They can get a grand jury dismissed at any time, and, as we have seen, the legislature is completely at their disposal."Finally proof did come and, as is usual in such cases, it came from the inside.James O'Brien, an ex-sheriff and the leader in a Democratic "reform movement" calling itself "Young Democracy,"secured the appointment of one of his friends as clerk in the controller's office.Transcripts of the accounts were made, and these O'Brien brought to the Times, which began their publication, July 8, 1871.The Ring was in consternation.It offered Gorge Jones, the proprietor of the Times, $5,000,000 for his silence and sent a well-known banker to Nast with an invitation to go to Europe "to study art," with $100,000 for "expenses.""Do you think I could get $200,000?" innocently asked Nast.
"I believe from what I have heard in the bank that you might get it."After some reflection, the cartoonist asked: "Don't you think Icould get $500,000 to make that trip?"
"You can; you can get $500,000 in gold to drop this Ring business and get out of the country.""Well, I don't think I'll do it," laughed the artist."I made up my mind not long ago to put some of those fellows behind the bars, and I am going to put them there.""Only be careful, Mr.Nast, that you do not first put yourself in a coffin," said the banker as he left.
A public meeting in Cooper Institute, April 6, 1871, was addressed by William E.Dodge, Henry Ward Beecher, William M.
Evarts, and William F.Havemeyer.They vehemently denounced Tweed and his gang.Tweed smiled and asked, "Well, what are you going to do about it?" On the 4th of September, the same year, a second mass meeting held in the same place answered the question by appointing a committee of seventy.Tweed, Sweeny, and Hall, now alarmed by the disclosures in the Times, decided to make Connolly the scapegoat, and asked the aldermen and supervisors to appoint a committee to examine his accounts.By the time the committee appeared for the examination--its purpose had been well announced--the vouchers for 1869 and 1870 had disappeared.Mayor Hall then asked for Connolly's resignation.But instead, Connolly consulted Samuel J.Tilden, who advised him to appoint Andrew H.
Green, a well-known and respected citizen, as his deputy.This turned the tables on the three other members of the Ring, whose efforts to oust both Connolly and Green were unavailing.In this manner the citizens got control of the treasury books, and the Grand Jury began its inquisitions.Sweeny and Connolly soon fled to Europe.Sweeny afterwards settled for $400,000 and returned.
Hall's case was presented to a grand jury which proved to be packed.A new panel was ordered but failed to return an indictment because of lack of evidence.Hall was subsequently indicted, but his trial resulted in a disagreement.
Tweed was indicted for felony.He remained at large on bail and was twice tried in 1873.The first trial resulted in a disagreement, the second in a conviction.His sentence was a fine of $12,000 and twelve years' imprisonment.When he arrived at the penitentiary, he answered the customary questions."What occupation?" "Statesman." "What religion?" "None." He served one year and was then released on a flimsy technicality by the Court of Appeals.Civil suits were now brought, and, unable to obtain the $3,000,000 bail demanded, the fallen boss was sent to jail.
He escaped to Cuba, and finally to Spain, but he was again arrested, returned to New York on a man-of-war, and put into Ludlow Street jail, where he died April 12, 1878, apparently without money or friends.
The exact amount of the plunder was never ascertained.An expert accountant employed by the housecleaners estimated that for three years, 1868-71, the frauds totaled between $45,000,000 and $50,000,000.The estimate of the aldermen's committee was $60,000,000.Tweed never gave any figures; he probably had never counted his gains, but merely spent them as they came.O'Rourke, one of the gang, estimated that the Ring stole about $75,000,000during 1865-71, and that, "counting vast issues of fraudulent bonds," the looting "probably amounted to $200,000,000."The story of these disclosures circled the earth and still affects the popular judgment of the American metropolis.It seemed as though Tammany were forever discredited.But, to the despair of reformers, in 1874 Tammany returned to power, electing its candidate for mayor by over 9000 majority.The new boss who maneuvered this rapid resurrection was John Kelly, a stone-mason, known among his Irish followers as "Honest John." Besides the political probity which the occasion demanded, he possessed a capacity for knowing men and sensing public opinion.This enabled him to lift the prostrate organization.He persuaded such men as Samuel J.Tilden, the distinguished lawyer, August Belmont, a leading financier, Horatio Seymour, who had been governor, and Charles O'Conor, the famous advocate, to become sachems under him.This was evidence of reform from within.Cooperation with the Bar Association, the Taxpayers' Association, and other similar organizations evidenced a desire of reform from without.
Kelly "bossed" the Hall until his death, June 1, 1886.
He was succeeded by Richard Croker, a machinist, prizefighter, and gang-leader.Croker began his official career as a court attendant under the notorious Judge Barnard and later was an engineer in the service of the city.These places he held by Tammany favor, and he was so useful that in 1868 he was made alderman.A quarrel with Tweed lost him the place, but a reconciliation soon landed him in the lucrative office of Superintendent of Market Fees and Rents, under Connolly.In 1873he was elected coroner and ten years later was appointed fire commissioner.His career as boss was marked by much political cleverness and caution and by an equal degree of moral obtuseness.
