TWEED, WILLIAM MARCY (1823-78). A no torious American politician, leader of the so called 'Tweed Ring,' born in New York City. Ile was the son of a chair-maker. was prepared for the same occupation. receiving slight education, and early entered politics, hecoming an alder man of New York City, and taking a seat in Congress in 1853. Subsequently lie was a School Commissioner; became a member of the Board of Supervisors of New York County, and was presi dent of the hoard for four successive terms. From 1867 to 1871 he was a State Senator. A member of the Tammany Society for many years, he was grand sachem in 1869-71. He was ap pointed Deputy Street Commissioner in 1861, and when in 1870 that department was changed to the Department of Pubic Works, he was the Com missioner at its head, a position which enabled him to initiate, as is generally believed, the for mation of the combination known as the many Ring,' o• the 'Tweed Ring.' The 'ring,' having placated the Mozart Hall faction of Fer nando \ ood (q.v.), elected its candidate for Mayor in 1805, and its candidate for Governor in 1868, and so controlled the Legislature as to se cure such a modification of the city's charter as greatly to increase the power of the offices held by the 'ring.' Legislators and judges were bribed, and bills were passed and decisions ren dered in favor of the members of the 'ring.' Gigantic schemes of city improvement were organized and carried out successfully, though accompanied generally with much peculation. Fraudulent bills were audited, and their sum divided among the thieves. Probably no other such
complete plan of public spoliation was ever devised and executed in any country. The exposure of this vast system of peculation was made largely by the New York Times, through the intervention of a disappointed enemy of the `ring.' in July. 1871: a vigorous investigation and prosecution was undertaken by a committee of seventy citizens, under the lead of :%_4anmel J. Til den (q.v.) ; and Tweed was indicted in 1872 for forgery and grand larceny. Two trials were held, and in 1873 Tweed was convicted, and sentenced to twelve years' confinement in the penitentiary, and to pay a fine of $12,300.18. He was confined on Blac•kwell's Island from November, 1873, un til June, 1875, when he was released by a de cision of the Court of Appeals, on a legal techni cality. Ile was immediately rearrested on a war rant issued in a civil suit for $6,198,957.85, and sent to Ludlow Street. Jail. Being permitted to go out to drive with an officer, lie made his escape, and fled to Spain. He was returned in Novem ber, 1876, and again incarcerated in Ludlow' Street Jail until April 12, ]S78, when he died. Much material relative to Tweed is to lie found in Myers's History of Tammany Hall (New York), and in Breen's Thirty Years of New York Poli ties (ib., 1899). See also chapter SS of James Bryce. The .toirricao, Commonwealth (ih., 1889), on "The Tweed Ring," by F. .1. Goodnow.