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Show THE BOSS. The Old Man Gives Up His Property and Ring In-foi In-foi million. 1 lie Romantic Story of His Escape, Travels and Recapture. Re-capture. Together with the Incidents. POOS TWEED! BROKEN IN HEALTH, RUINED IN CHARACTER, AND WITHOUT PROPERTY ! Turned Loose 1'pon u Uu-ieellutc Uu-ieellutc World. Ex Mayor Hull's Flight Ex-plulued. Ex-plulued. New York, 3. Harper' Weekly of to-raorrow will contain a carefully compiled account of Tweed's flight and exile, written from a diary by Tweed during his pilgrimage in Ludlow Lud-low streot jail, and bis travels after his escape. It aay: The unfounded announcement of the death of Charles O'Couor, in December, 1875, was read in Ludlow street jail by Tweed with a feeling, the reverse of which might be supposed, and the sorrow of th community waa more keenly felt by him than by anybody else. He was engaged at the timo in negotiating negotiat-ing for a release, the propositions for restitution and the settlement with the state by himself and fellow delinquents delin-quents wore favorably entertained. One of the law partners of Edwards Pierrepont, having the matter in hand. In the event of the decease ol O'Oonor, Tweed felt that there was no other person with whom ho could hopetoaettle, aud the terms in wh ch he was left seemed so hopolesd an estrangement that he felt utter despair. He had battled for ypars already, without result except that ho had squandered his ill-gotten riches upon lawyers and courts, Buflcrcd imprisonment im-prisonment with the prospect of a life , term in Ludlow Btreet jail in exchange for hie previous place in the peoiten-tiary peoiten-tiary on Blackwcll's island. Worse than all, he had sacrificed' his pro perty, piece by piece, at ruinous prices, under a cloud of legal attachments-to raise lees for carrying on hia legal battles. This had reduced his means so that in view of the disastrous disas-trous shrinkage and foreclosures he found himself brought face to face with actual bankruptcy. The approaching ap-proaching trial of the great six million suit against him threatened a demand upon hie cash resources for tees which be plainly saw be Bhouid fail to answer. His remaining possessions pos-sessions were not available to raise ready money and credit waa out of the question. His money gone, his courage cour-age broke down also, and be resolved on flight as a remedy both for bis bankruptcy and his hopeless imprisonment. imprison-ment. Could he obtain his liberty lie might save some fragments of his I estate. His costly and numerous ! counselors had deserted hiDi in battalions, bat-talions, and with his shrinking purse came not only a change of his temper but of hia advisers and followers. In short, haviug lost the great judgesand lawyers of the courts he bad created and controled, ho found himself forced to fall back upon their clients, his fellow prisoners of tho jail. Tweed's messmate in jail wag Charley Lawrence, Law-rence, n silk smuggler, whose extradition extra-dition led to the abrogation of the treaty with England. He had previously previ-ously chummed with Tweed in the more agreeable sphere of the Amori-CU8 Amori-CU8 club. From him Tweed learned all the details of the existing treaties and laws on the subject, and having concluded on flight, resolved to reach 1 Spain as the most expedient shelter. Another of the inmates of Ludlow . street jail was Bliss, the engineer of , tho Northampton bank robbery, also . engaged in the Washington safe burglary, who first suggested flight. J Tweed at first would not listen to it, but meeting his professional noighbor daily, the lubject was more definitely . discussed, and outside friends of the professional being called in, Tweed was persuaded of the practicability of a plan which they presented, and for the execution of which he engaged to pay a stipulated amount of money. Flight, he had reasoned, must be his only relief. His conferences with his new advisors convinced him that this step rrust be taken with such absoluteness as to have no confidents con-fidents or knowledge of his plans, except ex-cept among his own friends. He , must surrender himself exclusively to 'he control of those who undertook the job. Accordingly, no member ol his family, nor hia counsel, nor any friend or person whatever of hia previous pre-vious connections, knew of the proposed pro-posed flight; neither did they know of his whereabouts at any time until it had become necessary for him to communicate with them by his arrest iu Cuba by Spanish officers. Tweed understood that he was to be taken in charge by a