The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-04-13
WILLIAM M. TWEED.
Romance of His Flight and Exile.


From Harper's weekly.l
One of the inmates of Ludlow street
prison was person of many profession
al aliases, who has since been more safe
ly lodged in penitentiary in Vermont.
He is best known by the name of
Bliss" and was the engineer of the ex-
traordinary Northampton Bank robbery.
He was also professionally engaged
in the famous Washington "safe bur-
glary," which was the occasion of inves-
tigaton under the late administration OF
Gen. Grant. This person lodged on the
upper floor, and had approached Tweed
with the proposal to avail himself OF the
removal of the iron gratings OF his win
dow, which was on the ground floor, and
which would enable them both to escape.
the whole matter to be managed from
the outside by the associates of "Bliss.
The proposition had at first been laughed
at by Tweed. He had never previously
entertained the idea of flight. He only
replied, "What could do with myself !?
Where could l hope to hide myself ?"
Concealment for Tweed was, as it
seemed to him, an impossibility.
But meeting his professional neigh
Dor daily in the courtyard of the
Jail, where they took their exercise,
the subject was more definitely dis
Gnssed, and, the outside friends of the
professional" being called in, Tweed
was persuaded of the practicability of a
plan which they presented, and for the
execution of which he engaged to pay a
stipulated amount of money. Flight, he
had reasoned, must be his only relief.
His conferences with his new advisers,
peculiarly skilled in such matters, con-
WINGED him that this step, if entertained
at all, must be taken with such absolute
ness as to have no confdants or knowl-
edge of his plans exist among his own
friends. He must surrender himself ex-
clusively to the control of those who I'M
dertook the job, leaving no ENHANCEMENT
or intelligence behind him by which he
could be traced or overhauled. And,
accordingly, no member of his family,
nor his counsel, nor any friend or person
whatever of his previous connections
knew of his proposed flight, or had any
part in its executions; neither did they
know of his whereabouts at any time,
until it had become necessary for him to
communicate with them, after his arrest
in Cuba by the Spanish officials.
Tweed understood that he was to be
taken in charge by a well-organized body
of men, distributed throughout the
country, having every facility, their con-
nections and method being thoroughly
tested and well established. He was
given the name of John Secor, by which
he was to be known to his new connec-
tions, and his personal identity and his
own name were to be concealed from all
persons, without exception, from the
moment ne passed out of his own stoop.
The exact minute OF departure was fixed
at o'clock in the evening, not more
than one minute before to one minute
after that hour exactly. The time of his
fight was left undetermined But he
was to visit his house on certain days,
and, when the whole train was ready, a
sign was to be given by certain secret
mark upon the stoop, which he could
see as he assembled the steps.
Accordingly, Tweed took occasion to
obtain from the Sheriff and his keepers
the usual privilege of the Jail yard" to
visit his family and transact some bust
ness. Several such visits having been
made TO his house mt the usual hour,
after dark, he secretly made some prep
aration of personal matters, and, put
ting his business affairs i'll as good order
as possible, finally reached the 4th of
December, 1875, which proved the oc-
casion of his departure.
On the evening of that day he was
driven in the customary hack, attended
by two keepers, to his house. Ascend
ing the stoop, he saw the sign. 1t was
about half-past 7 o'clock, and dreary
December evening. The signal at once
aroused him with a startling shock, and
Gas he describes the occurrence) his
blood and his nerves were filed with an
electrical excitement which thrilled every
fiber of his frame. Controlling himself
with some effort, he led his attendants
to their wonted-an welcome feast, which
on this occasion was amply provided in
the dining-room.
Mr.. Tweed concealed his excitement
by an affected display of appetite, and a
nervous and otficious attention to his
guests. The clock on the mantel, which
had been carefully regulated, seemed to
hIm to be almost immovable, as the hands
developed the slow minutes of the half
hour preceding 8 o'clock. The keepers
ate, and he took care, also, that they
drank. The meal engaged the profound
attention OF the men, and they put in
their time effectively and promptly.
But Mr.. Tweed says he thought he never
had assisted at 50 anxious and dilatory a
q service of courses He dreaded, on
the one hand, to serve them so hurriedly
as to have them rise and get in his way,
and, ON the other, he feared his deten-
ZION with them beyond the close restric-
hen OF his moment of departure. This
anxiety somewhat obscured the huctua-
tlon OF ms resolution, which from time
10 time brought revulsions impelling him
10 give up the escape altogether.
but at Just the right moment one of
the Keepers rose and went to the wash
oasln IN the room to wash his hands, and
get ready for the luxurious and usual CT
gar after dinner. Tweed took the OPP
portunity, rose also, and saying he would
wash in the adjoining room, he passed