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patience that outlasts every 〃reform。〃
It early displayed all the traits that have made it successful。
In 1801； for the purpose of carrying city elections； it provided
thirty…nine men with money to purchase houses and lots in one
ward； and seventy men with money for the same purpose in another
ward； thus manufacturing freeholders for polling purposes。 In
1806 Benjamin Romaine； a grand sachem； was removed from the
office of city controller by his own party for acquiring land
from the city without paying for it。 In 1807 several
superintendents of city institutions were dismissed for frauds。
The inspector of bread； a sachem； resigned because his threat to
extort one…third of the fees from his subordinates had become
public。 Several assessment collectors； all prominent in Tammany；
were compelled to reimburse the city for deficits in their
accounts。 One of the leading aldermen used his influence to
induce the city to sell land to his brother…in…law at a low
price； and then bade the city buy it back for many times its
value。 Mooney； the founder of the society； now superintendent of
the almshouse； was caught in a characteristic fraud。 His salary
was 1000 a year； with 500 for family expenses。 But it was
discovered that his 〃expenses〃 amounted to 4000 a year； and that
he had credited to himself on the books 1000 worth of supplies
and numerous sums for 〃trifles for Mrs。 Mooney。〃
In September； 1826； the Grand Jury entered an indictment against
Matthew L。 Davis and a number of other Tammany men for defrauding
several banks and insurance companies of over 2；000；000。 This
created a tremendous sensation。 Political influence was at once
set in motion； and only the minor defendants were sent to the
penitentiary。
In 1829 Samuel Swartwout； one of the Tammany leaders； was
appointed Collector of the Port of New York。 His downfall came in
1838； and he fled to Europe。 His defalcations in the Custom House
were found to be over 1；222；700； and 〃to Swartwout〃 became a
useful phrase until Tweed's day。 He was succeeded by Jesse Hoyt；
another sachem and notorious politician； against whom several
judgments for default were recorded in the Superior Court； which
were satisfied very soon after his appointment。 At this time
another Tammany chieftain； W。 M。 Price； United States District
Attorney for Southern New York； defaulted for 75；000。
It was in 1851 that the council commonly mown as 〃The Forty
Thieves〃 was elected。 In it William M。 Tweed served his
apprenticeship。 Some of the maneuvers of this council and of
other officials were divulged by a Grand Jury in its presentment
of February 23； 1853。 The presentment states： 〃It was clearly
shown that enormous sums of money were spent for the procurement
of railroad grants in the city； and that towards the decision and
procurement of the Eighth Avenue railway grant； a sum so large
that would startle the most credulous was expended； but in
consequence of the voluntary absence of important witnesses； the
Grand Jury was left without direct testimony of the particular
recipients of the different amounts。〃
These and other exposures brought on a number of amendments to
the city charter； surrounding with greater safeguards the sale or
lease of city property and the letting of contracts； and a reform
council was elected。 Immediately upon the heels of this reform
movement followed the shameful regime of Fernando Wood； an able；
crafty； unscrupulous politician； who began by announcing himself
a reformer； but who soon became a boss in the most offensive
sense of that termnot； however； in Tammany Hall； for he was
ousted from that organization after his reelection as mayor in
1856。 He immediately organized a machine of his own； Mozart Hall。
The intense struggle between the two machines cost the city a
great sum； for the taxpayers were mulcted to pay the bills。
Through the anxious days of the Civil War； when the minds of
thoughtful citizens were occupied with national issues； the tide
of reform ebbed and flowed。 A reform candidate was elected mayor
in 1863； but Tammany returned to power two years later by
securing the election and then the reelection of John T。 Hoffman。
Hoffman possessed considerable ability and an attractive
personality。 His zeal for high office； however； made him easily
amenable to the manipulators。 Tammany made him Governor and
planned to name him for President。 Behind his popularity； which
was considerable； and screened by the greater excitements of the
war； reconstruction； and the impeachment of Andrew Johnson；
lurked the Ring； whose exposures and confessions were soon to
amaze everyone。
The chief ringster was William M。 Tweed； and his name will always
be associated in the public mind with political bossdom。 This is
his immortality。 He was a chairmaker by trade； a vulgar good
fellow by nature； a politician by circumstances； a boss by
evolution； and a grafter by choice。 He became grand sachem of
Tammany and chairman of the general committee。 This committee he
ruled with blunt directness。 When he wanted a question carried；
he failed to ask for the negative votes； and soon he was called
〃the Boss；〃 a title he never resented； and which usage has since
fixed in our politics。 So he ruled Tammany with a high hand； made
nominations arbitrarily； bullied； bought； and traded； became
President of the Board of Supervisors； thus holding the key to
the city's financial policies； and was elected State Senator；
thereby directing the granting of legislative favors to his city
and to his corporations。
In 1868 Tammany carried Hoffman into the Governor's chair； and in
the following year the Democrats carried the State legislature。
Tweed now had a new charter passed which virtually put New York
City into his pocket by placing the finances of the metropolis
entirely in the hands of a Board of Apportionment which he
dominated。 Of this Board； the mayor of the city was the chairman；
with the power to appoint the other members。 He promptly named
Tweed； Connolly； and P。 B。 Sweeny。 This was the famous Ring。 The
mayor was A。 Oakey Hall； dubbed 〃Elegant Oakey〃 by his pals
because of his fondness for clubs； society； puns； and poems； but
Nast called him 〃O。 K。 Haul。〃 Sweeny； commonly known as 〃Pete；〃
was a lawyer of ability； and was generally believed to be the
plotter of the quartet。 Nast transformed his middle initial B。
into 〃Brains。〃 Connolly was just a coarse gangster。
There was some reason for the Ring's faith in its
invulnerability。 It controlled Governor and legislature； was
formidable in the national councils of the Democratic party； and
its Governor was widely mentioned for the presidential
nomination。 It possessed complete power over the city council；
the mayor； and many of the judges。 It was in partnership with
Gould and Fiske of the Erie； then reaping great harvests in Wall
Street； and with street railway and other public service
corporations。 Through untold largess it silenced rivalry from
within and criticism from without。 And； when suspicion first
raised its voice； it adroitly invited a committee of prominent
and wealthy citizens； headed by John Jacob Astor； to examine the
controller's acc