weil organized body of men distributed throughout the county, coun-ty, having every facility, their connections con-nections and method being thoroughly tested and well established. He waa furnished with a Bhort key for telegraphic tele-graphic communication, and one for postal facilities. The latter included a system of iuclosure through five ditlerent envelopes, with addresses at removed points. He was to visit his house iu Filth avenue and deliver himself over secretly and unattended at hie own door. The execution ol the agreement included his landing in Spain, or under tho Spanish flag aud on Spanish territory, safely and secretly. He was given the name oi John Sccor, by wuich he was to bo known to his new connections, and his personal identity and his own name were to bo concsalcd. The exact minute ol his departure was fixed at S o'clock in tho evening. Tiie time of his flight was loft undetermined, unde-termined, but he was to visit his house on certain days, and when the whole train was ready a sign waa to be given by a certain secret mark upon the stoop, which he could see as he ascended the steps. Accordingly, Tweed took occasion to obtain from th sherifl the usual privilege of tho jail yard to visit his family and transact some business. I He made several such visits, until finally the 4th of December, 1S75, arrived. Oa the evening of that day he was driven in a customary hack, driven by two keepers of his prison. Ascending the stoop be saw the g:i which greatly excited him. Control ling himself he led tho attendants to the usual feast. X-veed. cava the keep ers ate heartily and he took good caro that they drank. At just tho right moment one oi the keepers rose and want to the wash ba.-in to wanh his hands. Tweed took tiie opportunity, rose also, saying he would wili in 'the adjoining room. II? quickly look (tho fir.ll hat and overcoat arid slipped out the front door. He saw the hack before the door without the driver, who also took advantage of tho occasion occa-sion in the kitchen. Nut a person or sound ajjpenred to respond to biv appointment. It was not quite one minute past eight. A revulsion of bis previous excitement seemed to have set in, and he began to experience peculiar sensations. Ho had stolen forth from his home to put himself in the hands and guidance of a picketed gang of desperadoes. As lie shrank back under tiie shade of the stoop he saw a tradesman's wagon drive up and a man inside signalled him to get in which ho did. The wagon was driven rapidly inio Madison aveuuo, but there had to stop among a lot of citizens and mounted police, who were putting a displaced car on the track. Ho describes his feelings whilo hero as terrible. The wagon soon Blurted and drove zigzag across the city to the north river, where ho was taken into a row boat and landed in a lonely part of the palisades, not far from the wdl known wpot where Hamilton was killed by Aaron Burr. After a lonely ride of three quarters ol an hour the wagon was stopped in front of a dilapidated old homestead, where Tweed was met hv another of his new found friends, who greeted . him quietly with assurances of kindness kind-ness and safety in this refuge. Tweed continued until about tiie first week in March. Alter a fitful night's real the fngitivo rose to realize that he was an exile at his own threahhold us it were. From neighboring bluffs ol hills he could see his home in New York which he dared not visit, aud where he was born a..d raised. His present resting place was intended to last until it was convenient for him to start for Spain with littla further delay for preparations, but it was months before he set out or could tear himself away from New York. His first care in the morning was to put on a disguise and transform himself into his assumed personality, John Secor, an invalid gentleman, seeking merely a little rest and fresh air, as well aa relief from business pressure. Bis whiskers being shaven ofj and his hair clipped short, he pdt on a wig. The removal of his whiskers gave his features, hii jaws and cheek bones greater prominence, and with the whig and a pair of gold spectacles he was quite transformed, The wig was oi yollsw-reddieh hair, crinkled or curled in appearance, cut square and quite well down n his neck. Next h pot the newspapers aud read accounts of his escape, which was a most striking sensation to him. He continued to. got the papers regular. During his eojourn hero bis routine was monotonous. HiB only exercise was a short walk daily, in the morning. It was during this opportunity ot quiet and meditation medita-tion that tho striking mental