St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-08-09
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS STORY.
! John Kelly and the M en- Who Were
Hired TO AsSassinate Him.

Cleveland Leader
Speaking of Tilden reminds me of a re-
narkable story heard of John Kelly
yesterday. 1t come to me indirectly
through Mr. Gumbleton. When the Tweed
ring was at the top of its power and was
sQuandering the millions of the New York
taxpayers Tweed conceived the idea of ex-
tending its reign to the whole United
States. The ring should put up it's presi-
dent and have him elected. and the treasury
at Washington should be controlled by Boss
Tweed even as the New York treasury was
then. Tilden and other New York politi-
clans OF the better sort learned of the
scheme. and council was held, in which it
was determined that the Tweed ring must be
broken at all hazard. Tilden consented to
run for governor of New Y DIRK and there was
needed powerful supporter in Tammany.
John Kelly was just the man. Tilden
called upon him and after much persuasion
got the promise of his help. He promised
to defy Tweed in Tammany hall. Tilden
was elected governor and Kelly did defy
Tweed, and that to such an extent that the
Tweed ring saw that John Kelly must be
gotten out of the way or the ring would
have to be broken and its leaders would go
to the penitentiary. It was decided to kill
John Kelly, and the Tweed ring had at that
time plenty of men under them who would
not hesitate to commit murder, if ordered
to do so and paid for it. Three roughs were
selected and the plot was laid. John Kelly
never slept more than four hours at night
during the active part of his life, and it was
his custom to rise at a. III. every day and
take walk before he sat down to work.
There was an unfinished building opposite
his house. and in this the three murderers
We're to conceal themselves. They were
to be well armed, and the weapon of the
killing was to be the sandbag. They
expected to slip up behind Kelly as he
came out in the early morning and
slug him. No one would be stirring, and,
with the assistance of Tweed's lieutenants,
there would be little danger of detection.
1t happened. however, that the plot was
discovered by all old man, who was friend
OF Kelly's, the night before it was put in
execution, and this man called upon John
Kelly that night and told him ''for Gods
sake" not to stir out in the early morning.
Kelly did not pay much attention to the
story, and seemed inclined to laugh at it,
when the nan said:
Il know what am talking about! They
intend to kill you, Mr.. Kelly! They will dc
it if they can, and l beg you not to give
them chance" 80.
Kelly replied that he was not afraid, and
the man left, begging him with tears tc
stay in the house.
-Four O'Clock the next morning came and
with it John Kelly, dressed as usual. and,
with rather hard look on his bulldog-like
face. stepped down from his front door.
He Gid not walk up the street as usual.
however, but turned and went straight
across the way to the deserted house il
which his would-be assassins were con
cealed. He walked in and found them,
and, before they could raise their arms.
said, in cool. clear voice: Il understand
you men have been employed to murder
me-"
Before he could say any more the men
were SO astounded and frightened that they
turned and ran. They knew Kelly and
Kelly knew them. Still he never allowed
the story of their intended crime to get out
ana he never punished them in any way
He did not relax his efforts. and he had the
satisfaction of seeing Tweed in prison anC
his partners in crime relieved of then
millions of stealings.