The New York Herald Newspaper, December 4, 1876, Page 3

i ¥ TWEED. | A Friendly Mirroring of) the “Old Man.” RING MYSTERIES AND MEMORIES. How the Boss Amassed His Wealth— A Dubiors Intention to Reform. THE WCMAN IN THE CASE Republicins and Democrats Alike \ Implicated. What Big fix Thought of Slippery Dick and ‘eter Bismarck Sweeny. BOUNTY FRAUDS BY A BOUNTY RING. Bill Cok, the Boat and the Little Black Bag. Negotitions for a Compromise—Will It Succeed ? The jtcrest in William M. Tweed increases daily. Even te election ‘muddle’ docs not cause the for- mer ryer of New York to be forgotten. What he has @one,What he is doing and what he will do are poinis in wyeh the reading public take a lively concern, and the wrious conflicting rumors in circulation do but add gel to the fame. ‘This being the case arepresentative of the HeraLp dagdevoted himself to interviewing various of the fomer frends and former enemies of William M. ‘Tyeed, and from conversation with those parties, from gts they have stated and from hints which they have Brown out the following article has been prepared, hich will be found to contain ahke interesting rem- fmiscences of the past, present points of importance and sturtiing suggestions of the possibilities of the future, ‘Vhe first person called upon by tho HegaLp repre, Yentative was an old “chum” of Mr. ‘weed, and a un who bas known him long, intimately and thor- bughly. Chatting with this gentleman tho latter re- Murked, in tho course of the conversation, “With all his jaults Mr, Tweed never lied. It he stated « thing a3 a matter of fact it was a tact, and, although it was B dificult mattor to force u direct promise from him, if be once made a promise he kept it. He would evade or dodge, or equivocaie, but he never directly hed.” “What were MR. TWEED’S PER#ONAL BAnITs?” asked the Hxnacp representative. “‘He was a moderate drinker, but avoided alcoholic firinks; partook of wines, especially sherry and cham- pugno, treely, He smoked rarely, swore when excited preity freely, and could tell a good story when in the bumor.”” Did Mr. Tweed gamble Never, Trobabsy be never played a gambling game m his life, “He knew next to nothing of {aro, roulette, keno, &c. His tastes ran in a different direction. Ho 5 japerstitious, though ; would not begin any impor- Aunt undertaking on @ Friaay, and he believed firmly in luck and lucky people. Ho believed in his own luck, '@nd'tor this Teagon be refused to run away when his frauda wero tirst discovered. He believed that it would bo ‘just bis luck’ to surmount triumpbanily bis diflcuities alter all Ho believed Connolly to be au unlucky fellow, and expressed himself rather re- heved than otherwise when Connolly disappeared.” “Wag Tweea in any sense an educated man “Not in avy sense. He had only a common school tducation, acd did not particularly value that, His language was coarse and often ungrammatical, He rather despised Mayor Hall as ‘a literary man’ than otherwise, He appreciated literature as @ bait, how- ever, and during his career feed various literary men liberally, ‘JUST TO KKEP THE RATS QUIET,’ ‘ws be phrased it.” “Was Tweed a luxurious liver?” Not in bis own person. He did not care for fast horses nor tast suppers, but he wore diamonds and allowed his family to spend all the money they wauted,"? “What was Mr, power?" “No; his great object in life was TO OWN KEAL ESTATE In New York city, He told an intimate friend onco that he was determined to be the largest landowner in America. If he had kept in power five years longer he wouid have probably owned more reul estate in the Metropolis than Astor und Stewart combined, He wus aways buying property when be could buy it theap, All bis real estate has not yet been traced— probably tt never will be. Not only New York prop- erty, bat in the country arouna New York, and sev- eral farms. Buying real estate was at once Tweed’s | strength and his special weakuess. But he bougut it out of principle.” “Principle! What on earth do you mean by princi- ple?” “Why simply this. It isa fact well known to those who knew Tweed well that he really intended sooner or later, but certainly some day or other, TO RESTORE BACK TU TUE CITY TREASURY, and with interest, allthe moneys he abstracted from it. Like many other men he compromised with bis conscience, for he bas a conscience, by détermining to pay back the sums he took when he could afford to do it, With this view he put tke greater part ot his money in real estate, Which he resolved to improve, and which he really attempted to improve. Ina few years he calculated that the rise in the value of this sort of property would be so great that he could pay back to the city the original sums and stil be him- seit immensely wealthy. Io of course never stated this plan asa whole to anybody, but ho alluded to it Incidentally and 1t willexplain the fact that he bought yeaiestate go largely. Had he calculated on ilight or retaining all the city moneys past all peradventure he would bave put his possessions into more readily avail- able shape. | ‘This view of Mr. Tweod’s conduct is held by many | ot bis most intimate friends, and if it docs not ex- | cuse will, at least, explain various points in bis ca- reer, “fad Mr. Tweed any vuwtic nonny?”” asked the Hzrap representative, “Yes,” was the reply; ‘William M. Tweed be- Neved tirmly that New York was destined to be We finest as well as largest city in the civilized world, and determined that le would make, as he phrased it, ‘a Paris of it.’ His belief in the future of New York exceoded that of any other man J ever mew And he was also determined to become the richest mu in this great city.” “at what do you estimat Mt, TWKED'S WEALTH in nis best days?” asked the Huraty mat. “Phig is @ dificult question,” was tho reply {ncluding his vast Teal estate investments in New York city, farms, &c., along the Hudson; |118 interest In the lamp speculation, the Croton mu or specala- tion, thé gon contract, his mining interest, his Housac Tunnel interest and his Erie Railway property, his Tweed’s great motive in life— Dewspaper property, the Sar, Jranseript, &.