1869 Tobacco label featuring Boss Tweed.

William M. Tweed (April 3, 1823 – April 12, 1878), commonly known as "Boss" Tweed, was an American politician and head of Tammany Hall, the name given to the Democratic Party political machine that played a major role in New York City politics from the 1790s to the 1860s. He was convicted and eventually imprisoned for stealing millions of dollars from the city through graft. 1869 tobacco label portraying Boss Tweed, from http://memory. ... 1869 tobacco label portraying Boss Tweed, from http://memory. ... April 3 is the 93rd day of the year (94th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 272 days remaining. ... 1823 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... April 12 is the 102nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (103rd in leap years). ... 1878 (MDCCCLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Tammany Hall was the name given to the Democratic Party political machine that played a major role in New York City politics from the 1790s to the 1960s. ... The History of the Democratic Party is an account of a continuously supported political party in the United States of America. ... A political machine is an unofficial system of political organization based on patronage, the spoils system, behind-the-scenes control, and longstanding political ties within the structure of a representative democracy. ... // Lenape and New Netherland: Prehistory:1613-1664 Main article: History of New York City (prehistory-1664) Prehistory in the area began with the geological formation of the peculiar territory of what is today New York City. ... World map of the Corruption Perceptions Index In broad terms, political corruption is the misuse of public (governmental) power for illegitimate, usually secret, private advantage. ...

Background and rise to power

William Tweed was born on Cherry Street in Manhattan in 1823, of Scottish-Irish descent. He left school at age 11 and began working a series of jobs, ultimately ending up partners with up as a partner in a brush concern.

A craftsman, he joined state assemblyman John J. Reilly in founding the Americus Engine Company No. 6, a volunteer firefigher brigade also known as the "Big Six", in 1848. He became an alderman in 1851, and served a single term in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1852 before returning to New York politics. He quickly rose to a seat on the executive committee of Tammany Hall in 1858 and became "Boss" after being named Grand Sachem of Tammany in April 1863. By 1870 he had amassed a fortune of more than $12 million by skimming large sums of money off city projects and was the third largest land owner in Manhattan. An artisan, also called a craftsman, is a skilled manual worker who uses tools and machinery in a particular craft. ... An alderman is a member of a municipal legislative body in a town or city with many jurisdictions. ... 1851 (MDCCCLI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... A sagamore is the head of a Native American tribe. ...

Tweed and his top Tammany leaders became known as the Tweed Ring. Tweed's political machine gained numerous offices in New York City, and even to the state legislature and judges' seats, often through illegal means. From 1860–1870, Tweed controlled most Democratic nominations in the city. A political machine is an unofficial system of political organization based on patronage, the spoils system, behind-the-scenes control, and longstanding political ties within the structure of a representative democracy. ... The History of the Democratic Party is an account of a continuously supported political party in the United States of America. ...

It has been estimated that the Tweed Ring stole a total of $200 million dollars between 1865-1871 of which $876,000 was eventually recovered, and that this massive theft precipitated the Panic of 1873. (Sante, p. 266) Run on the Fourth National Bank, No. ...

Political career

Tweed himself was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1852, the New York City Board of Advisors in 1856, and the New York State Senate in 1867. Seal of the House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives (or simply the House) is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress, the other being the Senate. ... 1852 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... 1856 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... 1867 (MDCCCLXVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ...

Financiers Jay Gould and Big Jim Fisk made Boss Tweed a director of the Erie Railroad, and Tweed in turn arranged favorable legislation for them. Tweed and Gould became the subjects of political cartoons by Thomas Nast in 1869. Jay Gould (1836-1892) Jason Gould (May 27, 1836 – December 2, 1892) was an American financier. ... James Big Jim Fisk (April 1, 1834 _ January 6, 1872), American financier, was born in Bennington, Vermont. ... The Erie Railroad (AAR reporting mark ERIE) was a railroad that operated in New York State, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, connecting New York City with Lake Erie, and extending west to Cleveland, Ohio, Cincinnati, Ohio and Chicago, Illinois. ... Thomas Nast (September 27, 1840–December 7, 1902) was a famous caricaturist and editorial cartoonist in the 19th century and is considered to be the father of American political cartooning. ...

In April 1870 Tweed secured the passage of a city charter putting the control of the city into the hands of the mayor (A. Oakey Hall), the comptroller, and the commissioners of parks and public works. He then set about to plunder the city. The total amount of money stolen was never known, but was estimated to be about $200 million. Over a period of two years and eight months, New York City's debts increased from $36 million in 1868 to more than $130 million by 1870, with little to show for the debt. 1870 (MDCCCLXX) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Monday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... A comptroller is an official who supervises expenditures. ...

Boss Tweed, by Thomas Nast.

His followers generally worked by presenting excessive bills for work performed. Ostensibly the bills were paid in full, but in reality only part of the amount was paid, with Tweed retaining the remainder and dividing it between his followers in proportion to their importance. For example, the city was billed $13,000,000 to build a courthouse, which was many times the actual cost of construction, estimated to be $250,000; the city was also billed $3,000,000 for city printing and stationery over a two-year period. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (702x761, 134 KB)Boss Tweed, by Thomas Nast. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (702x761, 134 KB)Boss Tweed, by Thomas Nast. ...

While he was known primarily for the vast corrupt empire, Tweed was also responsible for building hospitals and orphanages, widening Broadway along the Upper West Side, and securing the land for the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The central lobby of the museum The Metropolitan Museum of Art, often referred to simply as The Met, is one of the worlds largest and most important art museums, located on the eastern edge of Central Park in Manhattan, New York, United States. ...

