The daily gazette., 1878-04-13
Death OF william M. Tweed.
END OF NOTORIOUS CAREER-L Asst
HOURS OF THE CAPTIvE-sKETCH OF
HIS LIFE, ETC.

HOURS Of THE CAfIlNE-bhETCH OF
HIS LIFE, ETC.
NEW YORK, April 12-Wm. NJ. Tweed
died in Ludlow street Jail at precisely II
o'clock to-day. He was attended by DIR.
Carnochan, who has been with him since
an early hour this morning; also Mr..
Foster Dewey, his late secretary, Mr.
Douglass, his son-in-law, and Mr.. Edel-
stein, one of his counsel. All hope of his
recovery was abandoned soon after IL
o'clock, when DIR. Carnochan announced
a clogging of the heart and complete
nervous exhaustion. AT the time Of his
death there was no struggle, as he passed
away in sleep, with his head lying upon
his arm. Keeper Herman was hurriedly
summoned three minutes before noon,
and reaching Mr.. Tweed's room the sig.
nal rang out, and the long-prisoned old
man dropped back dead in his bed. His
last words to Dr. Carnochan were: 81
have tried to do some good, if have not
had good luck, ] am not afraid to die.
believe the guardian angels will protect
me"
| The announcement of his death spread
rapidly, and crowd of curious people
soon assembled outside the Jail, peering
eagerly into the half-closed Windows
Tweed had been dangerously i'll for seve-
raj days. His death resulted from n COM
plcation of disorders, but was caused
directly by nervous exhaustion and a
! clogging of the action of the heart. He
was delirious last night and early this
morning, when he was attended only by
his servant Luxe. Later he became calm
and rational. He was conscious till with
in few moments Of his death, and short
time before drank little tea which was
handed to him by his son-in-law, Mr..
Douglass. Most of Tweed's family are in
Naxy llrlaanG fThau fal..frra,1nI g.,
yesterday.
1t was about n week ago to-day that
Mr. Tweed first complained of cold and
took to his bed, which he kept up to the
time of his death, with the expectation
of two or three times when he made an
effort to sit in his easy-chair, with view
of resting himself, as he said. During
even these intervals he complained of
severe pains in chest his and immediate re-
gion of his heart and was assisted from his
chair to his bed again. Up to last night
it does not appear that he had any serious
apprehensionS regarding himself, for he
laughingly said to Deputy Fitzsimmons,
"Ill be all right again by next Monday"
A short time previous to his death he
whispered to Mr.. Ecclestein in discon-
nected sentences, his utterance being at
tended evidently with greas pain. All
that his counsel could make out was in
regard to the moral effect of his imprison-
onment upon the public, and to quote his
own words Mr.. Tweed said, 81 hope now
that every one is satisfied"
The room in which Mr.. Tweed died is
plainly but comfortably furnished, the
table being covered with books and pa
pers, which afforded the prisoner enter
tainment during his leisure hours.
DIR. Carnochan says that the face of
Mr.. Tweed beamed with delight. His
mind seemed in perfect repose when he
told him that he had tried to do some
good, even If he had not good luck. The
Dictor intimated to him the dangerous
nature of his disease, when Mr.. Tweed,
in gentle voice, said, "My dear Doctor,
| am not afraid to die, and / believe
guardian angels will protect.me"
News of Mr. TweeIs death spread
rapidly through the city, and some of his
former friends fastened to the Jail. The
body was placed on ice after the inquest
and 1t was said that it would be removed
will probably take place on Sunday.
SKETCH OF TwEED's CAREER.
VIM. NJ. Tweed was born in the city of
, New York, April, 1923. His parents
were poor people, and the boy was early
thrown upon his own resources. He
learned the trade of n chairmaker, and
worked at it for a few years. He soon
became ambitious of political distinction
and to increase his qualifications and i'm
prove his chances he entered the Uni
versity Law School, from which he
graduated as a member of the bar. His
power began in the old volunteer fire
department of the metropolis. He be-
| came foreman of "Big Six" an engine
company famous in the lower part of the
city. In that day popular fireman was
. "A nnSltlUn I'm local rnlifina anH
Tweed began to make himself felt In
1851 he was elected alderman from the
seventh ward. serving in the common
council through the years 1928. In the
fall of 1862 he was elected to Congress
from the fifth district, which then EN-
braced the seventh and thirteenth wards
of New York and the villageof Williams
burg, Long Island He took his seat IN
the House in December, 1853, while his
term as alderman was about expiring
He was thirty years old at that time.
While in Congress he was elected
school commissioner of the seventh
ward. The year after his term as Repre-
sentative expired he was chosen to the
| board of supervisors and continued to
hold place there until the day of his
overthrow. In 1861 he was candidate
for sheriff on the Tammany ticket. The
| office Is one of enormous emolument,
and Tweed struck for it with his usual
energy. He reckoned himself worth
SS0,000 at that time, and he had made the
money honestly. He spent every dollar
of it to the canvass, led on by the belief
that he would triumph. He was beaten
and during the winter which followed
he found great difficulty in meeting the
house rent and paying his butchers and
grocer's bills. 1t is probable that his
career as public plunderer dates from
the day of his defeat as sheriff.