Year: 1876

TWeedb Capture COnnrmeos


Tweed is found. There is no doubt Of
that Our special cable dispatches from
Vigo conclusively prove that he is the man
who was seized by the Spanish authorities
at Vigo, and tell the story of his flight 1t
might be possible that the Governor of
Pontevedra should be mistaken in the iden-
tity of the prisoner, but it is hardly possible
that this chain of circumstantial evidence
should result in an error The story is
direct and clear, consistent with ITSELF
and is confirmed by the attendant facts. 1t
was known in July that Tweed was in San
tiago de Cuba, having arrived there from
Havana. The American Consul applied to
General Jovellar for his arrest and Jovellar
was willing to seize him, but Tweed, warned
of his danger. sailed in the bark Carmen, ac-
cording to the cable dispatches, on July 27.
General Gushing then notified the Spanish
government of the fact and strict orders
were issued from Madrid to the
local authorities Of all Spanish ports
to arrest Tweed at once. On September
the Carmen arrived at Vigo and the Gov
ernor boarded her. recognized Tweed by his
photograph and placed him and his compan-
ion, William Hunt, in prison. They are to
be sent to Havana in the Spanish mail
steamer which sails on the 21st inst and
surrendered to the American Consul. The
only discrepancy in the whole account is
this, that while the dispatches say that the
Carmen left Santiago de Cuba on July 27, aud
was forty -one days on her voyage, which
agrees exactly with the date of her arrival,
September G, the Havana Weekly Report of
August 5 says in its marine news that the
Carmen sailed July % for Barcelona via
Vigo. But the 22d may have been the day
of her clearance. With the exception of this
slight contradiction the statement is rs con-
sistent as emphatic. That Tweed is cap
tured there is no longer any reasonable
doubt.


The action of the Spanish government and
Of General Jovellar deserves the highest
praise and the gratitude of the American
nation. General Jovellar, it is said, was
anxious to return, by Tweed's arrest, the
courtesy shown by the Americans in the
Arguelles case some years ago. That Spain
might be controlled by spirit of comfy
in this affair was suggested by us yesterday,
when the rumor of Tweed's capture was first
heard, as a reply to the objection that
the story could not be true because
there is no treaty of extradition between
Spain and the United States. We pointed
out that Tweed was n notorious criminal, to
whom shelter might be rightly denied, and
the event proves that this view of the case
was correct. 1t is to the honor of the Spanish
government that it surrenders Tweed freely
without treaty of extradition, while with
such a treaty England refused to give up
Winslow.


Who inspired the search for Tweed, where
he had been from December to July, and
who found him in Santiago de Cuba we have
yet to learn. The details of the chase and
the flight are unknown, but it is probable
that he left this country for Cuba in yacht
and was concealed in some Of the West India
islands, thence going to Havana, and finally
making his way to Santiago. But there is no
rest for such an eminent fugitive. Emerson
has said that there is one trouble in travel
ling-that you must always take yourself
along, and this is peculiarly true of Tweed.
So we'll known are his form and features
that he was always in the situation of the es-
capped prisoner of whom Victor Hugo tells,
who sat down to rest beneath handbill
offering q reward for his capture.


Now that we have practically got Tweed
we shall probably hold him fast Spain
having taken such extraordinary measures
to seize him will not fail to deliver him to
our representative in Havana. He is held by
the Spanish government in trust for the
United States. We may expect to see him
in New York some time in October,
unless some unusual accident occurs
What the effect Of his return will
be upon politics it is impossible to
imagine. The presence of no other man is
desired so much by some politicians, or to
others would be as unwelcome. Tweed
knows too much about New York politicians
and politics, and may be like nitro
glycerine- dangerous if too roughly handled
1t is possible that he has been betrayed in
this arrest, and, if So he may revenge him
self for the treachery.