HOW TWEED STOLE FORTY MILLIONS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 949, 17 October 1910, Page 7

HOW TWEED STOLE FORTY MILLIONS.

During the ■ American . Civil ' War the art of managing / the Democratic voters of New York City through • the political known-as "the Tammany' Society was continually improved under the-leader-ship of Mr. William W. Tweed.' . Before 1870. he, had..brought tho, city majority under his control by a very perfect, organisation, and had filled the Mayor-': alty and all the leading administrative ; offices as well' as. the common council with his.creatures;.' He thereupon began; an elaborate system, of plunder, 'of'which' the main' feature was the presentation of enormous bills for ' work done on a new courthouse, then' in process of erection by tradesmen', acting as his confederates, To these ? he paid only a portion of their .'demands, retaining the balance, which he-divided in certain portions -.with his .followers. 1 .-Fraudulent bonds were: also issued as a- means of defrauding the city,, and ties on New; York history have expressed the opinion - that the frauds of'.the Tweed Ring amounted' in the period from 1865; to 1871 to a total of. 200,000,000 dollars v. 40,000,000).-Exposures came; in; i 871,. 1 and Tweed, after.. a series of- trials and a flight to.'.Spaih;' .was incarcerated' in the Ludlow Street'.;gaol, .where, he .died in 1878. -. . It was supposed at the time that Tammany Hall, was hopelessly', discredited, -but after posing for a while 'as a inform body, with all th6'objectionable elements : rejected, .it regained . coh-trol-in 1574. '. - - r

At the .Nw, York- City,, elections in November of. last ' year the- Mayor, ■ Mr.W. J. .Gaynor, .was the; only Tamniany' 'candidate/'.'who' succceded/at-. the! polta A wrifcey ■ in the, New. York. "Independent" of' August 15 said of; llim :—* If a wrong is found . anywhere - in' the . city, of New: York in these days ! the - 'finder knows exactly what to do-ror else' his: neighbours iiifdrm. him: to "Gay-, nor!' They have perfecl'-confklneoo that the Mayor will' know/ and : do: the right .thing.. And this feding is: n<jt confined to ; Democrats who * voted . for .. Gaynor; Bepublicans have. it also, so' - hava 'Labour men, Socialists, - Independents!

"The city thought so well of. Gaynor last November that ho was elected by a plurality of "3,074 rotes wlien ,,; all hia running mates ■ on, the ,Tammany ticket .were defeated. . 'Arid since 'then. ■ he - has been steadily-, .'turning,. enemies ' into friends'. ,' Th^'/watched "his course .in offioe at/first -with"cynicism,' then astonishment, then hope, and, lastly, : affection and admiration."..- . , .;