—all these would at one timo have footed up at least T IRTY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, This was, of course, before, there was any break in the Ring or suspicion of its downfall Mr, Tweed bim- golf at one time owned up to a fiend that be could geli out at that moment, if so disposed, tor $15,000,000 cash—and addod that this was alow esti. mate, About one-fourth of this vast wealth was held KEW YORK HERALD, MONDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1876—TRIPLE SHERT. Jointly with other parties; but at least three-fourths of of it was absolutely at his own sole on “At what figure would you rate Mr, Tweed at the present tim “| should judge that ‘the old man’ could lay his bands, if he chose, upon $1,000,000—no more and no jess. He has been foolish—he bas squandered a great deal, given away a great deal, been cheated out of a great deal, conveyed id transferred a great deal, bat he bas not left himself wholly destitute, '* Another associate of Tweed in his palmy a pon- partisan or independent, who bas on different occa- pions voted the gemocratic or republican ticket, was called upon by the HegaLp representative and con- versed freely in reterence to the situation of hia old associate, In the course of the dialogue THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IN THE DAYS OF THE RING waz alluded to, and the associate of Tweed reinarked :— “The success of the Ring bad been impossible withoat | the aia of the republicans, Thore are men to-day, occupying prominent positions the republicaa ranks, who were cognizant of all Tweea's larger opora- tions and made and kept their percentages, And out- side of these men there were many republicans who always kept ON INTIMATE THRMS WITR TWEED during his time of power, Tom Murphy was at one period a great favorite with Mr, Tweed, and was concerned with him im many real estate operations—perfectly legitimate, perhaps. ‘Mr. Mur- phy always had acc to Mr. Tweed, and the old man seemed to ovince s personal liking for him. He always regarded Mr. Murphy as a very clever man, and probably granted = bim more favors than he accorded to the mujority of the demo- crats. Mr. Tweed also entertained a h opinion of the political abilities of Mtr. Shetidan Shook, and did aly he could to conciliate him and attach him to his interest, | Among the more active republicans who were on in- timate personal and political terms with Mr. Tweed were Senator James Wood, Senator Lowrey, Senator Grabam (alterwara consigned to the State Prison on account of the Wallkill Bank developments), and Orange Winans, of the Erie Road, the republican who voted for the Tweed charter, THURLOW WEED was also in close relations with Mr.@iweed. Tho two men entertained the highest respect foreach other's abilities, and were, though nominally opposed, in reality often usetul to each other. It is generally held by the knowing ones that Mr. Weed was tho agent through whom Mr, Tweed formed that coalition with the republicans which enabled him to defeat the young democracy 1m the memorable fight at Albany, and there is littie doubt that not a few republican officials owed their places and perquisites to bargains wit bh the republicans through Mr. Weed. “If Mr. Tweed were to choose to open tis mouth,’? continued the gentleman who was being interviewed, “the could convulse the country and destroy the repub- lican party, His disclosures would be the tast straw that would break the camel's buck. And it is my im- prossion that {f they press the old man too tar he will | speak, and to some purpose, If ever ho breaks silence there will bea precious rattling of the dry bones. Knowing Mr, Tweed’s affection tor his family, and the influence which his wife and children exercise over him, leading republican officials in this city aro exert- ing all manner of SOCIAL INFLUENCES TO BEAR UPON MRS. TWEED and ber children, who in their turn are exerting all thoir influence to bear apon the husband and tathor to prevail upon him to bold his tongue at all haz- ards, So fur they have prevatlea; for Mr. Tweed bas given his promise to his wife never to speak upon political matters to any stranger whatever, or to any Bowspaper men without her express consent, which consent she declares she will never give.”? “What other parties do you know to have been on intimate terms with the members of the Ring?" asked the Heraup representative of bis companion. “Mr, Alec, Frear was the putative father of the Tweod charges; Judge Shandley was a warm beliovor in Tweed; Jadgo Dowling was a frm adherent of Mr. Sweeny; whilo Walter Roche was an out and out champion of tho Ring faith.” “Who wero Twoed’s active opponents in his days of power??? “Mr, Smith Ely, who fought him in the Board of Supervisors on several occasions; Mr. John Foley, who never truckled to Tweed, and Andrew H. Green. Also Lawrence D, Kiernan, the popsont President ot the Board ot Education, who compared Tweed at his genith to ‘the Angel of Darkness.’ ’? “What were Mr, ‘TWHED'S PERSONAL RELATIONS with the other members of the Tammany Ring?” asked the Hxxa.p reporter. “To tell the truth Mr, Tweed never porsonally liked any of hisassociates, He merely acted with them po- Iutically, uot socially. visited him it was purely tor political purposes, Nor did they always agree even politically, For instance, Tweod’s man would uot be Sweeny’s man, or vice versa. Nor did they always coincide in policy. Tweed cared little for expediency; he was always for rewarding or pantshing persoas, whereas Sweeny never was attacked | or angered by persops, but was always guided by pol- jey. Tweed, for instance, wanted Ledwith dominated, while Sweeny insisted upon John Hardy. Tweed and Sweeny «ditfered also about the conflicting claims of Justice Vodge aud Mike Norton. the triumph was in the one for Tweed and in the other for Sweeny, aud numerous other examples of similar POLITICAL DIVYERENCKS URTWEEN THR RING CHIEFTAINS could be cited, ‘Twoed respected Sweenys ability, but be never cared tor Connoliy, either personally or politically. He never bad any faith in Mr. Uonnolly’s adherance to bim. Appropos of Mr, Cunnolly,’’ con. tinued the gentieman now under the interview, “he never placed any reliance in the ultimate success of the Ring, and never invested largely in real estate, | so that at the last moment he was readily evabled to | transfer all his city property, two houses, one on Park avenue, to his two sons-in-law, Tod B, Fithian and Robert C. Hutchings. His other property, very large | in amount, be took to Europe, and has eovugh to live like a prince for the balance of bis natural life. Mr. Connolly mado iinmense sums of money. For ex- ample, ho appointed Mr, Patrick Carroll Superin- | tendent of Markets. This personage immediately raised the rent of stalls from $110 $3 or $4, thus {n- eroasing the revenues about $3,000 a week. He also mude $200 a week by raising tho charges on market wagons irom ten cents to thirty conta, Mr, Edward Dounelly increased the city revenues $300,000 annually by raising the dock reats, Again, the Comptrolior always insisted upon _ A LARGE PERCENTAGE ON ALL conTRACTS which be paid, and immense sums were anoually re- coipted by his son, T Townsend Connolly, as his per- centage on ills which be audited and paia out of the city treasury. “Third—The Comptroller was in the habit of refusing to pay certain warrants, &c., until the poor meu who held them were compelled TO GO TO A ‘PRIKND’ TO DISCOUNT orsbave then, This friend would ‘receive, of course, the whole amount of the warrant, and the ‘shave’ would be ‘divided’ between the Comptroller and ‘the broker.’ Cases have been known of this kind in | which $75 was paia to the party holding a $200 war- rant, tho balance, $126, being divided between the Comptroller, who received $50, and the broker, who took $75—as much as tho original holder himseli—the whole $200 having been paid to the broker in advance by the Comptroller.”” A number of other prominent porsons wore called | upon and interviewed im regard to Tweed and tho Tammany Ring, and from theso interviews and con, | Versations the follow:ng FACTS, INCLDENTS AND SUGGESTIONS were gleaned :— One of the most curious elements which ontered into the Ring—an element concerning which little has been published, though a great doal has been said, was THE “PRMALR? ELEMENT, The influence of womon over tho members of the Tammany Ring was wuch greater than is commonly supposed. Over one of the principal Ring politicians it was for a while supreme. A handsome, buxom lady, the daughter of a sport- ing man, was introduced toa Ring magnate, She was clever, bright-eyed, fluent, conversational, and ob- tained in a little while transcendant influence over the Ring magnate, She was a married woman, und tho Ring magnate was also married aud hadafamily, The intimacy existing between these parties wax kept a secret from their respective lamtlies and from the outside world as much as possible, but it secon became folt in political aud financial circies, The lady herself became rich. When she first made the Ring mognato’s acquaintance she was struggling along in poverty and dobt, rosiding 1m a house partially and shabbily tur. If he visited them or they | In these two cases | nished, end not carpeted at all. Within a few weeks | this house was not only refurnished and completely carpeted, but the house itself had been bought and | | Paid for by the lady, who soon added to her real es- | tate and wore diamonds in profusion. She kept five horses, three carriages, had a couniry house, &c. She Was alto a power 19 politics, was consulted as to ap- Pointwents and did not scruple to suggest appointees. | She lived lavishly, but she was wise in ber generation, She squandered a good deal of | money, but she saved more It is said that, had her advice been followed, tne Ring magnate would have been in power to thi® day. Without being at all a classis scholar, she adopted Horace’s maxim, “Festina lente’*—make haste slowly— | and warned the magnate against the danger of a too | great ambition and a too eager desire to get rich sud- denly. Her advice was unheeded, and the crash came, but found her prepared for :t. The Ring magnate dis- appeared, but sabe did uot. She baa by this time plenty of property, and she held on to it, though she | plead poverty to tho world. She is still a handsome woman and @ prosperous one, ‘This woman Is at pres- | ent under . THE SURVEILLANCE OF THE AUTHORITIES, | and, in future developmen! is expected to play an important part. She knows more, probably, of the King secrets than any other living woman, and, as she herself expresses it, “If the worst comes to the worst, I can drive my own bargain,” Passing to another portion of our theme it must be remembered tbat one very considerable share of Mr. | Tweed’s money—a larger share, too, than ts gen- erally supposed—was made during the wur, from the | Dounties offered tor substitutes, Mr. Tweed was S! pervisor then, and the Supervisors, so fur asthe bounty fund was concerned, “had things their own way.” Whether Mr, Tweed was directly cognizant ot the frauds perpetratea, and whether be was directly | concerned in them, 18 not at this late date susceptible | | of positive proot; but it ia certain that large sums ot money were made by the officials baving charge of the bounty funds, and that there was “a nOUNTY RING”? of the most elaborate description—a ring in which supervisors, justices, bounty brokers, policemen, | doctors, and recruiting officers were interested, and in the profits ot whicb they allshared. About one-filth— never more than one-tourth—ot tho bounty money wi given to tho man for whom it was intended, the man who was to do the fighting; the balance was divided between the officer who “accepted” the man (who was often physically unlit), the doctor who ‘‘passed” him, the policoman who ‘brought’? him, tho vounty broker himself, the ‘Justice’ who sent the vagrant to the army instead of sending him to the Island, ana lastly the Supervisor, who had the manipulation of the funds from which all these various ‘dividends’ were derived, Hundreds of thousands of dollars were ‘‘made” and ‘kept’ in New York by this arrangemont, and the pockets of both democrats and republicans were Milled thereby. THe SECKET HISTORY O¥ THK BOUNTY FRAUDS in the city of New York would form achapter in our Jocal annals as startling as it would be disgracelul. Covversing on this subject with a prominent local politician, the latter remarked emphatically :— Iwo millions of dollars have been squandered as bounty money by the Tammany Ring, every dollar of which ‘went into private pockets, though it 18 now being paid for by the already overtaxed community undor the head of the so-called ‘county bounty bonds.’ And there several wealthy democrats and republicans, judges, ex-judges and ox-generals, who have kept thar money, aud intend to keep it, although every dollar of it bas been made by bounty frauds. Une of the MOST USEYUL TOOLS. OF TWEED in his days of power was ‘Billy Cook,’? who att ward married Miss Louisa Moore, the actress. Mr, Cook was slim, wiry tudividual who was a faithful follower and benchman of the Hon. Ben. Wood, and who was for a while in the employ of tho Hon. John Morrissey. Sir. Cook was a man of theatrical proclivi- ties, and was a brightand shining light at the all-night rehearsalsof the ‘Black Crook” and ‘White Fawn” atold Niblo’s, He was a quiet porconage, rather re- served gave in the company of his intimates, and scrupled at nothing. Hoe was one of the most active agents of the Ring, and mado for himself a great deal ol money, which he still commands, Untike Tweed, | ho did not believe in real estate, or in the stability of the Ring, and so be always kept bis money about him in bonds, notes, bills, &c. ‘Mi, COOK’S FLIGHT from New York was accomplished in a characteristic ; Way. He mado up his mind on Friday that New York was getting too hot for.him and: determined to leave by the Cunard steamer the very next day. But as he ‘was woll known and as it was necessary for his safety | that he should not be recognized till the steamer had departed he made his preparations to leave New York iu a row boat, crossing the North River to the Cunard dock at Jersey City after midnight. Desiring alike society and protection on midnight trip be pro- cured the escort of two noted gambiers of the metrop- olis, men who were under pecuniary obligations to him and who were