Year: 1877

cation, and one for postal facility.
The latter included a system of in
closures through five different enve-
lopes, with addresses at removed
points. He was to find occasion to
visit his house,


DELIVER HIMSELF OVER SECRETLY
and unattended at his own door.
The execution of the agreement in
included his landing in Spain, or un-
der the Spanish flag, and ON Spanish
territory, safely and secretly. He
was given the name of John SecOr,
by which he was to be known to his
new connexions, and his personal
identity and his own name were to
be kept from all persons, without ex-
eeption, from the moment he passed
ont of his own stoop. The exact
minute of departure was fixed at 8
O'Clock in the evening, not more than
one minute before to one minute af-
ter that hour, exactly. The time of
his fight was left undetermined, but
he was to visit his house on certain
davs, and when the whole train was
ready, a sign was to be given by a
certain mark on the stoop, which he
could see as he ascended the steps.
Accordingly, Tweed took occasion
to obtain from the Sheriff and his
keepers the usual "privileges of the
Jail yard" to visit his family, and to
transact some business.


SEVERAL SUCH VISITS


having been made to his house at the
usual hour, after dark, he secretly
made some preparation of personal


matters, and putting his business af-
fairs in as good order a. possible,
finally reached the 4th of Decem-
ber, 1875, which proved the occa-
sion of his departure. On the even
ing of that day he was driven in the
customary hack, attended by two
keepers, to his house. Ascending
the stoop he saw the sign. 1t was
about half-past seven o'clock and a
dreary December evening. The sig
nal at once aroused him with start
ling shock, and as he describes the
occurrence "his blood and his nerves
were filled with an electrical excite
ment, which thrilled every fiber of
his frame" Controlling himself
with some effort, he led his attend
ants to their wonted and welcome
feast, which on. this occasion was
amply provided in the dining room.
The keepers ate, and Tweed took
care also that they drank. At just
the right moment one of the keepers
rose and went TO the wash basin in
the room to wash his hands and get
ready tor the usual cigar after din
ner.


TWEED TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY,
rose also. and saying he would wash
in the adjoining room, he passed in
to the hall, closing the door as he
left the room. He quickly took the
first hat and coat and slipped out of
the front door. He was a fugitive.
He saw the hack before the door
without driver, who also took ad
vantage of the occasion in the kitch
en-. Not person or sound appear
ed to respond to his appointment.
1t was not quite one minute past
eight. He had stolen forth from
his home to place himself in the
hands. and guidance of picked gang
of desperadoes. As he shrank back
under the shadow of the stOop, it
seemed to him a long period of
doubt. and self-examination, until
his attention was attracted by the
noise of wheels, and he saw COM
mon tradesman's wagon, such as is
used by grocers and express drivers.
He saw, also, a mans arm reach out
from the cover, which was the sign
thatit was for him. AS he descend
ed the stoop, he also saw man pass
ing slowly, which caused him to hes
itate, but this person said in a low
tone,


GALL RIGHT; GET IN THE WAGON"
So he scrambled into the covered
wagon, which drove quickly around
the block into Madison avenue, but
as they got there, car having run
off the, track, some mounted police
and passengers stood in the way, and
the fugitive was stopped for two or
three minutes.


The wagon started again, and
drove zigzag across the city toward
the Worth River, which was soon
reached, and beside big truck on
the pier they stopped. The driver
said, SECT out on the river side" "
Tweed gotout seeing that the truck
covered him from observation as he
alighted. A man stood near the
truck also, who indicated that Tweed
was to descend into a row-bOat, in
which he quickly embarked and
crossed TO the Jersey side. There he
was met by another vehicle in wait
ing for him on the Shore road, when
he was driven off into region be-
yond the river and the Palisades in
a direction and to termination
where he had never been before and
could not now ascertain or indicate.
At an old farm house Tweed was re-
ceived by another of his new found
friends, and in this refuge, disguis-
ed, continued from December 4th
until the first week in March, always
under the control of the two men
who had managed his escape and


CONTRACTED FOR HIS SAFETY.


He did implicitly what they di-
rected, and they held him in hand
like trainers. He slept, he rose, he
walked, he rode, ate and drank, only
as they instructed him, and it may
be remarked here, that this disci-
pline and relation was maintained
until he closed his engagement with
them satisfactorily in Florida.


On December 5th, Tweed left Jer-
sey and took up his temporary
abode on Staten Island, about half
mile from Fort Wadsworth, at the
Narrows, in a fsherman's hut, with
his two companions. Here the party