The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-04-13

partner HIS executive abilities even then evil
ths which he was to work 20 profit his glory.
his dissrace and his destruction. He was one OF those
men however, VINO believed in giving DESTINY every
chance to make the most OF him. Al twenty-ono
years oil age he married Mics and soon the tio
olive branches began 10 adorn the modest Tweed
household In the Seventh ward.
EAkLY AssocrArIoSs-.'Bio SIX"
All this while young Tweed was not exactly sun
home with .rhs boys The fourth ward. in which
no Circulated did mol furnish young man In rwced's
r.o,. o. ~ s with alarming temptations 70 virtue any
,or us local political quarreis and struggles ana 10 Tho
volunteer Fire Department hen IN its glory and
~ power, tho most natural thing for young man.
ambitious OF digttncton, was to become member Of
INC local nre company. A. we have said, Tweed
formation Of the Amer,cus Engine Company No. Q,
iamiiarly known .Big Six," whicn had It's
ana Tweed never was so happy in alter years
a. whom he was donnipg his helmet and
alter q while taking his trumpet TO run .'wid dc
msshecn' 10 IRE. They wore smart, wdoawake
young fellows, those seventy. i've, but although he
vas ono Of The youngest no Of the bodsst and
sptest among them. He elbowed his way tho
front and was in duo time elected foreman. In
le4e he became n member OF tho Tam many society
Here, then. We have MIN al the ago OF lwonty.s,x.
dasning young fellow, OF hunted education, trying
pa.h his way as a business man, fireman, polii-
oAns boy" about town. as well Ms husband and
iasher Doing pretty well, ono would imagine.
An OLD COMRADES STORY.
sistant foreman OF Americas .'Bg Six under Tweed,
anu subsequently foreman OF the company,
viii never forge. the mrs. meeting Iwo mad Tor
organizing "Blg six" IL hold in Andrew
on II @ street M
William A. Freeman, president Of the Dry Dock
Tlcatug Company; Dave smith, boss carpenter Of
Trinity place; George Demllt mousse und sign painter
Of Henry street; John Colder, a. clerk, OF Lewis
street; Jesse sck'es, PRIMER, Of Madison
bly, from tho Fifth a,siricl; Alfred Palmer 1ns
calker, OF Scanned street; John Ciapp, ship
ss.s 81 y.ss rsss N
tweed aud myscf We Organised "Big SKI Two
weeks alter We met a. No. Hester street, over tho
paDy's namo was assumed. There was quite
= lime over tho name wanted and among
sSssaoa.s '' .ss.usiin ana aHm.rou." Finally Il
vas aecaed BY vote o. q to u 70 adopt the name
nnca US ,as 70 would 30 located in Black JoRs.
FROM there wo moved into Henry. near Gouverneu s
into building which had been dwelling
ssBiG SIKH
Tweed had brown stone front put on the front Of
:nc mouse 1t his own expense We took the name Of
which had disbanded. Dave Smith Was foreman, and
Ssorss Demis assistant foreman rhen Dave re-
Tweed was elected assistant IN July, is4a 10
December, ls4s We gave our mrs. ball at
vanai. and I will never forget poor Tweed
IN ms buo coat and brass buttons DIR ecting thc floor
ana ma USa o
10 vas tip-top dancer, and never wanted partner
In 1850 George Dewitt resigned and Tweed elected
foreman with myself as assistant foreman. In 1850
no was reelected BY accamation, and AL Palmer was
made assist foreman as l declined 30 run. In
August, 1850, no was presented with . magnificent
gold watch and cham, bearing the inscription gro
VIM. Marcy Tweed, From the Members oil Amortcus
Engine Company No. Q. He prised that watch very
dearly and wore u TOR many years In the fall OF 1851
she new apparatus for tho company was secured
aod NO spent great deal Of money on IL In our
fsnR nAo had h. Szks ~Ass- -
and u was exhibited q. the American Far. Castle
Garden. Twecd resigned In The fall Of 1851 and was
succee ed BY myself.