likewise to a certain extent in- volved in Ring transactions, To these men he made no | secret that he desired to leave New York for a while | and that secrecy was essential to him, and he prom, ised bis companions if they would ‘‘see him through’’ that he would consider their pecuniary obligations to him fully cancelled, These preliminaries being set: tled Cook and his escort crossed the North River, | 1M DARKNESS-AND IM SAFETY, | and reached the Cunard steamer, when, making somo satisfactory excuse, Cook, accompanied by his escort, was admitted to his quarters, which had been engaged thut very day. Notwithstanding the latencss of the hour some wine was ordered, and Cook and his com- panions took a farewell gidss together. Cook had carried in his nanda little black satchel which, ho said, contained bis wearing apparel, and of which he | had been very careful, always carrying it himself, ‘Tnis little black bag he retained by his side during bis | farewell. Just previous to loaving, one ot his com- | ‘panions protested that Cook was treating him sbabbily, | as he was only ‘forgiving’? him a paltry little debt o | some $500, when he really ougut to “give”? him thou- sauds, because, as his companion phrased it, “Cook | was well Oxed and had made WIG MONEYS OFF OF TWERD.’? “Big moneys,’ echoos Cook; “you are like the rest of the boys and think because [ have handied big money in my timo that it has stuck to me. I tell you,” he sitid, confidentially, lowering his voice al- | most to a whisper, “I am a poor man to-day com- | pared to what I ought to be, and if I have $50,000 in the world 1 don’t know it, And what little money I | have 1 can’t put into shape at once—it is locked up. | All Lbave with me is this little pile here,’’ pulling out | | wroil of bills, ‘just enough to keep me for « mouth or | to drop al! further legal proceedings, c! | such son the other side, and this toggery in here,” pointing to the little black satehel. | Growling and protesting Cook's auditors submitted tothe situation and forcing Billy to open another bottie they bade him goouby, accepting his quit- tance of all claims against them and borrowing of hima ten-dollar bill apiece, just for expenses, Cook holding in his hand the little black bag as ho bade | them goodby. But what would they not Lave said or done had they known (what was the fact) that THIS LITTLE BLACK BAG | contained over $850,000 in available drafts, in cur- | reucy and in United States bonds—a fortune at their mercy and within their easy reach—the proceeds of Cook's six years’ experience with the Tammany | Ring. Cook left behind him in his hurried flight many ar- ticles of value in bis rodms-oh Thompson strect— rooms fitted up in elegance and iuxury, and which | were subsequently occupied by Miss Kato Santley, of the “Black Crook,’ Among the articles left benind | im these apartmonts were several stray letters, im- | plicating indirectly in the Ring frauds two or three prominent republican officials, “These letters mys- teriously disappeared and have nover turned up to this day. “ Apropos of ‘THE EXILES OF THE RING, the inejority of them are in constant commanica- tion with New York. Iti even asserted on good authority that in several instances they have returned to the metropolis secretly, transacted certain business which required thoir personal presence, anu then de- parted as mysteriously ana as secretly as they came. One of tho notorious agents of the Ring returned to this city last summer, was In town about forty-eight hours, transacted some private law business, was cloweted ior several hours with a republican official | who came from Saratoga to New York on purpose to meet the dietinguished fogitive, and then departed by @ French line steamer to Paris utterly unmolested. ‘Still more curious facts in this Connection havo. re- | this establishment a ' cently transpired. In the course of converssticoa with 8 prominent lawyer of this city this gentioman stated 1p substance as follo Negotiations have been entered imto between the representatives of Peter B. Sweeny and Richard B. | Connolly and the proper officials to compromise the matters pending between them and thecity, Messra Sweeny and Connolly profess to be willing to surrender | @ certain amount of property or pay a certain amount | of money to the city provided the city w guarantee ibang er:m- inal, against them, Attempts are also being made so include William M, Tweed in this arraugement 1s 18 claimed if this scheme 1s ever consummated the city of New York will recover back more of us stolen moneys than { ever wili receive under the present aspect of ullatrs, for although much of the property of the detunct and ex- fled Ring is attached by the city, it yields the city no practicat benedt; whereas it ts held that this com- Promise will really and at once restore miilions of dol- lars to the city treasury. j Ibis stated that several of our local offictals are in favor of this compromise, but whether New York will ever be favored with the spectacie of Peter B. Sweeny and Richard B. Connolly waiking its streets tn | conscious security, and William M. Tweed once more | & free man in its midst, remuina to be scen, THE IMPENDING WINTER. PRESENT CONDITION AND PROSPECTS OF LABORING POOR, ‘The first chill blasts of winter have brought with | them gloomy suggestions to the thousands of the hon- | est laboring class who have nothing to depend upon for the next tour months but the precarious chance of a few duys? wor at intervals. : ‘The prospect of snow und frost is not to them one of gladness, as it is to those who delight in the tingle of the leigh bell and the merry patter of the skating rink, To the wealthy winter is sug: gestive of the weoll heated home, bot din- ners and joyous evening parties, balls and theatres. To the occupant of the tenement house it | implies long and dreary nights and days, cold apart- ments and hungry and ragged children. In order to ascertain how the poor class is prepared for the coming winter a Hexatp reporter yesterday | visited the most populously tenanted localities of the city and many of the large workshops ad foundries | upon whose employment these people depend tor sub- sistence. The cry which greeted the reporter wher- | ever ho went was anything but encouraging, and many | THE hard working, honest meu were found out of employ: | ment, without any plans for the future. Many were encountered who bad been only discharged on | Saturday night, and their week's pay was just suillcieut to cancel the bills for tho maiutenance of the family during the previous week. When asked by the reporter the cause of ther dischargo they replied that there were too many hands tor the work to be done, “You seo,” said one sturdy mechanic, “business 19 at ite lowest ebb now; most of us that desired work had steady employment up to the present, which enabled