New-York tribune., 1878-04-13
THE RING CHIEFS CAREER.


BEGINNING OF HIS SCHEMES OF PLUMBER
THE RINGS DAYS OF PowER-ITs DOWNFALL
TWFFD's TRIALS-HIs ESCAPE AND CAPTURE
CLOSING DAYS IN PRISON.
William Marcy Tweed was born on April 3,
1928 in two story brick house at No. "a Cherry-st
in this city. His greatgrandfaher came to this country
from Scotland and possibly to the Scotch blood IN MS
veins were due some Of the strong qualities which made
him famous and infamous. His grandfather ana MS
father Richard who lived In the Fourth Ward all their
lives were never rich in want His father was
chairmaker, and in little shop at No. Cherry-s con-
trved to earn enough money to provide for the actual
wants Of a famy of five persons. william was the
youngest OF three children, Of whom his brothechard
was the eldest and his sister the second His father was
a man Of some natural intelligence and his mother pos
sessed many good qualities but neither had time to give
their boys much instruction at home or money to send
them to school. As young children they were pat to
work in their fathers shop and taught to haude tools
william, however, never developed much capacity I'D
that direction. nor. indeed, much diligence In any pur
suit not OF his own choosing He was rather healthy
and active however and early left his mark on the boys
OF his ward.
The father seems TO have been man OF reasonable
character, however, for when Isaac Fryer dealer III
saddery goods and hardware az No 277 Pcarl-st, at
tracted by Williams qualities, offered TO make him
clerk he consented to give the boy his time This change
Of life excited williams ambition, IL it did not add much
his resources and before many months had passed ne
had made up his mind that he might become a good
salesman His fathers business had by this time III
creased so far as to warrant him In spending liite
money for his sons education and William was sent for
year to the school OF the Rev. John T. Iasey, OF Eliza
bcthtown n j. In the absence OF records is fair TO
conclude that ne n tOeraby faithful scholar, for he
came out knowing vastly more than when he went IN
about the simple branches which lac studied. II is q
little singular in view of the occurrences OF later years
that the subject upon which the boy was most anxious
10 inform himself and thar to which he chiefly devoted
his one wear Of schOofc the keeping Of accounts
His knowledge OF bookkeeping he at turned 10 ad
vantage as clerk in the tobacco store Of j. g. C. Alex
andcr with whom he remained two years at $50 year
In tie meantime hs father had enlarged his business
connections as q member Of the firm Of d. Bcrricn
CO.. Of No. 357 Pearst brushmakers and in that cstab-
Iis,ment William became first clerk, and after two
years Junior partner The business was reasonably
successful, aud when he tveuty-cight years old
William had accumulated modest capital, with which,
and with assistance from his father he and his brother,
Richard Tweed, jr, began the manufacture of chairs NJ
their fathers old shop IN Ch1ryst After three years
prosperity Richard Withdrew and William continued the
business alone.
so far the young had been than usually
ccssf in yicW Of Ls limited advantages, End had dis
played many excellent business qualities but the de
be rich his prudence ana he resolved 70
20 into Wall-S occasionally aud try his luck In Erie
stock. The result of THIS resolve was, his words
that Eric got the best of II and at the age of thirty
three or thrtyfour years nc a bankrupt with his
brother who had retained an interest In tine business
ard their liabilities about 100000 Their old
father was compelled % begin chair-mlking again, but
his health and courage soon gave way, ana ne Died Of
heart disease.
BEGINNING POLITICAL LIFE.
II was than anything else this commercial
failure which turned Tweed into the path politics
H. f..g a,I
the road to wealth being blocked he chose onother route
Before this time he had dabblod In politics tlo.
OF his temperament was very likely 10 do In the
Fourth Ward He had made himself popular with " the
boys AT early age and had thought Of running
for Alderman before be Of age. Now, however, he
determined 70 go into political life business and
his residence In the Seventh Ward TO which he had
removed, was favorable for his advancement
Before his failure he had assisted IN the organization
OF "Americus Fire Engine Company, No. G"B Big SIX
IL called-and In the boiserOus and prOhigaie
society Of the rsncn his character largely moulded
In those days the fire companies OF the city formed an
important element IN ward politics aud Tweed through
this connection with them. formed associations which
a:terward pushed him into prominence. Al this time
he tall and fast becoming corpulent; his manners
coarse and his temperament, curious mixture OF
grudafss and gOOdnaturc. made him popular with the
members OF his company, Of which be early aspred 20
be foreman. Dick" said he 10 his brother I'm bound
10 10 AT thc htdu pl iHc SlAfrt anu ne Huoh
filed his prophecy. Tweed had been a hard
drnkcr aud had injured his health but apparently not
his constitution by nut he had given up drink
ing at this time and he frequently read the "bOys" lee
lures on Temperance while ndulgng himself IN habits
OF more demOralizing nature He had always been.
and continued TO be- grossly progae to tue scandal OF
the neghborhood in which he lived. When William
announced to his brother that be had obtained
the coveted position OF foreman. the latter greeted
him with the laconic reply: "Blll, you always
were loafer, and you always will be-" Twced's
first visit To Washington was with his fire company.
President Fillmore received them, and the foremen thus
discharged the duty OF Introduction: Mr.. President,
these are Big SKIS boys" His Dreyity by
the suggestion Of modcsty. When rallied on the vague
ness Of his presentation, he roined that their looks
were all the introduction they needed "TGcy don't
look IKE any other rcdshrts" he declared. Docs Nj
agara look like CrotOu Dami Not by dam sight! :"
The Seventh Ward which had been the home Of very
respectable people, gradually deserted by them
year after year the influx Of emgrants filed the down
town wards with the lowest classes OF European Cities
aud by the time nat Tweed OF ripe for political
advancement. the elements among which be lived
his best means OF success His first Office in the
Board OF Aldermen, to which he elected in 1850
With the " Forty Thieves" as this Common Council
called Tweed found seoutrely at home and he
assumed prominence IN its deliberations both udicrous
and characteristic. He made study win friends
with to future support and he looked sharply
the interest Of his constituents in the Seventh Ward
In 1852, as chairman OF the committee appointed In
connection with the Obsequies OF Henry Clay, Tweed
delivered his first public speech, curious compound Of
verbal pyrOechnlcs BY sklfu OF patronage he 80
increased his popularity that when he expressed his
20 go 10 Washington, there diff
Guilty electing hun to the XXXIId Congress by large
majority Joseph Hoxie, the other candidate from
the With District, then composing the Seventh and Thr
tecnth Wards and Williamsburg HIS at the
Capital not brilliant He took the floor only
twice. and those occasions uttered nothing that was
worth listening to. except by the student OF human
nature Altogether he the for his sojourn
Washington. for during his absence from NcwYork he
spent great deal OF money and lost rather than gained
influence. lie by means disc Juragcd. hoMeYer