change oegan wmcn naa been observed m him since his return, and which acat tered indications iu the brief diaries which he kept clearly indited. It is important to note this here a3 a key to the concluding events of his extraordinary ex-traordinary story, Tweed watched the progress of the proceedings against him after his flight, keeping himself thoroughly posted. He Haw the defeat of the motion for dismissal, and Bcanned with wonder the unprecedented unpre-cedented and then novel proceedings of the "struck jury." Of course he he could know nothing of tho secret councils held by juniors at the sickbed sick-bed of O'Couor. Tho latter waa ai Washington, quite in eight of the hiding place of the fugitive, had suddenly sud-denly returned from his long, extraordinary ex-traordinary lethargy, became convalescent, con-valescent, got out of bed and rivalled Tweed himself in his growing interest in the trial. Tweed had made definite defi-nite plans for his future, but once at large ho lingered, intensely anxious that the result of the trial might admit of his return. He saw by the rcportB that the adroitness adroit-ness of David Dudley Field, in the absence ab-sence of O'Conor, indicated an easy rout of the junior counsel, into whose hands the case lor the people had dropped. Witnesses came on tliRstanci from the public ollices, from the city banks; Guney and Ingersoll eaino, Tilden was put to question. Tweed watched it ail. He was certain from appearances that the prosecution of the suit was a breakdown. Tweud h..fl h,.-., n .., I. ... . had been an exile now ttiree mouths. His suspeuso had become intense. Ht continued under the control of the two men who had managed his escape and contracted for his safety. He did implicitly what they directed, and they held him in hand like trainers. He slept, rose, walked, rode, ate and drank only as ttiey instructed him, and this discipline aud ration were maintained until lie closed bis engagement en-gagement with them satisfactorily. In Florida Tweed was suddenly startled one day by the announcement announce-ment that O'Conor had reappeared in hia case. Of all the resurrections and ghosts this seemed the most terrible to him. All hopes ccsmed vanished. He had conjectured some brilliant technical stroke by his counsel, which would quash the whole thiug as they did before the court of appeals. ap-peals. He had alimatort tha iirr,t.l i peais. rle had estimated the protia- bilities of hanging the jury on some disagreement, but the advnnt of O'Conor dissolved all. Ho did not wait for the end. Ho agaiu gathered up his now scanty efiects. f he (Tweed) did not make an end of this thing, O'Couor never, never would. Tweed next took up hia abode in an abandoned fisherman's hut on Staten island, near tho narrows, with his two companions. Here tho party stayed for two weeks. From here lie crossed the channel one night and slept in Brooklyn. How hn escaped the vigilance of the detectives on his track is a miracle. During his stay on Staten island a light and fast sailing sail-ing schooner was fitted out and manned by bimsell aud two companions, compan-ions, with a negro hoy. Ho started at last aud slipped away upon a pleasant pleas-ant breeze. In due courso of timo they reached the lagoons on the coast of Florida. At one of the lighthouse stations, they ma.ic a defioitw stoppage stop-page again, I" weed taking board with the keeper of the lighthouse as John Secor, an invalid gentleman seek ing restoration of health, of recre " atioiis, of fishing and hunting. Here i too, ho parted with his guides from New York, closing his contract with them at that place. In the lonely shelter he took melancholy, oifditative rest. He experienced for tho first time in yeara a leeling of perfect peace and safety, which be-gau be-gau to fascinate him. Communica-tion Communica-tion was easily had with the main land, and the facilities of tho mails and even indispensable newspapers were within easy reach. Tweed waa here joined by Hunt, who was a practical prac-tical hunter and guide. His chief resource of profit was to pilot pleas-'ure pleas-'ure parties who seek Florida during the winter months. He led Tweed into the interior, where they remained hunting and fishing till the climate became too hot, wnen ho took up his abode in the neighborhood of St. J Augustine. Here he deliberately planned a nfw sphere and naw life of j uieluloess, if not of repentance and ! reparation, I When he left this place in a fishing j smack for Cuba, h had completed a ; definite set of phna to be carried out on hia at rival in Spain. Some forty mileB sail brought Tweed