us to pay olf any debts we contracted in the dull summer months, 1d just as We got square the ‘lay oil’ came. Our condition,’ he continued, “was bad enough last winter; but God only kpows how wo will ever be abié to rub over this one, rything is so high, | 1 was fortunate enough to have a ton of coal laid away inthe cellar, und by ecouomy I may ve able to make it pass the winter; but bere we have potatos advanced lust week to nearly $4 per barrel, our is gone cousiderably higher, Duttor 1s seven or eight cents per pound dearer, sugar from three to tour cents aud keroseue vil, which we could buy @ short tune ago tor twelve cents per gallun, i¢ now tlurty to thirty-two cunts per gallon. These items may soem small, and may vot be felt in the pockets of the rich wan, but L tell you, sir, that when a mun Mas got te support a family ibis 4 very considerable item. People thought that when the elections wore over times would be by ter, but it is ull tue same.” ‘Yo tho suggestion ot the reporter asking if it would not be good policy if empioyers, instead of discharging men by the whowsale, would adopt vue system of Jow- ering wages during tho dul, months and keep all em- ployed, he replied, ‘Ot course 16 would;” but employ- ers, as a general thing, have very little consideration forthe laboriug man, Every one of thogo whom tho reporter visited took | the same view of the situation as related above, and | as they were ull of the class “too proud to veg aud too honest to steal,” the different charitable ins tions will fecl them uo eneumorance. it they can scrape togetber suflicient tesneet the demands of tho greedy laudiord their reputation for honesty procures them credit for the other becessuries until spring | comes around, When they Jad themselves tmmersed in a debt which requires ajegeherr efforts to liquidate before the next Wioter sets in. r ‘Thos the aboring masses, trom whom the nation derives its principal greatuens, are obliged to toil trom. year to your, giving all their energy, until old age overtakes them and death relieves them of thoir earthly burdens, Few of those.who derive all the profit from the poor mau’s labor have «ny conception of the manner in which the individuals “from whom they guin ther wealth aro compelled to oxiet The resident of Mith aveuue or Murray Hill, it be were tu visit tbe hovel of his workman, would be surprised how he could fee so cheertul on org to his work ach morning. If he would visit the great tenement localities on the east side he would wonder to Ond from twenty-four to thirty families, comprising in all over 100 haman_ veings, living io less space than a wealthy fanily of three or four would occupy. Houses intended for tenements are built with a mar- vellous uniformity, being designed to accommodate tenants who may desire two or threo rooms for their accommodation, As a general rule two rooms gre all that most laboring men can afford to pay rent for, and the mau who enjoys three is thought to live im luxury, Into ove of these disease breeding structures unscrupulous landlords crowd in sowe cases as many as thirty famihes, The | erage rent from each is $10 to $12 per wonth, which gs an aggregate rental of over $3,000 per year, That is equal to the yearly Gost of a first class mau- sion in the best locality in the etty ’ This was the language of a very inwlligeut mechanic whom the rd. porter jound iu his apattinents, partaking of a trugal meal with his wife aud tive children, yesterday alter. noon. As the reporter started to leave he remarked further :— “We would not live in this manner if we could avoid it, but we are entirely at the mercy of the landlord. If we move across the river We can get rents cheaper; but then the process of travel ix xo slow we can’t reach our work intime, If we could live in W chester we could rent a whole cottage for the same price We payin this pest house; but those who are wealthy are endeavoring to deteat rapid transit, which | would enavie us todo this, A man Inay put up with a tenement as this for the winter season, but maging What a ‘hot house’ it must be im summer, when twenty-five or-thirty cooking stoves are going at | once.” It required no stretch of imagination on tho part of | the reporter to cou.e to the cunclusiou suggested, | SKATING. THE PROSPECT YOR 10-DAY AT THE DIFFERENT | PONDS. There has been no change in the condition of the ice since Saturday, What hud formed prior thereto is as solid ag it was then, [t 1s 1 fact the pure crystal, without any mushbiness about it, Where there was skating on Saturday the prospect for to-day is god; | there will be found good skating now, PROSPECT PARK. ‘There has not yet been wny skuting upon the lake at | Prospect Park, Tho rules forbid the admission of skaters uptil the ice is from three and a half to four inches in thickness, At present it is only about two anda half thick. ‘The ice ts formed over the enure luke, containing some sixty ac first bridge. The duitding lor skaters and spectators | Lo rest in, & permanent structure, is being erected aud will be completed within a fortuight, CAPITOLINE LAKE. There could be no more beautitul field of ice for skating than that which ts now coverimy the extensive urea of Capitoline Park, Everything connected with so Well conducted that its popu- larity is proverbial, Parents especially give 1 the preference for their children. In no place the water more than eighteen inches deep, so that should even a sual child break through it could only get its feet wou UNION LAK The grounds at this inke, m ‘Brooklyn, E. D., are | now being flooded. On Saturday there was some skat- | ing on the Murcy avenue end, but tho grass tad not been covered around the home buge of the ball ground, ‘Tho sudden cold snap evidently caught Manager Com- meyer completely off his guard, juaging trom tho presont condition uf bis lake. ‘bis pond ia very weil patronized during the skating season. ROBERT LUSK’S THANKSGIVING. Coroner Croker took, of Saturday evening, tho ante. | mortem statement of Robert Luak, who was injured in a barroom fight at No, 689 Eleventh avenue, on ‘Thanksgiving night. Lusk sald he did not kuow how or vy whom he hud been hit; that he went Into tho iv involved in 4 seu! when ho was struck on the head in some manner, and knew noth- ing more until be found himself in the Ninoty-ninth strect hospital, Coroner Crok ed an order tor the arrest o: Joseph Arthur, the or of the | liquor store, and Officer Beeck, of the Twenty-second | recinct took Arthur into custody. Denuty Coroner Mocw bronie thinks that Lusk will not die unless men. ts in, tterbourg, at the Fifty-sevonth Street Police rg tor the keeper of the prison, ex-Corouer Gover, aud guye him. inatractions not to surrender to the Coroner James McMan ad Joseph Reynolds, who are held to await the result of injuries intieted on Robert Lusk, in the event of the lauer’s