Daring his administration inc company became the
most prominent ia the city. Our balls given At tho
broadway and IN NIblo's Garden were the balls OF
New York. In the nrst Assembly Rooms bali We mad
II was ai,crward purchased BY The club and
hung IN the engins houss We were the
81 s' G went " Grand
WITH Tweed a. our head In Philadelphia We were
received BY HiberDia and xoyamensing Engine CON-
knsine and in Washington ny tho entire department
Then came our trip TO Montreal aud Quebec. Tweed
q ~
en-" s: % from iass0a,; " E.!: them
adarsss Of welcome. He led the way IN
We reception OF tse Prince Of Wales
aass And ssw zoe boys, - sssy ssrs, took great
fnncy 70 Twosd, ana evidcnsiy shoughs him Z eooL
Nor OF Gouvsrneur and Dvion streets rwesd was one
Of our boys ~ much a. any Of u, aud lot any
Of our merrym.kinss pass by without being ihere
generous. and when no obtained power never forgot
his old companions. remember that ono OF the old
business came TO me, and gave him q note to Tweed
fhero wero big politicians waiting In The an ne ROOM
but no said Just tell Abe 70 come In" and Abe went
away happy mao.
IL BUSINESS ron HrHsELY.
The brushmaking business did not seem 10 afford
him suiliccnt capabilities, so alter a lev years no
took his Of The common capital OF the con-
Germ and went back TO tho charma ing Of sire nc
the old stand In Pearl street. His brother Richard
went with him. but 60, gu, after three years of IL
William was doIng Iairiy u Is said In trade, but was
wanting "to mako haste 10 be rich, - and down
on wall street, where u seems he lost what money
he was making on chairs In Erie stock That direc-
zion would not do HIS char business went TO the bad
TRIP WITH .BiQ SIX. y
The young mans push WAS, however, telling In
otner directions. The foreman OF engine com.
pany was more valuable political ssepstone than
militia regiment or leading membership a church
not excepted The ,iecrs head upon the engine that
he loved was muocai of tho force there would be
In tho spring the foreman could mako local ofc cos
"Big SIX" was a crack company. April, 1851, It's
fame had extended so far that received an
to vls, Bam ore. ana after round OF hosp,,.Ii,ios
IN Ihe Monumental City It pursued its way under
further Invitation 10 Washington There II WIS met
and honored- Fillmore Was then Presidont, ana the
seventy-nvc trim boys Of the Seventh ward formed
brave procession, la their rcd shirts and nemets
tuey pusecu up Tonunylvhuh avenue 70 tue W bito
House, dragging their glittering engine after them,
with William ii. Tweed IN front bearing his snver
trumpet They were reviewed by the President.
Tweed was not much Of a specchinskeL lie talked
with point and loved and told good story times.
When IL came to his turn 10 Introduce the company to
tho President hc said
These IRE Big six boys
Wncrcupvn the President said he was delighted to
see them. When Tweed asked why he did not
mako logger speech he said II let the boys looks
speak Tor theu.v But" pursued hrs Questoner
.'wouldns aoy seventy hvo young men IN rod shirts
look welfc
"Does Croton dam look IKE Niagara Falls p, Tweed
replied; mot BY damned sight" There was moth
In furtner 10 be said.
ELKcrEp ALDRkMAx.
All this was MOI lost on tue popular mind, and In
tho tall Of 1901, when Tweed began 10 look for
nomination, II not diiIcun 10 secure mat OF
Alderman for The seventh. Ito elected and
his term without developing. 80 lar a. know, any
oil those qualities which aitorward TO make his
name type oi scquistivcbess Ia politca We may
coucude mat no 1d nod the position very pronl-
able, Tor the shifty cnairmakor began TO cast
about Tor a federal position.
AZ any rate, he secured tue democratic nomipntion
10 Congress Tor the old Fih astrici, winch al that
time Included tho seventh aud Thirteenth wards and
the village oil Williamsburg. Hc was elected by y