and hia companion com-panion to tiie coast of Cuba, ten miles outside ot the -harbor of Santiago de Cuba. The fisherman who brought them from t';e American coast did not dare confront the Spurns b officials with freight which he strongly bus-j jjected was contraband. It was a j bnghl moonlight night as they made thu point chosdii for landing. Tweed had already become habituated to byways frequented by hia guides, and even where he might have taken regular steamers plying among the West India ports, he quite naturally coutinucd his course as he had started keeping away from tho regular channels chan-nels iu which ho might be inconveniently incon-veniently recognized. There was no kind ot habitation within sight, and the hour, notwithstanding the moonlight, moon-light, precluded a search. Hunt wrapped himself in a blanket and was aeon asleep on the rock where they wero left by the skipper. Camping out had been their custom for several months. Avoiding towns aud settlements, settle-ments, they finally came in sight of a fisherman's hut on the bay. They engaged the fisherman to take them to Santiago de Cuba, and on arrival there were met by a customs officer who demanded passports. Not being able to comply, they were arrested ar-rested and placed ou board theSpanUh man-of-war Chcrrucca. This was on tho 12th of Junn, 1S7G, aud he was i-Ht.'nqnl mi tlio 9.'A,. Th nhanufi und arriv.il of the new captain general at Havana had caused both suspicion and delay in their case. Cuban patriots were manifesting much acliv ity, ami all American arrivals wore strictly watched. Then a variety of rumor had started up about the two men arriving in a mysterious manner, man-ner, which, although subjecting them to strict surveillance, secured them nevertheless distinguished and courtu-ous courtu-ous entertainment by the officers of! the Spanish man-of-war. Tho diary! contains the names of these officers in ' detail and indicates a lan-iiliar and kindly intercourse with the captain of the port, until Alfred N. Young, the Americau consul, procured their release on parole by becoming bond for them. They were accordingly able to take up their quarters at the principal hotel until their case should be passed upon at Havana. The routine here was merely one of delay. Tweed notes hia walks, rides, churches and buildings, holidays holi-days and their negro processions aud carnivals. His social contact, through the American, French and English consuls, with locul society, seems to nave been free anil cordial, with dinners, din-ners, picnics and excursions around the city. Ou the 30th of June Consul General Hall telegraphed in reply to Youug: "The case of Secor will be attended to as soon as the papers arrive," A couple of captains of American merchant mer-chant vessels, also delayed lor custom bouse infractions, made his companions compan-ions at thu hotel and afforded him sympathetic concert in maledictions against Spanish outrages. Ou the 2d of July the telegraph announced the nominations of Tilden i aud Hendricks, of which ticket his , anticipations were not altogether cheerful. Tweed originally contem plated making Brazil bis place of refuge, but lh arrival of Dom Pedro ; in the United States made the idea unadvisable. Tho Centennial ol America, 4th of July, he duly celebrated cele-brated with fireworks in the evening, from the balcony of the hotel, thu demonstration beiug highly appreciated appre-ciated by a concourse ol the chattels. On the 7th uf July, having been detained de-tained a month, he concluded to seLtle down and make the best of it by employing a teacher of Spanish and utilizing his time by acquiring a knowledge of the language. On the 11th he notes the receipt of funds and the ealo uf his bill on the United States. He began lo grow nervous aud worried about his case at Havana, and waited with auxietv for every mail. In view ol a prospect of detention he begun to look about bim for a house to rent, complaining nevertheless of the intolerable oppression op-pression of the climate which began to tell on his health. The departure of his friend, the American consul, on a furlough to the United States, he mentions enviously; as also the eame day he chronicles gloomily the execution execu-tion ol a person who is taken out and shot in the outs'tirts of the cily. He saw the parade of the victim through the town, cicortcd by a guard and a band of music. At the place of exe- Pillion II. a m.ir. r..,t culiou the nnn was put upon hia , knets, blindfolded with his back to the , soldiers a little hurdo: than three ; millions bail. At length the vice consul and consul con-sul