The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-28
HISTORY Oakley HALL WROTE.
1t Is the First Truthful Account of the
Tweed Rings Secret Workings.

New York Herald.
There was in the career of A. Oakley
Hall, who died on Friday night. greater
contradiction than can be found in the life
of most famous men. The most enthuSi-
astic seeker AFTER experiences .copl nr ho OF
moderate circumstances, he rose by his own
efforts to positions where he might have
commanded wealth, and did, in fact, re-
ceive an income that should have made him
independent Yet he died in poverty. In
the last years of his life his comfort at
least depended upon the charity of gener-
Gus friends. He was lawyer wnen twenty
years old, and was arguing cases in the
Supreme Court at twenty-four. He was
three times district attorney, twice mayor OF
the city of New York, q .reviled associate
but stanch supporter of Tweed and his ring,
for which connection he was indicted and
acquitted. He was q lecturer, after
dinner speaker, a club man, an indefatiga-
BILE writer, with ambition to be great one,
to fame in the profession. And at the last
he was a pale shadow of what he had once
been-a man little known, living in obscur-
ity and poverty. with his face turned toward
the turbulent past.
"Reminiscences was all that was left to him,
but that was much. No man. perhaps,
knew so much of the inside and outside
workings of the infamous conspiracy of the
early los, when New York was in the grasp
of the Tweed ring Mr.. Hall for a long time
had been working on "a history or those
troublous times. in which he was figure
of prominence. This history was practically
former Senator Francis Bixby and former
Sheriff James O'Brien, he spent several
hours only a few days ago going over the
manuscript. He had an appointment with
Mr.. Bxby for Sunday. when there was to
be a final revision Of the story. Mr.. Bixby
now has the manuscript, and he says that 1t
will soon be published.
ut will be the first truthful and complete
account" he said Saturday of the causes
and circumstances leading to the overthrow
of the Tweed ring, and will contain many
facts never before made public. You know,
II was a long time before Hall would De-
lieve the charges against the conspirators.
Controller Connolly, when accused. invited
several wealthy men to examine his rec
shall o. Roberts, Mr.. Astor, Mr.. Brown, of
Brown Brothers. and George x. Sistare.
Their report was an unequivocal and en-
phatic vindication, and Mayor Hall placed
His closest friends could not convince him
that the conspirators were not much ma
ligned men.
but this history is written under later
light, and will be found to be interesting
reading for politicians and citizens. / do not
know Just when 1t will be published"
Despite his success as a lawyer. Mr. Halls
ambition during his whole life was to shine
He frequently neglected his practice to
write for periodicals. and always main
tanned as close touch as possible with the
people of the stage. His only attempt to
when he produced "Crucible" play writ
ten by himself and William Stuart. The
presentation was made at the old Park
Theater. in Broadway. and was hopeless
failure. Mr.. Hall stepped down and out.
This mistaken histronic ambition was an
illustration Of his seif-confidence. With
reason, he credited himself with extraordi-
nary versatility but IN this respect tripped
in his Judgment. With the personnel of the
profession. however, he sustained the most
cordial relations.