death. The keeper promised to notily tue Cours if-re- quosted to muke the discharga. | ment in New York. | before the Legislature, | British Consul. A STRANGE FATE, — | An American Citizen Imprisoned in Ber- | muda for New York Debts. Dangerous Effects of ing Laws. Remarkable and Romantic Es- eape of the Prisoner. When Dickens, some forty years a, praiseworthy endeavors to have the Insolvent Debtors, law abolished by giving those painfully realistic pic- tures of prison Hfe tn bia ‘Little Dorris’ and other novels mazy, no doubt, thought that these pictures had been greatly exaggeratec by him to make out hia cuse, pity for England the law bus tuere been done away with. known that tn one of Her Majesty’s dominions tn the West Indies—Bermuda—the law that a debtor shalt be coniined in prison until he pays the last farthing to his | In this place an occurrence has recently taken pince which 18 certuinly one of the | creditor tg still in force, most extraordinary on legal record, An American citizen who jailed in business some five years ago, and who had been adjudged a bankrupt last January. went to Bertuuda tor bis health. One of his creditors becoming aware of this, and knowing the existence | of that law, by the same steamer on which this gentleman sailed sent a notitication to some atlorneys at that place, the result of which was that as #000 as be arrived in Bermuda be was arrested on the charge of indebtedness and putinto tho debtors’ jai. There he lay for somo six months, and as all legal means for obtaining bis liberty proved unsuccessful he tinaily made his escape from the prison and arrived | at his home in Brooklyn ou the 20th of August of this year, HISTORY O¥ THX Cass, ‘The full particulars of this case are as follows:—In 1870 Mr. John W, Brown was in busiuess in this city asa hop merchant, and during that year borrowed a considerable sum of money {rom Denniston, Westileld & Co., of Now York, the loans assuming the form of bills of exchange drawn vy his {ather upon himselt, | and by bis turning over as collaterals to Denuiston, Cross & Co., of London, receipts for somo 1,488 bales of American hops, which Browa then had in Londoy, his temporary residence. In the full of 1870 he ro- turned to this country and repaid to his creditors a Jarge amount of his indebtedness; but as he could not pay all be authorized tho sale of the hops. was conducted at such a sacrifice that he lost about $70,000, and was still indebted to Denniston, Westileld & Co. to the amount of some $14,000, Of this his father patd $2,000, and he uve twWo promissory notes, ‘one of $5,000 and the | other for $7,000, to run for six months. During that time, however, on account of the heavy losses in- curred, he failed, aud iu consequence was unable to pay | tho said promissory notes. Denniston & Co. theres Upou commenced an action against Mr. Brown, in the | Supremo Court of New York, the result of which was ‘hat judginent was passed against him by default, Ex- échtion was theroupon issued, but the writs were re- turned unsatisfied. Aftor this he was several times eximinod in open court as to his property, but as | nothing was to be gained from him to satisfy the de- mods of tho plaintifls they finally let the matter go. Foi that time until last winter, a period of about fobr years, the mattor rested, and no further steps | were taken by his creditors. In Deeomber, 1875, Mr. Brown was taken severcly il with bronebitis, and threatened with an entire loss of his voice, His physician, Dr, Giber, recommondod him to try the climate of Bermuda for a tow weeks, which being moist und warm was tho only remedy lett for bim, He finally agreed to do so, making uo secret whatever of his intention, He lett New York by the steuiner Carmen on tho 27th of January of this year, and arrived at Hamilton, Bermuda, on the lstof Fev- Tuary, taking bis residence at tho Mawmilton Hotel, On ‘tho second day after his arrival be was arrested on a writ of capias Issued by the Court of General Sessions in Bermuda, at the suit of Deuniston & Co., who had sent au attorney in Bermuda a transcript of the judg- In defuult of bail be was impr: cued until the 19:b of January, when he coutessed Judgment on the civil suit whigh Denuistou & Co, had commenced against him in Bermuda, and which was tothe amount of their judgment against him in New York. Upon bis cont imuzediately rearrested on a writ of execution issued in the sati action, and remained in prison up to tho 1étn of July. On the lst of April a petition was fled in tho Dis- trict Court to aujudicate J. W. Brown, a bankrupt, and on tho 6th of the same month, ho was duly ad- judged. As Douniston & Co. were duly notilied of these proceedings, and as certitied copies were sent to hitn in Bermuua, bis attorney made a motion to have lim discharged on the adjudication; the motion, how- ever, Was opposed by the attorney of the plaintils, | and denied by the Judge, ACTION OF THE PEOPLE. The people of Bermuda had meanwhile become in- terested in this extraordinury case, and it was univer- saily considered au outrage that un American citizen, owing money to a firm in bis own country, should by coming to their island for tno xake of bis health, by imprisoned under one of their local laws. Upon the opening of the Colonial Legisluture, the Governor, in alluding to this case in his message to the House of Assembly, said:— “You are aware that this is one ot the last parts of Her Majesty’s dominions where the obsolete penalty of imprisonment for debt is eulorced. Productive of hardship, und ¢ometimes the imstrament of private waliee, it is time that the anomaly shguld cease, und ‘a Dill for its abolition will be submitted’to you."* Aud further on—"There is belore this colony a preguaut question, whether usages and opinions and social re- Jatious derived from bygone conditious sball be main- tained agulnst the laws of progress, which are so irre- sistibie in the end; or whether by timely and moderate reforms the permanent elements of wellbeing in this wolated community be knit together in a strunyer and happier union.” Upon a petition of Brown, embody- ing the facts of Lis case, a vill was introduced to release him from prison, It wis defeated, however, at the third reading, upon | the advice of the Attorey General, who was ut the | same ume chief counsel for the plaintiff, that in case Brown should be reieased the colony would be- come able for the amount tor which he had been tin- prisoaed. On the 19sh of July the prisoner received a certifi- cate of discharge in bankrapicy, duly attested by the Upon receiving this his attorney “yarn made u motion for his discharge, but it was again opposed by the opposite purty and again denied by the Juage. MENT IN PRISON. Daring all this t third story of the Hamilton Jail, The prison was a | Urree story building, the first two stories of which | were