general, captain of tho port and admiral of the marines at Havana, were brought into accord and be was permitted to engage passage iu the Spanish bark Carmen for Barcelona Barce-lona and Vigo, having given security to report at Vigo to the captain of the port there. Ho went on board and sailed the 27th of July, paying $548 for himself aud companion as the cost of the trip. There was nothing unusual un-usual during the voyage. He was troubled with seasickness continually which reduced his weight largely. Theetory that ho shipped as a tailor was erroneous. On the 6th ol September the Car- men arrived in the bay of Vigo after a voyage of forty. two days, where he was formally arretted and all his eflocts taken from him, and he con fined in the fortress as a prisoner of of stale. Here his condition was pitj. able. Unal le to ppcak the language sulriciently plain he could eniy conjecture con-jecture the cause of his arrest, and his quarters were anything but enviable. envi-able. One moruiug when the woman who took charge of their room brought their loud from the hotel, hi attention was attracted by her gestures ges-tures to stop the bucket she had just Emptied. After she had left with the sentinel who always watched her when she came, Tweed examined the eniply bucket ami found she had left him a note from Ids son. An answer was put in the bed clothes next moru-mg moru-mg which the chambermaid as duly found and delivered. In this manner I. weed came to learn something of the new phase of bis case. He learned that ho was help by the Spanish government and supposed to be Secretary Belknap, a fugitive minister of war of tho United Stan-. amM this at least gave him a prospect ol . releaee, his imprisonment being based on some mistake or Sjunish blunder. Another scene, which grew out of the new postal arrangement, was the fiudiug of one of the cpis Ipb placed in the bed clothes by the chamber maid. One of these happened to fall into the bands ot Hunt, who observed that the address to John Secor was superseded by what had until then been unknown to bim, thu real name ot his companion, Wil.iam M. Tweed lucre WM nut nmch C(m),urUbl(, feeling possible buiwon Ibrm for the : retiniijiU-r uf tho fourteen days Bv that lima the Franklin had arrived land they wero duly taken on board j wl.ure an cxplaualiou was more prac tvib;t Hunt was clamorous ou the jvM.v io t;.e ship, win n ho learned ul the presence of the Urn ted States I consular agent, protesting his American Ameri-can citizenship, his HlA hitf entire igi.oranco of Tivei.d as such until the discovery in the castle Once on board the Uniltd Slates steam frigate Franklin, Tweed fuuud solid and intelligible ground to occu-py. occu-py. The commander aaid, as he received him from the Spanish soldiers sol-diers and officers, that his instructions were to bring Tweed to New Yorlr, and to Tweed he also said what his mission was, and, producing a photograph, photo-graph, said lie was satisfied to receipt for him ani bear bim back accordingly, accord-ingly, assuring him of his kindest feelings aud of every courtesy and attention on the voyage, placing t his disposal ona ol his best state rooms, and extending to hi in tiie privileges of the officer-)' mess. As to Hunt, the commander had no knowledge, aud would, ' if requested extend to him ihe same , privileges, or he was free to go nsboro . if he preferred. Tweed's sou had lib- ! erty to communicate freelv with his father, which he availed himself of. As to Hunt, he speedily took himself out of sight of Tweed and went oil'; returning, however, in restored good nature with youug Tweed, when he found there waa no more danger of detention. Aa a token of reconciliation reconcilia-tion and fraternity, too, he left as a little keepsake the usual compliments ol a certain classon parting with their friends in difficulty, a file, a whipsaw and a jimmy chisel. The rest of the story of Tweed up to hia ruturn to Ludlow street jail again, has been widely published already. Ho was handed over to the Bherifi on the 23d of November, 187G. Secluding Seclud-ing himself from lawyers and reporters, report-ers, he has maintained as to the nnhlip ,ir. nliinlntn uiln.n uln hi pUUHU ail ttUJURHU HllliUCU BIUCU 1113 return. The following letter to Charles O'Conor will show, however, that he had adopted an intelligent, though au unaltered courso toward the public; Ludlow Street Jail, Docember Gib, 1876. Charles 0' Conor, Esq.: Sir. I Like the liberty of addressing address-ing you this letter, in view of the fact ihiiiyour position as counsel designated desig-nated by the stale authorities in my