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 examinationits purpose had been well
announcedthe 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；000
during 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 1873
he 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。
The triumph of Tammany in 1892 was followed by such ill…disguised
corruption that the citizens of New York were again roused from
their apathy。 The investigations of the Fassett Committee of the
State Senate two years previously had shown how deep the
tentacles of Tammany were thrust into the administrative
departments of the city。 The Senate now appointed another
investigating committee； of which Clarence Lexow was the chairman
and John W。 Goff the counsel。 The Police Department came under
its special scrutiny。 The disclosures revealed the connivance of
the police in stupendous election frauds。 The President of the
Police Board himself had distributed at the polls the policemen
who committed these frauds。 It was further revealed that vice and
crime under police protection had been capitalized on a great
scale。 It was worth money to be a policeman。 One police captain
testified he had paid 15；000 for his promotions； another paid
12；000。 It cost 300 to be appointed patrolman。 Over six hundred
policy…shops were open； each paying 1500 a month for protection；
pool rooms paid 300 a month； bawdy…houses； from 25 to 50 per
month per inmate。 And their patrons paid whatever they could be
blackmailed out of； streetwalkers； whatever they could be
wheedled out of； saloons； 20 per month； pawnbrokers； thieves；
and thugs shared with the police their profits； as did
corporations and others seeking not only favors but their rights。
The committee in its statement to the Grand Jury （March； 1892）
estimated that the annual plunder from these sources was over
7；000；000。
During the committee's sessions Croker was in Europe on important
business。 But he found time to order the closing of disreputable
resorts； and； though he was only a private citizen and three
thousand miles away； his orders were promptly obeyed。
Aroused by these disclosures and stimulated by the lashing
sermons of the Rev。 Charles H。 Parkhurst； the citizens of New
York； in 1894； elected a reform government； with William L。
Strong as Mayor。 His administration set up for the metropolis a
new standard of city management。 Colonel George E。 Waring
organized； for the first time in the city's history； an efficient
streetcleaning department。 Theodore Roosevelt was appointed
Police Commissioner。 These men and their associates gave to New
York a period of thrifty municipal housekeeping。
But the city returned to its filth。 After the incorporation of
Greater New York and the election of Robert A。 Van Wyck as its
mayor； the great beast of Tammany arose and extended its eager
claws over the vast area of the new city。
The Mazet Committee was appointed by the legislature in 1899 to
investigate rumors of renewed corruption。 But the inquiry which
followed was not as penetrating nor as free from partizan bias as
thoughtful citizens wished。 The principal exposure was of the Lee
Trust； an attempt to monopolize the city's ice supply； in which
city officials were stockholders； the mayor to the extent of 5000
shares； valued at 500；000。 It was shown； too； that Tammany
leaders were stockholders in corporations which received favors
from the city。 Governor Roosevelt； however； refused to remove
Mayor Van Wyck because the evidence against him was insufficient。
The most significant testimony before the Mazet Committee was
that given by Boss Croker himself。 His last public office had
been that of City Chamberlain； 1889…90； at a salary of 25；000。
Two years later he purchased for 250；000 an interest in a
stock…farm and paid over 100；000 for some noted race…horses。 He
spent over half a million dollars on the English racetrack in
three years and was reputed a millionaire； owning large blocks of
city real estate。 He told the committee that he virtually
determined all city nominations； and that all candidates were
assessed； even judicial candidates； from 10；000 to 25；000 for
their nominations。 〃We try to have a pretty effective
organizationthat's what we are there for；〃 he explained。 〃We
are giving the people pure organization government；〃 even though
the organizing took 〃a lot of time〃 and was 〃very hard work。〃
Tammany members stood by one another and helped each other； not
only in politics but in business。 〃We want the whole business
＇city business＇ if we can get it。〃 If 〃we win； we expect everyone
to stand by us。〃 Then he uttered what must have been to every
citizen of understanding a self…evident truth； 〃I am working for
my pockets all the time。〃
Soon afterwards Croker retired to his Irish castle； relinquishing
the leadership to Charles Murphy； the present boss。 The growing
alertness of the voters； however； makes Murphy's task a more
difficult one than that of any of his predecessors。 It is
doubtful if the nature of the machine has changed during all the
years of its history。 Tweed and Croker were only natural products
of the system。 They typify the vulgar climax of organized
looting。
In 1913 the Independent Democrats； Republicans； and Progressives
united in a fusion movement。 They nominated and； after a most
spirited campaign； elected John Purroy Mitchel as mayor。 He was a
young man； not yet forty； had held important city offices； and
President Wilson had appointed him Collector of the Port of New
York。 His experience； his vigor； ability； and straightdealing
commended him to the friends of good government； and they were
not disappointed。 The Mitchel regime set a new record for clean
and efficient mun