occupied by the convicts and the top one re- served for debiors, He received the same tood as they did—viz,, daily fourteen ounces of bread and a gil qs molasses, with a pint of warm water in which to dissolve the molasses so a8 to have a sort of drink, ‘Twice a week a sort of ment stew was served ow, but on Wednesdays and Fridays nothing was given to the imprisoned but bread and water, In fact, tue ouly Way 1m which his condition was different from that of the convicts Was that he was not obliged to break fourteen bushels of stones a day, and coli was lucked at eight P. M. instead of at six. His tine he tried to occupy with drawing and writing to all whom he possibly thought capable of aiding bim in his unfortanate condition. His wile, who imme: foilowed him when sho heard of whut had beta: strove to relieve his misery a8 much as possible, also interested the Amiorican Consul, Mr. Ailen, his behalf, He opened a correspondence the Secretary of Stato, Mr. Bish, on this subject, but Mr. Fish’ replicd that his hands were bound, Had the prisoner been a criminal he could be tree, but x8 he was contined on & merely civil suit nothing could be done for lim. As ail legal means had now been exhausted Brown decided upon escaping. His wifé, aided by some of tho resi- dents, bat whose numes for obvious reasons must bo withheld, supplied him with the necessary tools, aud with these he mabutacturod @ key for bia duor, When this haa been done she waited for a few days, and then, when there was promise of a dark night, she supplied him with a hight bat strong rope | He then waited till near midnight, and having pre’ ered bis hands and face with soot +0 as to appear us negro, he opened his door, proceeded to the eud of th corridor, attached his laddor to the window sill, hurried down by means of it and was once more tree, Ho immediately proceeded to the seashore, where atu designated place a small sail boat with provisions and water bad been | sigan for him by his friends, On the way thither he met no one but an old negro, who, thinking bit one of his kindred, wanted to know what he was up so @arly for, Brown, however, did not stop, but proceeded to the appointed spot, where he found his boat drawn upon shore. He launched it and immed) pus to sea, whore he remamed foor days, floating around in the expectation of failing ip with zome vessel to take him on board. Ho did uot dare to approach land, for ir of bving immediately known and recaptured, At length, on the fourth night atter bis escape, ho teil in with an American schooner, the Abraham Richardson, Captain Pray, bound for Barbadoa The captain ‘took him on board, and, upon his becoming ac. quainted with’ the story of tho imprisonment and the » agreed to take him to Barbados. Ar- rived there took tho bark Montezuina to this city aud arrived here om the 20th of last August, the day Degan his | ibiga fact, however, not generally | This | wing ho Was released, but was | 1¢ the pridoncr was confined in the | hat bis | | find in the files of the Treasury Departmens for Jul ~ after the escaped Fenians reached this eity. Before Jeaving be Lad arranged with bis wile thas she should come to jai! as usuai io the morning in order 60 throw } Suspicion of ber. Toe following morning, as Abe wat | abouL leaving the botei at whict ale resided, the jailer came iuio her room aud asked ber where was 10 see Mr. Brown." “Mr. going. ‘To Jatt,” ne, | Browa ts gone,” replied tle jatier, kaow more about that than Ido" | ever, could be prov | put her | upon her, and all cients closely observed; uti proved unw K in discovering the wscaped | prisoner, All the vessels in port were immediately | Searched, aud upon leaving port every Vessel was again closely serutinized by the police, A | Fequisition was also made wpou the Governor for the | military police, bus this the Governor retused; but ag | the result proves, qven this would Lave been unavail- 2. Public opinion was greatly delighted ui the tara mgs had taken with Mr, Brown, The Bermuda Colonist of the 19th July congratulated him on his eg cape, and hoped that ne would be far bee | yond the reach of that crue! law which bad doprived | bun of his iverty for 60 many mouths. The case is one of the most ous ou record. In ite is unprecedented. The law bas been in force sn Bermuda for some 290 years, but never has a caso occurred in which a foreigner was imprisoned for debts incurred in his own country. Looking at the | question trom a common sense point of view, there 13 ightest reason for a mereiy local law to act eigner for whatever wrong he has committed {t shows ulso tbe danger of lawa y benedcial at the tine when they ‘after the lapse of years and the stances under which they were | made, become positively peraicious. The ereditors of Mr. Brown had given up ali hope ot ever obtaining the money due thom, as the fuct that they did not molest hum for tour rly shows, It was only to work their malice ally helpless man that they pur- sued bim to Be and thero entrapped him by meuns of an obsolete lat iS ARRESTED. 4s, however, pub | which, though were made, Lave now change of ‘the circu | A CONSPIRACY DETECTED AND 1HE CONSPIRA- TO: CAUGHT AND HELD. One of the most complete aud successful pioces of | detective work ever pertormed by the police authors ties of this city bas just been consummated by Detec- | tive Walling of the Twenty-seventh precinct, The tme | portance and value of what has been accomplished will | be appreciated when it is stated that a band of forgers | arein custody, and with such proofs of their guilt that | it will be next to impossible for them to escape pun- | ishment, In order to make the story complete it will | be necessary to detail some occurrences which found | prominence in the police annals of the pubile prints of | about six weeks ago. The narrative, as told by Detec- tive Walling, is as follows:—On October 19 a man by | the name of John Adams presented a check to tho paying teller ot the Importers and Traders’ Bank, corner of Broadway and Murray sircet, for $600, pur- | porting to be signed by Sargeant & Co., wholesale hard- ware dealers, of No. 87 Chambers street, Adams was | # keutlemanly-looking person, but the check called for | cash, and, although the signature appeared to be | genuine the suspicions of tho teller were aroused and | an officer was callod in and Adams was arrested+~inves- | tigation proved that the suspicions of the teller were | well tounded, for the check not only turned out to be | w forgery, but it was further ascertamed that three | other forged checks on the same firm, amounting in | the aggregate to $1,100, had within a few days boom cashed by tho bank, Adams was speedily placcd on trial, and in his delence stated that he roceived the check trom a man named William Farrell Farrell Was arrested on the foliowing day, and he in turn claimed to have