matters, has professed solely the public pub-lic good, regardless of any factions or personal interest. Heretofore I havo met my troubles with every resource at my disposal, possibly in a mistaken srnse ot my duly. I have stood up too Iu. g to shield others as well as myselt, leaving such losses , and punishment an were meted out to I my traiiBgretsiuus and my misfortunes. misfor-tunes. It was truly more in the interest inter-est of others than in my owu that the litigation and resistance were prolonged. pro-longed. Viewing the mattor of my return to the wards of this prison, realizing re-alizing the events in tho city, in the stale and in the nation, which I am brought hern toconlrout, it will not, I Imp.-, seem to be a presumption or insiijcrity iu me to nay that I am indeed overwhelmed; that all further resistance being hopeless I havo none now to make, and only seek tha shortest and most efficient manner in which I may urko an unqualified surrender. It is not my purpose to dicpule er appeal or further resist the suits which you jave against mo iu the name ol t he state and people. I propn.-o forthwith to place at your diwpoaal a lull surrender ot ail i have telt ol properly or efiects, and respond at once to such exumiualion in this connection as may assure you and the public uf Iho good faith ol this assign-ine. assign-ine. t. as well show the entire amount and disposition of all 1 have possessed, &o far as you may wish to bo detailed. I am an old man, p. really hrokon in health, c:t;ltlown in spirit and cannot longer bear my bur Jon. To mitigate the prospect of hopeless imprisonment which muat speedily terminate my life, sUouid, it seems to me, make any sacrifice or effort. During the early stages of the suit, aud proceedings proceed-ings against me I was ready to make restitution and reparation as far as iu my power. The entanglement, with interests and counsels of others, delayed and defeated this. I reerel , that my means have now become so 1 utterly inadequate. 1 would nut make the futile offer if I had not some assurance through your published pub-lished statements that a vindication of the principle and a prospect of permanently purifying the public service are the objects you have in view, as being more desirable than the recovary of the money. If in auy maunor you may see fit to use me in such connection, I shall bo only too glad to respond. Trusting implicitly in your high reputation and character, I ask to make only a single reservation, nut us regards re-gards myself, but wherever others tiuv be connected, leaving my personal and property interests to be put to the fullest lest of publicity. I would hope to have any matters effecting other persons restricted to your private knowledge and discretion, discre-tion, knowing as you do every mate-rial mate-rial fact already, it would be nnavai'-iug nnavai'-iug for me further to resistor withhold with-hold any details you may demand, I only ask in qualification of the utmost franknejs that your more reliable re-liable judgment shall take the responsibility respon-sibility of the publication and the use of such matters only as may be necess iry for the ends you wish to advance. ' For the present I havo no counsel. I shall nt employ any except ex-cept to act in the spirit ol this communication com-munication and conform to the usages of courts. I send this by Foster Dewey, whom I have heretofore hereto-fore employed as secretary. Ho is directed to racuive. from you an in- slructiona aud answer in detail us to my circumstances. I remain very truly yours, (Signed) W.u. M. Tweed. It ia understood that O'Conor sent this letter to Attorney General F.vir- j child with his favorable recommenda- j lion, and that O'Conor also si-uifi-d hia intention to terminate his more active connection with the ring prose coitions, now practically ended. Acting Act-ing upon this view, the attorney general gen-eral has himself made several visits lo Tweed, and carried out Ihe exaiain.v Itions of the eU'eels. especially ot the information which Tweed had to turn over, A largo pile of checks, vouchers and evidence is accordingly ac-cordingly in the coutr 1 of Attorney General Fairchild. His re lease has been provisionally agreed to Tweed intended lo enter upon railroad rail-road work in Spain, which may still engaso hini. He was 54 years old on ruelay, April 3d. It is well known that O'Conor has many facts ami indubitable proofs derived from Tup) pl uming various parties. Some of these are intended to be made public, and some of the disclosures certainly compromise A. Oakey Halt, and may account for his disappearance. |