New-York tribune., 1885-03-06
MANNING AND TWEED.
THEIR VERY INTIMATE AND FRIENDLYs
RELATIONS.

THEIR VERY INTIMATE AND FRIRNDLYs
RELATIONS.
WHAT MANNING DID FOR TWEED AND WHAT TWEED
DID FOR SrHE ARGUS "-PRINTING BILLS AZ
GREGATING $77s.45O IN SIX YEARsi
The following is an extract from the testimony
given by William NJ. Tweed before the Aldermen's
Investigating Committee. September 20. 1877.
The investigation was conducted IN this city, and
we quote from The Ner- York WorGs report of it -
it appears In that Democratic newspaper Septen-
Der 80, 1877
O. How about the public press, were they with you OF
against youi A. They were generally against 10 In
public and with us in private.
@. What do you mean A. Imean that We had 70
subsidize them the press Of Albany. TAe Argus
with being Democratic. but had to help them
inserting items In their favor the State tax levy 70
pay for printing and also in the budget and the dca
cheney bill
O. What DO you mean by subsidzingi A. Giving
them money Inever gave money to The Argos.
but used to help them In every way by inserting
items pay bills for work done in the deficiency bills
and the tax levy.
O. Were those bills right A. We didn't inquire;
they brought to and we had to put In items pro-
viding for them. Isupposed Its bills had soma
little foundation, didn't know, never inquired;
anything they asked to do we were always ready 70
do.
O. State more particularly your relations with fas
August A. The Argus Democratic journal; .
man named MANNING was reporter for 1T MY REJ-A-
TIONs WITH HIM BECAME VERY INTIMATE AND
FRIENDLY; sometimes they desired All appropriauen
put the levy all appropriations originated In the
lower House, and while the Democracy were In powesk
had control Of the Ways and Means where action In tho
matter emanated when the Republicans in power
generally had control Of 1t also.
@. In what way did you control the committee : a.
MANNING would hand me an item he wanted put in the
tax levy. would hand to the chairman and tell him
I wanted that done the MANNING came
ME that otherwise he would have to for hav
ing the item put n but secured Its insertion whoue
any expense to them by that means got their supore
I was always ready to oblge them.
@. This Democratic journal supported you and wse
paid for it in this wayi A: That was the understand
| ing
O. Did any Of your ring write editorials in that papez
| A. No. sir MANNING WOULD BRING ME ARTICLES
| SOMETIMES THAT HAD BEEN WRITTEN; think hs
would have put in whatever desired. tired,
because 1t necessary. II 1t had been neess-
| sary would have exercised the power.
Q. Can you give any idea Of the amount that vas
put into the tax levy during your tme behalf Of n
| Albany Argsf A. 1 COULDN'T, BUT IF COULD I
WOULDN'T DARE TO; 1T WOULD BE FRIGHTfUL
| IN AMOUNT
Following this testimony from Mr. Tweed csms
| denial from The Argus that it had ever been sub
| sidized by the Boss. Neither The Argus Com
pany," said The Argus, "nor any member of said
company ever received as much as one dollar or
| any valuable thing whatever at any time from Ar.
Tweed or any one in his behalf, for any purpose
| whatever. No pecuniary or other benefits uero
ever received by any member of The Argus Com
| pany from Mr. Tweed OF from anyone in his be-
half Mr. Tweed never had the benefit or use
of the columns OF The Argus Company at any time.
| and no member of The Argw Company
was ever indebted to him for q favor Of any
| description At the next session of the Alderme0s
| Investigating Committee. Mr.. Tweed had sore-
thing to say in regard to these statements OF 5hs
| Argue We quote again from The Ne,c~York #o7tfs
report of his examination printed In that paper.
| October 9TH, 1877:
| Mr. Twecd-I would ask, gentlemen OF the committees
| as a matter Of justice to me- that may make NV
statements. great many OF the persons mentioxcd
Ey me in my testimony before the committee at The
last meeting have como out with long articles In Tho
papers denying the statements which have made con
| cerning them Now I have documents to show thzt
what then stated Is true, and propose with the ceSs
| mttee to read them. Among the checks set forfh
in the statement ITO the Attorney Generall was >ae
made January 10, 1871 by Mr.. Tweed for $4,000, azd
| indorsed by william Cassidy president, and Daniel
Manning as attorney OF The Argus Printing Company.
| Here the check was shown.l 1t read as follows:
| New.York. Jan. 10, 1871.
Tsnth National Bank. pay to the order Of NatioaJ
| Commercial Bank OF Albany four thousand dollars
| NM. NJ. TwEEh
| Indorsed-wM. CASSIDY. President.
| In reply to this the denial OF The Aryvs
that It ever had been subsidized by him Mr. Tweed sab
mited five letters written during 1867 1868 and 1853
by Mr. william Cassidy President Of Th' Argus Associs
tion in all Of which Mr. Cassidy asks favors OF Mr.
Tweed Mr. Townsend read these leters-the rst dAaed
August I6 1867. asking for the appointment Of Mr..
Birisar, nephew. to clerkship I'm the surrogates
office another OF the 10Th Of October 1863 asking fsr
| the payment of a claim for $500 TO this sano
| BirdsalL At the conclusion Of this reading Ar
| Tweed said, ironically: "That shows that they
never asked any fayors. OF course" He then 10
ferred to the fact that O. s. Cassidy the brother Of
William Cassidy, put upon the payroll and drsw
money for years which charged to The Argus Mr..
Townsend then read extract from the payroll SHOW
Ing the receipt Of 900 year by this gentleman ard
on the margin written Argus" Mr.. Tweed stated.
iu addition that as favor The Argue he increased
this salary $2 900 also procured fog
The Argus the printing Of all resolutions etc. OF CON-
mittees very many moro copies than were necessary
being always printed. As consideration for favors
from The Argus Company he had inserted In the session
| laws Of 1870 chapter 492, the following;
| The contract with The Argus Company for legislative
printing shall be extended for three years proydea As
From 1868 to 1874 The Arys Company 10
ceved for printing S77s 45O"of whch"ssid MrTweed.
S3s45 was during the years 1870 and 1871, wheAI
| was In power to assist them"
| Mr. Mannmg's explanation of his connection
with the check for $4,000 as published in The Al
bany Ereniag Times, was follows "In the session
of 1877 was reporter for Tho drqa' in the Sen
ate, and had an acquaintance With Mr. Tweed. On
one occasion he asked me in what baak IM Arsss
| Company did its business, and replied the Com
| mercial Bank of which Mr.. Cassidy was direc-
tor. Producing check he asked me if would
oblpe him by indorsing 1t for Identification. did
| so writing on the back of it, William Cassidy.
nresident; Daniel Manning, attorney The Argus
Company or any member OF it, never received any
pecuniary favos DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY.
At the hands of Mr.. Tweed or any one representing