New-York tribune., 1878-06-07
JERSEY THE ELNG.
A RUSTIC TWEED RING.


A REVOLUTION IN THE WARREN COUNTY FREE
HOLDERS, AND WHAT HAS COME OF 1.-THE
RING RAISING VOUCHERS, PAYING ITS MEMBERS
BILLS, AND STEALING OUTRIGHT IN TIE GOOD
OLD TAMMANY srYLE-RURAL GARYEYs AND
INGERsOLLs
BELvIDERE, n. j., June 6.-Very peacefully
does this quietest of county capitals rest among
it's trees on the banks Of the Delaware. Lett
heplessly at one side by the great lines
OF travel and traffic. 1t has seen lucky towns
in every direction outstrip it In population and
grow into noisy consequence, but the old elns and ma
pies in the square bear witness that Belvldere
was the home of refinement and solid prosperity
years before its pushing rivals were born On-
troubled by any feyersh enterprise" and therefore
unvexed by business and disaster, It remains
town of traditions in easy circumstances, invested with
certain air Of comfort aud cultivation aud not alto
gether disncned to boast a little OF its local
arisocracy Four times a year the more I'M
pretending citizens OF the county put their Sunday
clothes and venture within the corporate limits OF
Belvdere tend court" but they hardly make stir
enough TO ruflle the dgnifed cOmpOsure OF
the capital, and to-day the casual stranger
would scarcely suspect that the Court House
was the focus OF the most intense excitement
which has ever shaken the county. But this is
the exact truth The Board Of Chosen Freehoders tne
legislative branch OF the county government when
usually its business in day or two, has now
been in continuous session for three weeks
uncoyering the details OF shameless
series of rObberes rs ever perpetrated by
public officers These daily disclosures completely alb
sorb public attention throughout the county that little
else Is talked about and the first farmer you meet even
before he tells you how the Hessan fly has devastated
his growing harvest (which, by the way, is no trng
calamity to fall as 1t has with such sweeping
ruin upon the finest wheat lands in the State, Will ex-
pode into denuucaton oftbe ring and the ring frauds
which have fastened upon him so CALLING burden Of
taxation.
There are few places in New-Jersey where Democrat
is rarity, but Warren County is more densey Demo
cratic than any other section OF the state, and its De
ccracy Of that kn-dried quality which warranted
never TO warp Of line. out OF these conditions
the present results have developed, as matter
OF course Everybody could be counted on as regu-
lar" and the whole political machinery was inevitably
captured in time by the most daring cOrruptiOnists
Then the leaders began TO steal and divide, and grow
boder with success and stronger as they
grew bolder. Then spasm Of popular In
dlgnatlOn and effort to indict then' but
they had become strongly ntrenehed that they easily
repused the attack This made them still more reckless
and domineering and Republican editor. who ven-
ured TO crlticse some Of their vanes, complained
OF and Jersey justice aSusual convicted him OF sander
and in this way one after another all the
forces which threatened 10 oppose them were
bulled down. Meanwhile, the regular county
leyes had swollen from $4,000 to more than
$4,000 year and the debt was doubling up TO AN
amount a yet unknown for the records are hopeessy
snared and the other day. through the columns Oh The
TRIBUNE the new board warned the holders OF certain
numbers and denominations OF the county bonds that
their paper was fraudulently uttered
The sum total OF the plumber looks rather mo dest be-
side more dazzling Metropolitan rObberes but $780,
farmers mainly, ana considering the gross amount
tapped t evident that tho stealing OF these rural ex
master pieces OF the Tweed Ring. At all events last
years pase was enough 70 Tpsen3sr eocros on
10 the careless confidence OF tue ring some
true men nominated for office this Spring In
other townships independent candidates put in the
field elected. To the cOuntys good fortune,
elected 10 anything since Perrys Victory family quar-
rel broke out and Mr. Caleb swayze slipped In
whose character compels universal respect and
his excellent business habits: his executive
force and his polite persistence make him very I'M
comfortable member OF board which wants TO organize
itself for predatory purposes The ring used money
portaut committees, bus The Iour Republicans under
Mr S%ayze T@ns y %, w. bougS and those VINO
compromised between straight Democracy and honesty
by selling themselves and then refusing to stay Sold
made up majority Of the twenty-five, and the board
organized for reform. The hrst nutter among the
poculators was caused by resolution intro tuced by
Mr.. swayze, ordering that all of las. years
expenditures should be reported to the Dcard
Statements Alter weeks adjournment the treasurer
presented his accounts but the keen eye OF Mr. swayze
at discovered that this was not the original record
but one that had been cooked for the OCCASION
and then tho air full OF music During
the recess the ring bad been busy red1ndiqg
cash was held by the treasurer In lieu OF the fraudulent
vouchers but the repentance was too late ana nefe was
not enough OF H. The originals are held as evidence,
and for three weeks since the first breakdown the
people have been listening day alter DAY 10 the pam
proofs OF stealing in every department as hey are pup
liely read and examined.
The details would I'll n volume, for every item has
history but here are a few samples taken at random
from the almost interminable list. The claim OF
a contractor for repairing the Court Hous was
raised from 5000 to $1,000 SIX hundred dol
lars were appropriated for building bridge,
and vouchers 10 the amount OF $1,000 have
already been paid Vouchers for smaller amounts are
COZ sany found been raised $l5 being changed
TO So Sl6O TO S4G0, $3.50 10 S4OO, and so On For
carpet worth S4O S34O was drawn carpet Tor whlcl
SlO0 paid never reached the county
buildings but went TO the houses OF officials;
So 800 salary paid TO one officer and responsible
men offer TO dothe work for 40O The county Is charged
lobbying bill through the Legislature Is charged TO the
county as paints, oils and other things"
lot OF political bummers were sworn IN
as deputies during the riots aud forty
from $50 10 $3.50 each. Fearful and wonderful
supplies OF Paris green tobacco EPSON salts, and other
uXuries for the jail and pOOrhOuse are purchased at
enormous prices, and. in short, samples OF mis-
ceaneous diversified stealing these accounts could
hardly be improved upon Dr. Mattson, clerk
OF the late board who held the bonds and
brains for the concern. ENJOYS the proud eminence
of being the boss robber lie had urgent business
I'm remote parts soon as the investigation
opened. and he has forgotten TO return. Mr..
mittee has also vanished Mr. Strader, the late drec-
tor Is held altogether gutess, and several other
eminent citizens will probably acqure reputation Tor
getting arrested before many day ana jersey Juslce
which is so swift TO punish exotic insurance wreckers
will soon have an opportunity 70 exercise itself upon
some ind genous Democrats.