Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-05-03
TwEED'S STATEMENT.
Additional Revelations, Showing
How Political Battles Were
Won and Legislative Tri-
umphS Achieved.

New YORK, May 3.-The Woodin in.
vestigatiOn is refreshing Tweed's mem.
DRY, and the prisoner of Ludlow street
promises to supplement his confession,
now in the hands of the attorney general
Of the State, with additional revelations,
showing how political battles we're won
and legislative triumphs achieved. To
u prominent politician, whose name
has not heretofore been printed, he re-
members Of having paid ten thousand
dollars, and be will be prepared to give
the name and details when called upon
to do so.
"Carolin," 0'Brien Bryant, who man
aged to persuade Tweed that he was act
ing as Charles 0'Cenor's messenger,
induced Tweed to make q statement, sup
ported by affidavit sworn to before VIM.
D, Gardner, b~ook.keeper at Ludlow
street Jail, and accompanied with thirty
two checks and four notes, signed by
Richard B. Connally, a~Egregating $685.
900, and Endorsed by Tweed. These
documents, Bryant said, were desired by
0'Conor, who had sent him for them,
and upon which 0'Conor had promised
that prisoner should be released. Seven
of t~hirty.two checks we're given to Peter
B. Sweeney, Hugh Smith, and Abram
Van Vschter, the Albany lobbyist, aggre-
eating over 500, 900. The checks we're
all dated November, 1870. The legislation
on Tweed's charter was in March, 1870.
The remainder of the checks were dated
in 1869, aud we're given to the persons
above named and to E. D. Barber, one
check to the latter being for sixty thou.
sand dollars. The four Copnally notes
we're dated in 1870 and we're negotiated
through the Tenth National Bank and
the Central National Bank. They were
taken up by Tweed on Connslly's failure
to pay, and will doubtless be turned over
to the city as part OF Twetd's assets in
case his proposition is accepted, as it
new appears it will be.
The statement in the hands Of the at
toruey.geueral would occupy not less
than twelve columns of close type. 1t
gives the exact manner of how the ring
was formed. The statement begins with
the manner in which Tweed, John 7.
Hoffman, George W. Mclean and Con
molly, back in 1866. or 1866, were sccus-
toned to meet daily at lunch in a little
room attached to the kitchen Of the old
courthouse to discuss political matters.
This coterie finally dissolved and then
the corrupt ring was formed, consisting
Of Tweed, Connolly, Sweeney, Hall and
Woodward, with other minor allies which
also met daily in the same room and
later in Tweed's office, in Duane street
Hall, the statement declares, at fret
received ten per cent. Of sl the pro-
eseds, but when the receipts began to
come in not quite SO briskly bis share
was cut down to FIVE per cent, with
which he was much dissatisfied, and be-
cause Of which he frequently threatened
to break up the combination.
The statement also shows in detail the
manner in which bills were dectored by
the ring after coming from the board Of
supervisors and afterward from the beard
Of audit. Already fraudulent in many
Of the items, new changes would be in
terlined between the original items, and
totals changed to correspond, so that a
bill Of 500, 900 as certified to by the
clerk Of the boards named, would be
sent to Auditor Watson raised to $4O0,-
900 or $500, 900, and thus duly certified
to by him.
The statement also mentions q legisla-
tor whose rooms Tweed very frequently
visited. To him Tweed never directly
paid any mosey, but opening a bible
which lay on bic hosts table, Tweed
would place between the leaves of the
book a pile Of bank biIis aud then 20
That person always voted for the Tweed
measures. Tweed says he kept his
money in a special safe in one of his
rooms, aud that when a large amount
was there that either himself, his wife
or a trusted friend was always on guard
oy.~ -