The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1877-04-27
FLIGHT AND EXILE.
An Amlusing Experience OF VIM VI
Tweed. Esq

liam NJ. WeeQ. Inc IOllOWAuP dIt lLlG
chief points OF the story;
The approaching trial of the great six
million suit against Tweed threatened
demand on his last resources for fees
which he plainly saw ne should fail TO
answer. His remaining possessions were
not available to raise ready money and
credit, especially with lawyers. His
money gone, his courage broke down
also, and he resolved on flight as REM
edy for his bankruptcy and his hopeless
Imprisonment. Having lest great judges
and LAWYERS of courts he had created and
controlled, he found himself forced to
fall back upon their clients, his fellow
prisoners in Jail. Tweed's mess mate in
Ludlow street Jail was Charley Law
renee, the silk smuggler, whose extradi-
ton led to the abrogation of the treaty
with England. From him Tweed
learned all the necessary details of eX-
isting treaties and laws on the subject,
and having decided upon flight he re-
solved to reach Spain as the most expo
dent shelter in view of the absence OF
any eXtradition treaty with that cOun-
.ry. Another of the inmates of Ludlow
street prison was person OF many pro-
fessional aliases who has since been safely
| lodged III a penitentiary in Vermont.
He is best known by the name of Bliss,
and was engineer of the extraordinary
| Northampton bank robbery. He was
also professionally engaged in the famous
! Washington safe-burglarY. This person
! lodged in the upper floor and had APP
J preached Tweed with a proposal to avail
himself of the removal of iron gratings
of his window which was on the ground
floor aud which would enable them both
I to escape, the whole matter to be man
aged from the outside by associates of
Bliss.
The proposition had at first been
laughed at by Tweed, but meeting his
professional neighbOr 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 on. Tweed was persuaded OF
the practicability OF plan which they
presented, and for the execution of which
they agreed to pay a stipulated sum.
No member of the bar nor his counsel,
nor any friend nor person, whatever his
previous connections, knew of his pro
posed fight or had any part in its eXecu-
ton. Neither did they know of his
whereabouts at any time until 1t had
become necessary tor him to commune
cate with them after his arrest in Cuba
by the Spanish officials. Tweed under
stood that he was TO be taken in charge
by well organized body of men dis
tributed throughout the country, having
every facility, their connections and
method being thoroughly tested and vel
established He was furnished with g
short key for telegraphic communities
ton and one for postal facility. The
latter included q system of Enclosures
through five different envelopes, with
addresses at removed points. He was te
find occasion to visit his house and de
liver himself over secretly and unat
tended at his own door. The execution
of the agreement included his landing il
Spain or under the Spanish flag and. Oh
Spanish territory safely and secretly
He was given the name of John 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
persons without exception from the mo
ment he passed out of his own stOop.
The exact minute of departure wa:
fixed at eight O'Clock in the evening
The exact time of his fight was left un
determined, but he was to visit his house
on certain days, and when the whole
train was ready sign was to be giveI
by certain mark upon the stOop which
he could see as he assembled the steps.
Accordingly. Tweed took occasion t
nfhtain i'm fFqm IN the sheriff and his keeper
visit his family and transact some bust
ness. Several such visits having beer
made TO his house at the usual hour
after dark, he secretly made some prepa.
ration of personal matters and putting
his business affairs in as good order as
possible finally reached the fourth of De-
| cember, 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 stoOp he saw the
! sign. 1t was about half-past seven
O'Clock, and a dreary December evening.
| The signal at once aroused him with a
| starting shock and, as he describes the
| occurrence, "his blood and his nerves
were filled with an electrical excitement
which thrilled every fibre of his frame"
! Controlling himself with some effort he
led his attendants to their wanted 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 mo-
ment, one of the keepers arose 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 the adjoining room, he passed
into the hall, closing the door as he left
the room. He quickly took first hat and
coat, and slipped out the front door. He
was fugitive. He saw the hack before
the door without driver, who also took
advantage of the occasion in the kitchen
Not a person or sound appeared to re-
spond to his appointment. 1t was not
quite one minute past eight. He had
stolen forth from his home to place him
self in the hands and guidance of a
picked gangof desperadoes As he shrunk
back under the shadow of the stoop it
seemed to him long period of doubt
and determination, until his attention |
was attracted by the noise of wheels, and |
he saw a common bridesmaids wagon, |
such as is used by grocers and express !
drivers. He saw also a mans arm reach !
out from the cover which was sign that |
it was for him.
As he descended the stoop 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 scrambled into the covered wagon
which drove rapidly around the block
into Madison avenue, but az they got
there car having run off the track some
police and passengers stood in
the way and the fugitive was stopped for
two or three minutes.
The wagon soon started again and
drove zig-zag across the city toward
North river, which was soon reached,
and beside big truck on the pier they
stopped. The driver said "Get out on
the river side" Tweed got out, seeing
that the truck covered him from obser-
Vation. As he alighted. a man stood
near the truck also, who indicated that
Tweed was to descend into row-boat, in {
which he quickly embarked and crossed {
o the Jersey side. There he was met s
by another vehicle in waiting for him on {
he shore road, when he was driven of
nto a region beyond the river and
in a direction and to a termi-
latien where he never had been before,
nd could not now ascertain or indicate.
AT an old farm house Tweed was re-
eived by another of his new found l
riends, and in this refuge, disguised. he
ontinued from December until the ;
rst week in March, always under con-
rol of the two men who had managed
is escape and contracted for his safety. q
He did implicitly what they directed, /
nd they held him in hand like trainers. =