. -. -
room, he passed into the hall. closing ~, r,'
doof as he left the room. He quickly -, ,,'
DIX the flrst hat and coat, and slipped out po an
'front.' door. Not a person or sound T., l.,
peafed TO respond to his appointment. ,,a, ,,e.
was not quite one minute past eight. bo,
had Stolen forth from his home 10 .I &c
ice himself in the hands and Guidance m mhe
plcketed gangsof adesperadoes. AS lie M
unk back under the shadow Of the 70 10
Op, II seemed to him a long period of 10 pi
lbt ana sclLexamination, until his at .ae nc
tion was attracted by Il noise of yiicels. IL -
lie saw q common tradesman's wagon. -. -
IL as Is used by groccrs and express D. D.
'eIs. lie saw also II mans arm reach 20
from cover, which was the sign that =
ias for him, has