Year: 1877

ment of our client Immediately. The fur
ther conduct of the affair will be confined
strictly to O'Connor and the attorney gen.
cral. saw our happy client this morning
and will see you further on my return from
Sleepy Hollow, l entered fully upou an
extensive insurance field with Fairchilds
and have established in that connection q
most important and valuable footing.


CSigned] G. o. B. BRYANT.


This letter, looked at in the light of sub
sequent events, 1t seems to me exhibits
degree of intimacy with Bryant which
Tweed or might well be excused for re-
lying upon. A few days after l received
the following telegram:


ALBANY, March 90.


john D. TOWNSEND The understand
ing is absolutely as l said. and all Is right
for a close next week. Home tomorrow.


Signed BRYANT.


The came day Bryant telegraphed to
Foster Dewey:


ALBANx, March 90.


To FOSTER DEwEY:-I shall close the
first of next week. See that no word is said
to soul until get back tomorrow.


Signed BRYANT.


In order that 1t might not become matter
for reporters comment that Tweed was re-
ceiving frequent telegrams and correspond
ence, the name "Luke Grant" was selected
as the one under which to address him,
and March 81 he received from Bryant the
following


To LUKE GRANT, 70 LUDLOW STREET =
Solid. See me at eleven. The general later.
Signed1 &. UNION.
Mr.. Townsend then goes on to relate
other instances of Fairchilds and Bryant's
unjust treatment Of himself, and says that
Tweed will swear to any statements made
in the letter. Tweed also offers, on condi-
ton of his release, to tell anything be
knows about himself or any one else de-
frauding the city.


The following is a synopsis of Tweed's
offer: First, Tweed will surrender all his
real and personal property if all be re-
quired, and to satisfy the attorney general
that the schedule of his property hereto an
nexed ID correct and that he is holding
nothing back he will not only submit to as
rigid an examination as may be considered
necessary, but will make over to the state
by full and general assignment all
real property in which he is or has been in
terested since 1870. Second, Tweed will
furnish valuable testimony in favor of the
city of New York in various auits inetitntnd
against the city, among which are the Ma
varro water meter suit, the "O'Brien claim"
and Nelson sewer and water pipe contract
suit. By his own testimony and the evil
dence Of others who have promised to
corroborate him he believes he can save
the city of New York more than two mil
lions. Third, Tweed will transfer to the
attorney general all checks in his possess
ion and which are set forth in the annexed
schedules with his own testimony in regard
to them that can be supported by others.
Tweed thinks the return of large amount
of money could be enforced. Fourth,
Tweed will agree to appear as witness in
favor of the people whenever requested so
to do by the sttorney-general in any and
all cases where his testimony is considered
by the attorney-genersl to be valuable.
Fifth, Tweed will devote himself if dis
charged from imprisonment with as much
diligence towards carrying out his present
promises to the attorney general as he has
hitherto displayed for his associates in
crime.


Townsend next states that on the 18th of
April, one of Fairchilds political and social
friends and state offieer, suggested that
Tweed make a statement in regard to his
| connection while in senate with the two
leading railroads of the state, and any cor
rupt dealing with democrat who has held
the highest position in the state and re-
publican of prominence in the party.
Tweed accordingly made statement which
Townsend brought to Albany, and which
was not fiattering to the moral characters
of the managers OF the railroad corporations
referred to. Tweed stated, however, that
he knew nothing derogatory to the charac-
ter of the wo gentlemen alluded to. Since
then Townsend learned that Fairchild's
father had been counsel TO one of the rail-
/
Tilden counsel for the other. 1t has occur
| to him since the return of the statement
that false step perhaps was taken in max
ing any remarks in reference to those roads
and that perhaps Tweed's failure to impart
evidence which would smirch the reputa-
| ton of these gentlemen, might have further
tended to iDjure him in his appeal. Town
send does not think 1t would be proper in
this letter to name the persons implicated
by Tweed in the statement returned by
Fairchild. A large number of men of all
grades OF social life and of both political
parties were mentioned, and would be
willing to have 1t submitted TO any lawyer
OF position who was unbiased in any way
If upon Tweed's showing very large
amount of money could not readily bt
restored to the city from them alone.


this letter is intended as review Of
your action, II will be sufficient for me tC
set forth the subjects generally, abou
which Tweed offered to give evidence
First, he offered, and did set forth in detail
how, and under what circumstances the
ring had its origin, of whom It was com
posed, their relative position toward eacl
other, and the manner in which the stolel
money was divided among them, giving tn,
percentage to each, how the money wa
used to effect corrupt legislation an,
and who took part in it, and th'
manner in which the heads o
departments connived with them to rails
4 4