received the check trom one Thomas Carpenter, but could give no definite or satistactory intormation as to who Mr. Carpenter was or whore le could be found, Adams’ trial went op, and, tue evi dence being conclusive against him, he was convicted | and senteuced to three yeurs in the Stato, Prison on the 13th of last month, From the evidence adducee ou the trin] of Adams it became apparent that tor. geries were the result of a conspiracy and that there were undoubtedly guilty parties still at large. — T' | energies of the detectives, therefore, were bent ui | (he uiscovery of these purties, and recent events shows how riculy their labors were rewarded, About two weeks ago Detective Walling, who in the Mmoantime had procured the assistance vf Detective | Malvey, received intormation that 9 young man named | Anson ©. Hutton, an evtry cierk in the employ of Sar- geunt & Co., bad stolen che of the paid checks of the | firm, returned from the bunk to the rm as a voucher, and given tt to Somerticld Brush. On Friday aiter- | noon Hutton wasarresicd and on bemg closely ques | tioned admitted bis guilt and gave such injormation ag | subsequentiy led to the arrest of rush, the map who, | in police parlance, “dia tho scraiching.’”? Hutton | Claimed that he bad not received avy portion of the | mouey iraudulently obtained, although tt was | evident be was willing to, tor he stated | that when he asked Brush ‘for his share ho wus politely requested to “go te heill!’’ It was ascer- tained that Brush was living with tis wife in tirst clase style in West Seventeenth strect.. So, early on Saturday | morning, Mes: Walling and Muivey started to effect , Dis arrest, yarived patiently uti about two o’clock an afterngon, when.a mat emerged drown the house wilt compiéltiy-taswerod the description of Carpenter, from whom Farrell claimed to have re- ceived the $600 check. Indeed, 50 close was the ro semb.ance that, after following him a few viocks, the deteetives felt warranted in arresting him, and were | delighted to find that he was indeed one of the men | they were ‘seeking. The detectives then went to | the Sixteenth street precinct stavion house und bad | Captain Tynon detail swo men in citizen's clothesto aid in securing Brush. One of the men was seut to | the rear of the house to prevent his escape, the | other was posted in front, and then Messrs. Walling | and Bluivey entered, Mr, Brash was found ja the centro of his family circle, and oa being made w quainted with the charge offered no resistance, and ac- companied the officers to the Twenty-seventh precinct | statign nouse, where Hutton and Carpenter were al- | reauy locked up. Yesterday morning they we | brought before Justice Morgan at the Tombs Pol: | Court and remanded until to-day at eleven o'clock, 10 order to give the officers an opportunity to perteet | their evidence against the prisvucrs. It is a well koown face that one of the most difficult pieces o! poiice work is to secure the persons who actually com- mit the forgery, a8 they are, as a rule, superior in in- telligence to the ordinary run of swindiers, and usu- ally operate through a second or third party. Ai tant Districts Atiorney Russell will condact the | for the prosecution, and but little doubt 1s entertained of bis ability bo secure a conviction, |GENERAL DEVIN'S EXPLANATION | OF THE SMITH CASE. Heapquarrers Disrnict or THE Rio GRaxpR, | Fort Brows, Texas, Nov. 10, 1876. } | To tnx Error or THe HERALD: — | Your issue of the 28th ult, has arrived here, and my attention has been called to an “open letter’’ pub- lished therein, signed “John Jay Swith,’’ addressed to the Hon, Hamilton Fish, Secretary of State, and dated from ‘the common jail in Matamoros” Here, where Smith is known, no refutation of his statements ta deemed necessary, and in New York city their solo | importance i# due to the fact that they are published | inthe HeraLp, Somme timo in July last, for good and | sufficient reason, I ordered this man away trom the | vicinity of my headquarters at Fort Brown, and directed that he be not permitted to frequent the | post, For this I was assa:led in the columns of @ jocal newspaper with tho usual idiotic, vulgus and ungrammatical tirade of abuse which such ap “outrage on the rights of a citizen’ 18 certain to prow | voke on this ironuier, This I believe ho verma ‘caw tigation,” and insiuuates that in revenge | procured | his arrest and ineurceration by toe Mexican authoritics | asactspy.’” [tis needicxs to state that 1 cherish Bo | “revenge” ugaingt persons of Mr. Stnith’s charactor | or antecedents, When let severely th | usually acquit the debt themseives. But a | that [ pad no more attention to bis “custigation”” than if 1 Were the chattering of un enraged monkey; that I never knew his arrest was proposed or contemplated | autil after it cccarred; that I bad vever written a line upon the sabject or mentioned his name to a Mexican | official of any grade, and never bave since, except | to inquire as to the truth of my telegram | to General Ord, which Smith impugns, and the Mexiean "commander affirms, in au oflicial despatch to the Mexican Minister at Wasbing- din which he iurther dencauces Smith’s state- us wholly faise, I did, however, inquire into case, and, alter consultation with the naval com- | mander on this station, [ was satixtied ti | there was no just ground for the intertei the United ‘States wuttorities here, I hay no desire tu prejudice Smita oF his case by publishit | the facts and tuiormation upon woich my opinion | based, many of which are notorious here. It is en that I hold them to ve sulficient tor my action, aud for | what Iam responsible to my military superiors. I Mr. Smith 18 di ied for lite by ‘wounds received ip action” the tact is not apparent, and appears to be unknown to parties here who have known bim for years, For his military record see page on | part 2, “Reyister of Votunteer Forcos,’’ publish by the War Department. You observe it dit widely from his puvlisbed staement, He has nov | ferred to his record 1 the civil service. fhat you will . 1873. And now, Mr. Editor, as L have in you who Mr. Smith is, 1 sball not feel cailed upon to again notice “iterary cast'gations’’ whieh fallin venom here, . where their authors arc koown and appreciated att! fail value, which are of tho same character er pron mnt from the same sources. vin. Brovet Brigadier General U: re ———_ —_— THE HILDISE BUND. . The Hildise Band mot at No, 433 Fifth street, F. B. Brown presiding, to make arrangements for the great general meoting of the bund, which takes next Sunday. The question of reducing the allowal eta to sick hereon hymn discussed bed greas a proposition wi Qt {he general meoting to lix the weekly eee $i. Now it ranges batten by eager yp ry a alert ‘the 1agurance pro: poi oon he be dent, Treasurer, Financial nae to be reduced, owing t the