New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-07-18
OBRIEN BRYANT ON TWEED.
A LETTER TO THE ArToRSEY-GFSERAL ABUSING MIR.
TOWNSEND AND MAKING SOME RIDICULOUS


A LETTER TO THE ATrORNEY-GFNERAL ABUSING MR..
TOWNSEND AND MAKING SOME RIDICULOUS
STATEMENTS.
CarOlan O'Brien Bryant who has been
brought into SOFT Of prominence recently In
connection with Tweeds affairs, has written long letter
TO Attorney General Farchlld explaining his relations
with Tweed and the counsel on both sides. The letter
abpunds with abuse Of John D. Townsend and with ef-
forts magnify The writer's part in the Tweed negoa-
tioas Bryant about Tweeds letter to Charles
O'ConOr IN the following terms:
Foster Dewey Tweeds secretary and other friends Of
Tweed adopted a plan To- DO submitted TO him when be
back II consisted IN urging n TO give up all inr-
ther litigation aud HaKo unqualified SURRENDER suOstan-
italy the terms Of the letter "a Charlie. OCOnor That
letter and the Dian OF restitution suggested IN ~ Org-
with Twerd's trusted aud Influential hleud A.
ID. Barber OF Utica. All OF Iweeds friends agreed that
thls plan shOuld ge eh.oIceu u"n III "o nc 81 ,
A. their request drafted the 10 tier TO Charles OCono
exactly as 1t stands.
This extraordinary account is given OF tho way in
when Mr. Townsend retained as counsel for Tweed
In January, after the release OF Woodward, urged
tine employment Of Mr.. Townsend. who mad been the
counsel Oi woodward. This strongly opposed 10y
Tweed and those OF his friends with whom had been
acting. IL seems 10 me Important TO say III TINS cohnec
ton had been mainly enlisted through sympathy
for representations regarding the Affections OF Mrs
Tweed wnose exemplary and devoted course seemed
worthy OF all COMPASSION ana sympathy And as Pian
actual key to tho contradictory course OF Tweed II
necessary to indicate that good deai OF exaspefaied
feeling mad existed with regard TO his relations 10 a
whose influence had been potent for evil Is that
OF mis- c.tm Dle wife couu Tor good ais LA
fact fOud THAT n the proposition OF restitution was 10
be entertaae the very rst surrender suggested aud
chief reason desrabity OF the plan, was that te
yss sums winch THIS person had obtained from Tweed
should he reclaimed.
From this hmr, which was in January, Mr. Townsend's
relations the took their peculiar root. tie OBJ
tanned from Tweed nOte which Townsend read TO that
woman. He also obtained copy OF me letter % Chas
OCOnOr wBicn, TO my astOushment, Townsend altered
recast Hat 10 read II Tweed HAD surrendered
every thing every body. reservns on tals person,
and the endOwlneats sac liss haI a. Ms hands!
Tweeds books and papers referred to follows:
Stubs. DOters books OF account ana anything definite
essf lExu vii Ign "a
had bsen ordered and achieved on THESE remains
Even n nv presence had TO SOC weed insisting on md
ing snuff ny. aud burning IN the stove a. the I'M
p.lse him and he changed bis mind from day 10
day Seeing Also that the entire bulk OF hose papers
was satItr Of limitations, had u conccde
that IL useless 10 list them except IN cursory Nun
ner.
Bryant that Tweed gave HIM details about
the manner in which certain sold In the Leg
sature ami describes his being taken 10 room In tie
Delavan House at Albany, waere caest VITA million
dollars in 81, 900 bills shown him He
questcd 10 put his and help himself on
condition of supporting Erie measures Tweed reclted
also the details OF the alleged disbursement Of
$3.50 900 by the New-York Central Railroad by his
advice. But this all nine years and was barred
by the statute. Similar details regarding later years
reaching To the Charter legislation Of 1870, yielded
nothing for the same reason.
"The limitation OF Tweed's ability in this connection
shrank up surprisingly He knew nothing To affect any
she Assembly OF this year, and only indirectly
those members whO passed the charter OF 20 only
Tweed-WHlam b. wOodin. The others, out OF power,
seemed inconsderaDle personally and POLITICALLY that
the question Of narrowed down practically
10 MOOain'
Mr. Bryant states that Mr. Townsend said John Kelly
had told him that in order to Kill the Omnibus bill iu
schedule OF everything that could be made available in
the interest of Tamnany II all should be made by Tweed
Mr. Bryant charges that the Tweed confession was
sent out from Mr.. TOwnscnds Office, and that II com'
prlsed mainly the proposed evidence duplicating Hall,
which led to his flight, with the attempt to
inure Recorder Mr. Bryant ends his letter AZ
follows:
Tweed said II swearing all that was necessary,
h. would give them all they wanted! Tie would not
stand upon little lying IL that would get him out lie
would not swear anybody into prison. but az Tor their
reputation, that was all fudge; would h" mount
guard IN THIS Jail anybOdy's money they must
lake their en- nccs he dld aOOut that The body
of the affidavit tsSed that Tweed mad one million OF
collars aud upwards in strong box IN the Della
van House 10 buy the passage Of the charter
parties whom he had sent me FOR Confederation
could not figure quarter OF million OF dollars PAID
AL session. but they TOOK his Stationery
the million of dollars besides reliable They coud
reGite all the had drawn upon and they knew
be Dad a which he carried away! In snort In
stead losing his charter he robbed his associates
the whole range of the departments OF another nil
lion, less, forced loan which he should &c
assets"