The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-01
THE TALE OF THE TIGER
LEADING INCIDENTS IN THE EVIL
RECORD OF TAMMANY HALL.
Founded by Aaron Burr, II Has Al
ways Been an Organization for PIun
dering the Public Treasury.



New York Tribune
To rehearse the whole history of Tam
many Hall would be to tell OF all the
scoundreiism in New York politics since
the foundation of the Republic For Tam
many was founded by the notorious traitor
Aaron Burr, within a fortnight after the
first Inauguration of Washington and very
soon after became Burr's machine" for
the corrupt control of New York politics
When Burr killed Hamilton in duel the
Tammany Society spent the night in wild
orgy of exultation.
In 1897 two Tammany men became known
as thieves of public money-the first to get
found out for long time. One was Swart-
won't, collector of the port of New York,
who stole $780, 900, and the other was
Price, United States district attorney in
New York. who stole $4,000. Both escaped
to Europe. This was in President Jack
sons administration, not far from the time
when Senator Marcy, defending the whole
sale giving of federal patronage in New
York to Tammany enunciated the doc
trine ITO the victors belong the spoils.'
Now arose, too, the Dead Rabbits" the
'Plug Uglies" and the Infamous Empire
Club" Tammany's mob and criminal ad-
juncts. OF these that notorious Southern
leading spirit. These organizations COM
mitted wholesale election frauds in 1874.
sufficient to give the vote of New York to
James X Polk and thus elect him to the
presidency.
THE TWEED RING.
Again in 1869 the work of wholesale
thievery began There was new court
house to build, new streets to open and
vast scheme of public works. All these
were made to cost the city many times
what they should have cost. On the court
house alone s6,OOOOOO was stolen. OF the
plumber Tweed got about 20 per cent, Con-
molly, the controller, 20 per cent, while
tradesmen who furnished the fraudulent
bills received about a third. Two or three
Judges of the courts were in the ring and
got their share How much was stolen al
together has never been ascertained with
eXactness. 1t was certainly as much as
$4,000 900, and probably considerably more.
In 1871 exposure of the rings work was be,
gun in the public press. Tweed, in fancied
Becurity-owning courts and Legislature
sneeringly asked, What are you going to
do about it," A public committee of sew
enty' was appointed and legal action be-
gun Connolly got scared into sickness and
let Andrew II. Green be appointed deputy
controller, with full power in his office.
Then came the crash. Tweed managed to
burn a lot of discriminating vouchers, but
enough were rescued to prove crime. Con-
molly fled to Europe, and died there. others
followed him. Tweed stayed and showed
fight; was brought to trial; by lavish use
of money made it a mistrial; on second
trial was convicted and sentenced to i'm
prisonment for twelve years. At the eEd
Of a year he was released on technical de-
cision of the Court of Appeals, but was at
once rearrested on civil suit to recover
the stolen money. AS he could not furnish
bail he locked up and kept locked up
in comfortable quarters in Ludlow-street
Jail until 1876, when he escaped and fled to
Spain. He was brought back and later died
infI Il fc 1nct Ioxrc hn tollr FcnfN
about his rascalities, and made the plea
that 1.-The system was at fault. There
would, he said, continue to be dishonesty
In public office until the great mass of pub
lie servants were put under a civil-service
system with assured tenure, that they
would no longer be creatures of political
favor.
KELLY AND CROKER.
Tammany soon got into power again I'M
der the lead of John Kelly. In 1884 it had
the presidency of the United States at it's
disposal. 1t opposed Mr.. Cleveland's nomi-
nation, and after it was made for a long
time declined to ratify it. Every one knew
that if it continued it's opposition or simple
lack of support Mr.. Cleveland would be
teaten. But only few days before the
election Mr. Cleveland himself came 10 New
York, had a secret meeting with Kelly and
made some arrangement or bargain with
him, no one knows what. 1t sufficed. The
next day Kelly sent out word that Tam
many was 10 support Cleveland, ana he
accordingly elected, but by a margin so
narrow as TO provoke the suspicion that it
was procured by means not unfamiliar to
Tammany Hall in the days of Rynders and
Tweed. This wholesale delivery of Tam
manyS vote showed with the utmost clear
ness how complete was Kelly's control of
that organization. His work for the hall
broke down his health, however, and not
long after the 1884 campaign he died leav
in the hands of Dick Croker.
Dick Croker he was called in the old
days when he was a "Bowery boy" ready
with his fists in any row that might occur.
Richard Croker he became when he sue
ceeded Kelly as boss" of Tammany. He
assumed the control of Tammany when that
hall had only one great local office. the
registers. in its grasp. The moribund and
malodorous County Democracy had the
rest. Croker was merely a fire commission
err on $1,000 year, with no other income or
fortune. living like man of most moderate
means. But he determined and am
bilious, seeking wealth rather than office;
and was not devoid of political acumen. He
slso sufficiently domineering and autocratic
to enforce discipline. In 1886 he made Tam
many nominate for mayor A. s., Hewitt,
County Democracy and anti-Tammany man.
Thus he forced the hand of the County
Democracy and expedited it's dissolution.
Mir. Hewitt was elected and Tammany had
scored big point. Next the friendship and
aid of Governor Hill were secured and even
come little favor from President Cleveland.
BY 1883, therefore, Tammany was able to
name and elect Hugh j. Grant, one of It's
own men, mayor. Tammany now in
doing about it pleased Croker mani
Tested all the external indications of rapidly
Increasing wealth. So did other Tammany
leaders. Some people began to wonder
where they got it," By 1890 there was a
considerable public sentiment aroused
against Boss Croker, and an effort
made TO defeat his ticket by fusion of
Republicans and what was left of the Coun-
ty Democracy. The attempt failed. Grant
was reelected, with the whole Tammany
ticket, by large majority.
Then the Republicans in the Legislature
sent down a committee. with Senator Fas-
sett at its head. to look into municipal af-
fairs to find out why Grant, after his
election sheriff had given Crokers
child a present of $4,000, and how Crok-
err on 5000 to $1,000 a year, could buy
$4,000 worth OF property. these things
looked suspicious. The committees la
bors, however, had no immediate results.
Mr.. Croker moved into a mansion which
S25O00 a year was hardly sufficient to main
tain. He bought a fine stock farm near
Elchneld Springs, and invested at least
$4,000 in horsefiesh within a year so.
In 1892 Tammany again swept the city,
electing Thomas F. Gilroy to the mayor
atty. The flood tide of financial prosperity
among its leaders continued. But now