The Lamoille news. (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1877-1881, 1878-04-24
WILLIAM MARCY TWEED.
Career Of the Nor0rioHs Z" Boss" Of the
New York RiuE.

We take the following sketch OF the
late William NJ. Tweed from the col
umns Of New York paper: William
Marcy Tweed was born in this city April
3, 1923. He received the meagre adj
vsntages of the system of common
school education in vogue ia his time.
He was apprenticed when youth to the
trade of chairmaking, and conducted
that business when grown TO manhood
as the proprietor of large chair manu-
factory in Pearl street. He became the
foreman Of the engine company TO which
he was attached, and then his name be-
gan to grow famous. He first appeared
openly in the political field in 1852,
when he served for one year as alderman
of the Sixth ward. He took all the
chances during this brief term, and made
everything turn with consummRte skill
to his advancement. He next ran sue
cessfully as candidate for representa-
tive in congress, but after one term he
returned to his local field and never at
tempted to leave it again. In 1856 he
appeared again on the political carpet as
supervisor, was made president of the
board, and the same year became a
school commissioner.
Although earnestly engaged in ma
nipulating the intricate wires of local
politics, he did not come to the front
again until the year 1861, when he began
the grand political campaign which he
had calculated should crown his life
with the realization of his widest ambi-
tions. He then reappeared as deputy
street commissioner, and in 1867 was a
State Senator. In 1870, all his political
arrangements complete his forces organ
lied and his rivals all bound hand and
foot, Mr.. Tweed found himself commits
sioner of the department of public
works. The famous "Ring was now in
full working shape, and had begun its
operations in small way.
A history of the Ring is history of
Tweed. Sweeny conceived, Tweed Or
dered, and Connolly carried out the
plans of the robbery, whereby many
millions of dollars were stolen from the
city treasury with unparalleled audacity.
At that time Tweed's power in New
York seemed boundless.
The exposure of the Ring transactions
were made in the fall of 1871. On the
2Sth of October, that year, Tweed was
arrested by Order of Arrest Sheriff Jud-
son Jarvis, at the Metropolitan Hotel,
on civil order charging him with NAL
feasance, and he gave bail in $1,000, 900
to answer. On December 16 he was ar
rested on q criminal suit. The first of
the suits against him was tried on Janu-
airy 80, 1873, and the jury disagreed.
On November 10, however, he was ad-
judged guilty of fraud, and was SEN
fenced to twelve years Imprisonment on
Blackwell's Island. A suit to recover
100000 was commenced in the Su-
preme Court, April 7, 1875, and on June
Is the Court of Appeals decided that his
sentence was illegal because the court
had exceeded its power in its cumulative
sentence, and ordered his release. Those
who had been prosecuting him on behalf
of the city expected the reversal OF the
sentence, and had prepared other papers
against his body. He was ordered to
furnish 100000 bail in the pending
civil suit, and in default of the same was
sent to Ludlow Street Jail.
His case was now decided hopeless,
and his friends, chosen few, set al
work to effect his escape. To do this
was no easy matter, and in accomplish.
ing it the greatest precautions were OBJ.
served to prevent discovery and to cover
up every track that might guide the
earnest pursuit that was sure to be
made. Mr.. Tweed assented to the gen
eral project of flight, but the plan was
not confided to even him in detail. The
plot was deep one, and involved 70
mantle series of escapades and mystifca
tons unparalleled in modern romance
A party of determined men were organ
lied into Transportation Company,
for the purpose of transporting Tweed
out of the clutches of the law. The,
were to receive certain sum of none,
when their work was accomplished, ant
the prisoner was to be placed at thei
command to handle and transport o.
they pleased.
The plans being all ready, one fin
day, Saturday, December 4, Mr.. Twee,
went for ride from the jail with tw,
deputy sheriffs in his company. After
short drive the party called at the pria
oner's uptown residence, and while til
sheriffs were being entertained, til
transportation Company kidnappe
the prisoner. He quietly submitted t
his unknown captors, was bundled int
a wagon, driven to the Hoboken ferry
and taken across the North river to
secluded place on the heights, where h
dwelt in peace, in plain view of the city
where great how.to-do was going o
among the people and the army of DE-
tectives detailed to capture him. Ate
the week had passed he was taken on
dark, stormy night, in small sail-boa
to Staten Island. There he RENAME
for two days, crossing to the Long islam
shore on two occasions, and even visi
ing Brooklyn in disguise. Finally
fruit-schooner, bound for the West Ii
dies, came down the bay one afternoon
Mr.. Tweed boarded her and got ava
safely to Cuba.
After many wanderings and much mi
cry the old man was captured at Wig
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