Tweed's arrest and subsequent flight

The end came when one of the plunderers, dissatisfied with the amount he received, gave The New York Times evidence that conclusively proved that stealing was going on. In a subsequent interview about the fraud, Tweed's only reply was, "What are you going to do about it?" However, accounts in The New York Times and political cartoons drawn by Thomas Nast and published in Harper's Weekly resulted in the election of numerous opposition candidates in 1871. Tweed is attributed with exclaiming, "Stop them damned pictures. I don't care so much what the papers say about me. My constituents can't read, but, damn it, they can see pictures!" The New York Times is a newspaper published in New York City by Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr. ... Thomas Nast (September 27, 1840–December 7, 1902) was a famous caricaturist and editorial cartoonist in the 19th century and is considered to be the father of American political cartooning. ... Harpers Weekly Inauguration Number 1897 Harpers Weekly (A Journal of Civilization) was an American political magazine published by Harper & Brothers from 1857 until 1916. ... 1871 (MDCCCLXXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...

Formal portrait of Tweed.

In October 1871, when Tweed was held on $1,000,000 bail, Jay Gould was the chief bondsman. The efforts of political reformers William H. Wickham (1875 New York City mayor) and Samuel J. Tilden (later the 1876 Democratic presidential nominee) resulted in Tweed's trial and conviction in 1873. He was given a 12-year prison sentence, which was reduced by a higher court and he served one year. He was then re-arrested on civil charges, sued by New York State for $6,000,000, and held in debtor's prison until he could post $3,000,000 as bail. On December 4, 1875, Tweed escaped and fled to Cuba. Download high resolution version (441x640, 42 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (441x640, 42 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Jay Gould (1836-1892) Jason Gould (May 27, 1836 – December 2, 1892) was an American financier. ... William H. Wickham (July 30, 1832–January 13, 1893) was a New York City mayor and anti-Ring Democrat who helped to topple corrupt politician Boss Tweed. ... Samuel Jones Tilden (February 9, 1814 - August 4, 1886) was the Democratic candidate for the US presidency in the disputed election of 1876, the most controversial American election of the 19th century. ... 1873 (MDCCCLXXIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... A debtors prison is a prison for people unable to pay a debt to another. ... December 4 is the 338th day (339th on leap years) of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1875 (MDCCCLXXV) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ...

His presence in Cuba was discovered by the U.S. Government and he was held by the Cuban government. Before the U.S. Government could arrange for his extradition, Tweed bribed his way onto a ship headed to Spain. Before he arrived in Spain, the U.S. Government discovered his eventual destination and made arrangements for his arrest as soon as he reached the Spanish coast. The Spanish government identified him, purportedly recognizing Tweed from one of Nast's cartoons, and extradited him to New York; he was delivered to authorities in New York City on November 23, 1876, where he died in the Ludlow Street Jail, just a few blocks from his childhood home, two years later on April 12, 1878, at the age of 55. Nickname: Big Apple Location in the state of New York Coordinates: Country United States State New York Boroughs Bronx (The Bronx) New York (Manhattan) Queens (Queens) Kings (Brooklyn) Richmond (Staten Island) Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) Area    - City 1,214. ... November 23 is the 327th day of the year (328th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 38 days remaining. ... 1876 (MDCCCLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... The Ludlow Street Jail was New York Citys federal prison, located on Ludlow Street and Broome Street in Manhattan. ...

He was buried in Brooklyn's Green-Wood Cemetery. A map of New York City, highlighting Brooklyn. ... The Chapel at Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn NY Green-Wood Cemetery was founded in 1838 as a rural cemetery in Brooklyn, New York, several blocks west of Prospect Park. ...

Succession

Seal of the House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives (or simply the House) is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress, the other being the Senate. ... Official language(s) English de facto Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area  Ranked 27th  - Total 54,520 sq mi (141,205 km²)  - Width 285 miles (455 km)  - Length 330 miles (530 km)  - % water 13. ... The New York State Senate is one of two houses in the New York State Legislature and has members each elected to two-year terms. ... Fernando Wood (June 14, 1812–February 14, 1881) is famous for being one of the most colorful mayors in the history of New York City. ... Tammany Hall was the name given to the Democratic Party political machine that played a major role in New York City politics from the 1790s to the 1960s. ... Tammany Hall was the name given to the Democratic Party political machine that played a major role in New York City politics from the 1790s to the 1960s. ... Tammany Hall was the name given to the Democratic Party political machine that played a major role in New York City politics from the 1790s to the 1960s. ... John Kelly (b. ...

Trivia

Boss Tweed was portrayed by Jim Broadbent in the 2002 film Gangs of New York. Jim Broadbent with his Oscar Award for Iris James Broadbent (born May 24, 1949) is an Academy Award-winning English theatre, film and television actor. ... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... Gangs of New York is a 2002 film set in the middle 19th century in the Five Points district of New York City. ...

It is a common misconception that Boss Tweed's middle name was Marcy. While his middle initial was in fact M, it more likely stood for his mother's maiden name, Magear.

Another common misconception about Boss Tweed is that he was Irish. Although he was born on Cherry Street in Manhattan, he was of Scottish-Irish descent.

References

• Boss Tweed, Gotham Gazette, New York, 4 July 2005.-Source.

• Sante, Luc (2003). Low Life: Lures and Snares of Old New York. Farrar, Straus, & Giroux.

Further reading

• Kenneth D. Ackerman, Boss Tweed: The Rise and Fall of the Corrupt Politician who Conceived the Soul of New York (2006).
• Mandelbaum, Seymour J. Boss Tweed's New York (1965) (ISBN 0-471-56652-7)
• Hershkowitz, Leo, Tweed's New York: Another Look (1977).

1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1965 calendar). ...

External links

• Tammany Hall Links
• Thomas Nast Caricatures of Boss Tweed & Tammany Hall

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