The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-08-07
WILLIAM N. TWEED.
Career of the Famous Boss, and His
Battle With New York.
(BOStOn CIoheN


twenty-five years ago there died i'm
LUDLOW street jail. in the city of New
hofk, the most famous boss" i'm the
whole history of American municipal
politics. His name was William Marcy
iweed. but he was more Familiarity and
widely known as Bill" Tweed.
The rise and fan of bill" Tweed Is
one of the most dramatic chapters in
the history of American municipal poJi-
ties The son Of a chairmaker in New
York City, he fell naturally into poll
tics. \ stepping stone 10 political DOW
er at that time was the Volunteer Fire
ASSOCIATION and Tweed was one of those
who ran with the machine" He was
the originator and the foreman of the
Big Six Americas Fire Engine COM
pany, and was the most popular man
in his neighborhood.
He had real capacity. unfaiIing good
humor. generosity and seeming sim
certify that. attracted to him a great
many people. From the management
of the fire engine company he became
the leader of a ward and at % years of
age was an alderman. After the ex-
piration of his term he was elected to
congress. He now became supervisor.
was chairman of the board in 1856 and
from that year, although his influence
was often temporarily overthrown. he
was the only real boss, in sight until
his DOWNFALL sd.
Until the year 1870, when Tweed was
AZ years old. he had been school com
missioner, deputy street commissioner
and state senator, hut it was. in that
year. with his appointment to the office
of deputy commissioner of public
works, that his brief career of unpre-
cedented public plumber really began
and ended. He formed. while deputy
commissioner of public works, in 1870,
the celebrated ring" of which he was
chief, although there were a number
of organizers associated with him
The appropriation of vast sums of
money was exposed toward the close Of
the following year, and when Charles
O'COnnOr brought civil suit in behalf
of the city Tweed was arrested. He
furnished bail in 81 900, 600, and the
echoes of the great sensation were still
Fesounding when, in less than a month.
he was elected to the state senate. He
did not take his seat, and in the fol-
lowing December was arrested on u
criminal charge, but was released on
bail.
Early in 1873 the jury disagreed in the
first of the civil suits. but in the fol-
lowing November ne was found guilty
of fraud and sentenced on twelve
counts to twelve years imprisonment.
and to pay a fine of S12,550. But in
June 1875, the court of appeals de-
clared his imprisonment illegal son a
cumulative sentence, and he was re-
leased. Meanwhile he had been sued
for the recovery of s6,000.000, and i'm
default of $3,O00.g00 bail was sent to
Ludlow street Jail.
The fight between this powerful man
and the great municipality of New
York had thus been fought almost to
a finish. with the advantage resting
with the city. But suddenly Tweed
escaped from Jail and reaching Cuba.
sailed 70 Spain. But the power that
had pursued him thus far. the power
OF the public press, was not TO be van
uuished. and it Ms said that one of
Thomas Nasts caricatures of Tw ED
was seen by a Spanish official. Tweed
was arrested and brought back to
New York, and died in Ludlow street
jail.
At the height of his power Tweed
had the Endorsement of many OF the
prominent merchants and bankers of
the city. of whose somnolent public in
terest he was easily able to take ad-
vantage.