The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-06-29
taken by that committee Mr. Townsend Is reported 10
haye testified on this Dolnt a follows.--

have testified on this point as follows:-
rhe Attorney General distinctly and positively took the
Which was to Be- FURNISHED by Nj Tweed what he asked
tho matters he kns~ Of that bore an sc,ion
nst the state or city giving the nHmes Of the people
way"
THIS condition imposed by tho Attorney General
that Tweed ight have Indication IRON the counsel
Tor the People what testimony would be by them
fought valuable, and that he might be as little as pos
sible exposed 10 the templaton always present TO
witness wishes to soil mis- testimony This state
ment. gwen 10 form the basis Tor critical
examination oil Tweed by the Attorney General or bis
representatives tcst he truth and earu the value
oil ms testimony. II was also necessary thai care
ml examination should be made 10 see that
Tweed's testimony did not conhict with independent
and other evidence, aud TO II II could DO
corroboraled by independent testimony. II from such
statement thus tested, I should appear that Tweed
had tried fully and frankly TO live up 10 the spirit Of
people in possession oil all bis evidence OF the guilt OF
Others then the counsel Tor the people were to urner
examine HIM upon any matters winch they might
think that he had Overlooked
II il was then found that Tweed could be OF such
30 examined as to The amount Of his property was 70
surrender all OF IT, and was 10 be set free and used ny
the people as witness
why THEY WE'RE IMPOSED.
II was determined that these conditions should DO
rigldiy complied win. FIRST, because II ~ well
known rule that when a man In Twecd's position,
convicted OF crime, offers TO sell his tcstl
mopy against otiers TO secure his own safety,
be must be corroborated IN every material par
ticular and must stand the severest tests, or else
his testimony is vaIueess as evidence. There was
also the further tact that Tweed had. on other occa-
Sion gIvel testimony and made afadavits winch
no must now contradict Il he served the people.
Second, because even II Tweed should give up
his property, yet II he had within his own breast
knowledge OF The evidence Of the guilt OF others,
such knowledge might DO u source oil wealth aud
power him, and should be agan get power
and live IA COMPARATIVE luxury without labor
after his offences had been condoned by the puDhc
officers, u would be gross scandal ana grlevous
source Of Generalization 70 the people Il, however,
has bnult ntv "a
evidence, and II should be SUCH as 70 enable them
10 detect and punish those yet unpunished, and he
go back 10 hs cary anu honest occupation tor
livelihood then the lesson OF Tweed At liberty would
be better even tnan that Of Tweed IN Jail
MR.. rowNsEsD's STATEMENT
No statement attempting 10 meet The above men
toned conditions was gwen me until tue l.tn Of
April 1877, ut eleven O'Clock in the morning. IL was
gwen by Mr. Townsend IN the Attorney Generals
Office. Previously brlei memorandum OF few of
The subjects upon which Tweed would testify was
10 me by Mr. Townsend Mr. Tweed. This
turned lew days because II was worthless Tweed
also handed mo snort unsigned statement con-
corning a single transaction which he wished me
10 examine learn II his testimony would he
useful upou the subject therein referred 70.
was also atcrward shown ny weeds agent what
parporrd TO be an affidavit made by Tweed upon the
subject. This AFFIDAVIT was taken away again by
Twccd's agent Both statement and affdavit found
10 be oil no value by themselves, ADD they con-
tradctcd IN material point by the statement OF the
I7lh OF April | had forgotten that the paper had
ever been gwen 10 me until ! saw . alluded 10 10
certain open ettor addressed TO me by Mr.. Townsend
and dated June 20 l. therefore, overlooked II when,
on June IL returned 70 Mr. Townsend tho state
ment OF April H.
Then on the nth OF April last FIRST received from
the counsel OF Tweed the document which was to be
the basis upon which an examination such rs have
described was be made, II the Testimony
OF Tween could be madc oil such uso 10 the public as
TO Justify his release and immunity from any further
punishment
When Mr.. Townsend gave me that document on the
18th OF April an agreement was made between Mr..
