New-York tribune., 1877-09-17
TRANSACTIONS AMONG GENTLEMEN

Nothing is more impressive In the narrative
of William M Tweed than the implicit conf
dence which the members and servants OF the
Tammany Ring are therein shown to have re-
posed IN one another When they met to ar
range percentages, cOncOct charters, invent
boards of audit, and divide the proceeds of
their thetts, they came to this business of con-
spiracy with the most absolute trust i'll the
very virtues which they derided by their
whole career. Bribery larceny, false swear
ing and forgery were their daily ayocations,
and yet they manifested a great respect
for honorable" dealings, and despised a
rogue who would defraud his comrades.
Tweed declared, the other day, that men
were all alike; the best of them
would cheat if they got a chance. But it is
plain that in the heyday of his prosperity he
liked to believe that there were great many
fine fellows about the City Hall and the Legis
lature who, whatever they might do to others,
would not be mean enough to cheat him. The
arrangement of the Board of Audit swindleo
was all founded upon confidence: "COnn0ly
chad in his Office a very confidential man at
4" that time-One in whom he had the utmost
confdence-Mr. Watson; Watson had my
paragon of faithfulneSs was accordingly
appointed to act for Connolly. Tweed
found an equally honest friend in the
person of Woodward, ian active and in
"telligent man in the Board of Supervis-
L" ors, whose fidelity no one doubted" Peter b.
Sweeny received his ten per cent through the
hands of poor, shiftless, drunken brother James,
and Mayor Hall was paid through the safe and
sure channel of Police Commissioner Hugh
smith. They were all gentlemen of the very
highest tone, and would undoubtedly have felt
hurt at the suggestion that they might either
keep back any of the money or tell any of the
secrets The same touching confidence pre-
vailed in that pretty little group composed of
James O'Bren, Monhemer, Foster Dewey and
Senator Bixby. Mr.. Tweed also went to AL
banv full of trust in human nature. He put
unbounded faith in A. ID. Barber, the gentle
man whose business it was to walk up and
down the hill and talk to members of the
"Iegislature, and having occasion to buy
the Legislature he simply gave Mr.. Bar
Der 100000 and SAID, go buy it."
When the Frear Charter was to be passed,
Mr. Tweed says that he bought five Repubh
can Senators for cash, giving Messrs. Norris
WinslOw, William Is. WOodln, Theodore H..
MINER, George Bowen and James Wood
$4,000 apiece, and that the money was
placed in Mr.. Winslow's hands to be divided
according to agreement. That was trusting
Winslow with great deal, but he seems to
have kept faith; the votes were cast according
to contract and if the division was not fairly
made we have at least heard no complaint from
the sufferers.
But Tweed realizes now that he built upon
the drifting sand The very fine gentlemen
upon whose honor he reposed, have turned out
common scamps. The active and intelligent
Woodward whose fidelity no one doubted, has
made clean breast of everything. The other
three confidential money agents are dead, or
perhaps they would tell tales too. The trades
men, whose silence was supposed to have been
assured, are betraying confidence as fast
as the attorneys of the people will let
them. Garvey and lngersoll, above all