The herald., 1894-01-01

eye has had its exemplification in his
person and career.
History was made very fast in New
York in the winter of lS71-72, both as
to individuals, the city and the nation,
In one eventful six months Tweed and
his regime toppled over, Samuel ]. Til
/ den rose on it's ruins and Jay Gould
mounted to riches and to a mon
eyed absolutism on the corpse OF his dead
partner Fisk, and there was sheol to
pay generally.
There have been a great many mis-
Bill Tweed. He was selected as the
scapegoat of the rotten administration of
the affairs Of the city OF New York in ell
/ probability because he was the best OF
the lot. He only was bounded to his
death-the only generous man in the
quadrilateral OF New York's most cele-
brated regime of corruption. History is
said to repeat itself, and today there is
! gathering a formidable revolt against
! Tammany Hall. although it must be said
with truth that Mr.. Richard Croker is
no Tweed nor is Mayor Gilroy an Oakley
Hall.
In the days which heralded and &C.
companied his downfall, William M.
Tweed quit mis- old quarters in the build
ing devoted to the board OF public works
on Broadway. Instead of going there
when anyone desired to see him he
sought tne private quarters on Duane
street. Immediately opposite the cele-
brated Cobweb Hall, noted drinking
place freuuented by bankers and dray-
men. plebeisns and patricians alike.
Unless one had the ''open sesame" it
was very hard thing to see Tweed
prior to his fall-when that melancholy
descent was reached there were none 30
poor as to do him reverence. l had Sc
cured his good will by writing an article
about him as fair as l could make it, for
the Pittsburg Commercial, at that
time edited by the accomplished @. d.
Brigham, who had formerly been
valued member OF the editorial staff of
the New York Times, long before that
paper had become Anglicized. At that
time Mr.. Tweed was peculiarly suscepti-
BILE to anything like fair treatment, and
my card would probably have taken
precedence of that of any one short OF
frst-class national or state dignitary.
| remember we'll sending in my card
! to him at his Duane street quarters
shortly before his arrest. There was
long line of people in waiting. whom the
usher admitted according to the direct
! ions which he received from Mr.. Tweed.
Being at that time quite youthful, any
mark of attention from powerful man
was OF course acceptable, let his rela-
] tions with the public be what they
might. My card had scarcely had time
to reach the inner apartment when Mr..
| Tweed came to the door and asked me
to be kind enongh to wait moment,
saying that rs soon as he could olsen
gage himself from the gentleman then
occupying his attention he would be
glad TO receive me.
/ The whole press OF New York city
was then engaged in denouncing Tweed
the New York Times and Hsroer's
I Weekly OF course in the lead. From
my opportunities FORE lose observation
of the Tribune, l do not believe its con-
trollers were heavily interested in the
hue and cry, but they were obliged to
! keep up with the procession. Horace
Greeley was always notoriously the
friend OF the under dog in any fight.
But it was actually raining pitchforks
from the newspaper skies, and man
with any suggestion of urbanity or
amiability about him would naturally
open the conversation in en- emo llient
vein.
'By the way, Mr.. Tweed, / remarked
as passed through District Attorney
Gsrvin's office, that your picture etill
hangs on the walls. Your friends evi.
IDENTIFY nave not all deserted you."
'Ms. L.,' said the great Tammany
chief, my friends in both parties are
devoted to me. l shall certainly not
attempt to exercise the power, but l
believe that tomorrow l could dictate
the nominations of both parties in this
city. have pretty hard fight on my
hands, but am New Yorker OF the
third generstion, and like fight"
asked him to what he ascribed the
public sentiment which undoubtedly
existed against him.
"Well," said he, II can give you
very quick and easy explanation of
that. II I fall l ascribe my fall to
Harper's Weekly and to its great Carl
caturist Mast. As for tine New York
Times, have cared nothing for it and 1
have refused propositions to purchase
it's silence. The real source of all my
troubles is Hsrper's Weekly. There
are immense numbers OF my constit-
uents who cannot read, but they can all
look at picture. The only things l
have cared snap for have been the
cartoons of Mast. By the way, have
you ever noticed that Mast has never
caricatured Ingersoll?"
replied that l had noticed that be-
fore, but that now that he had called
my attention to it l cav that be was
right.
"Well," continued Tweed, "the ex-
planation of that is very simple. Mast,
who is the greatest caricaturiet that