Snnh In Tntun nd ia
ported nave testified to on page 81 Of the printed
eslim ony IN The Woodn Investigation. The following
Is tho testimony
o When you delivered that statement tho Attorney
the Attorney General to makias the contents Of that
public A.. distinct shat unless Nj
Tweed BIO released from aud be DO accepted
10 BE- 70 m ns SSa
gentlemen he found consult with In relation
to it; Mr. Pccsham aud do not know but others; that
the understanding.
see that Mr. Townsend, In his letter, asserts that
the document was to BIO shown only 10 my father aud
to Mr. Tlien, and that he Affects indignation because
IL shown TO MIR. Peckham md the Counsel TO the
Corporation Of the city oil New York Mr.. iownsend's
in his sworn testimony given on the 2lst OF
April tour days alter the paper given by HIM TO
me- that II was 10 be shown 10 Such gentlemen rs he
tthe Attorney Gcnerai found necessary TO consult
with relation to IT." Is correct, end wherein Mr..
Townsends open letter 10 me varies from his tcsli
mony the letter incorrect THIS 10 an illustration
OF the Measurements OF HIS letter.
When the subject OF Tweed's release was nrst
broached TO mo determined 10 consult with persons
in whose judgment had confidence, and with some
officials Of both the state aud The city the
general question OF using Tweed ~ Witness Ieit
duty bound to do this both in Justice 70 myself and
the puDlic, that importaut matter should not be
determined solely by my unsIded judgment
let particularly that this was due to the officials
representing the city OF New York.
did consult with Your Excellency, and the Corpo-
ration Counsel ana Comptroller OF the city OF New
York. the heads OF the Law and Finance departments
OF the city which to be most affected by my deter
also consulted with tho District Attorney
Of the county as TO criminal proceedings These were
all with whom consulted before receiving the state
mcnt on the i7th OF Aprl The last cons utation which
had with tho Comptroller Of the city oil New York
about three weeks before the statement deiiv
cred TO mo
WHAT MR.. TILDKN ADVISED.
After the statement delivered to me showed IT
to :. T. Fairchild, To Mr.. Tden, TO Mr. Pecknam aud
to Mr.. Whitney, the Corporation Counsel l read y
portion OF 1t 10 Mr. Bgelow, tho Secretary of State,
and SIR. Peckham informed me that Mr.. Nash read
small portion oil IT while II was IN Mr.. Peckham's
These are all the persons who saw II or
heard II read between the time II delivered
on April IL and the time returned It 10 Mr.. Town
send, June II. Alter the statement was
ceived II necessary that the examination Tor
which, as nave before stated 1t was TO be merely the
basis-the besnning-shoud be made | consulted
with Mr. fiden ~ no should be gotten 10 do tubs,
anu he advised that l try TO persuade Mr. O'Conor 10
tweed, his knowledge OF the facts al
ready great and because oil his great skin IN weigh
Ing evidence. may Say nere as IT appears TO be OF
interest that this Was the only advice given TO me by
Mr.. flden in this matter, except the general advice
that | should make every effort to fortify. exc
out, and, II possible, make useful the exceedingly
neagrs facts stated IL the document ITSELF He
also CAV me some Information concerning the bank
accounts in The Rms matters. therefore drove ont
to Mr.. y tohor's house aud urged INN to tax the
matter hand. but ne declined to again enter upon
thus work, because oil aye and health and because he
had already served the public these matters I'LL he
was weary then sent Tor Sir. Pcckham as he
returned from The West, where had been, and re-
qucetet INN 10 EXAMINE aud study the matter and at
forward 10 exal,c Tweed upon The various SUBJECTS
touched upon IN the 10, umenL
RESULTS OF iwEkD EXAMINATION
also Requested ar Wnitney 10 10 ,he same thing.
Botn did sir Pccknam also examined Tweed
upon The list OF cheeks appended 20 The statement, TO
learn Tor what purposes they were gwen aud what
wrongs were committed with them. Mr.. PcckEam IN
forms me ttat when eAamin ms Tweed he made
pencil memoranda uron tue margin .ot me pages.
hosc mrmoranoa were on tue document when
returned IL to Mr.. Townsend; otherwise II
the same condition a. wncn received IL. received
the noal report oi Dir. fccNham and Mr.. Whitney on
May 20 1871 The resuit oil their examination showed
that Tweed would be oi substantial value IN Two mat
tersune the 5weeny action, and the other action
In which the city WAS dcleudant IN regard TO the lat
ter, however, Tweed IN his written statement made
assertion which renhcred his testimony nearly value
less. Ini- assertion hc contradictcd when examined