william tweed
William Tweed, or better known as Boss Tweed, was a rising star in New York City politics during the 1850s. He was a key player in the Tammany Hall, the back-stage group that have the ultimate say in local Democratic Party nominations. By the late 1950s, Tweed controlled the Tammany Hall and was also elected to be Chair of Tammany Hall.
The boss tweed scandal
The political machine, Tammany Hall, headed by William Tweed, used graft, bribery, and rigged elections to bilk the city of over $200 million. All businesses had to give kickbacks to bosses in order to stay in business. Machine bosses, such as William Tweed, gain a fortune by collecting kickbacks and bribes.
The Bosses used a portion of the money towards helping others, however, the majority of it went into their own pockets. The New York City citizens were thus angry and unconvinced by the benefits of the Boss System. However, the residents were complained regarding the issue often got threatened or had their property taxes raised.
The Bosses used a portion of the money towards helping others, however, the majority of it went into their own pockets. The New York City citizens were thus angry and unconvinced by the benefits of the Boss System. However, the residents were complained regarding the issue often got threatened or had their property taxes raised.
thomas nast to the rescue
The New York Times ultimately published a sufficient amount of evidence of misuse public funds that convicted Boss Tweed and some other Tammany cronies.
Thomas Nast, a cartoonist, launched a series of cartoons in response to the scandal. The cartoons reached out to both the literate and illiterate, thus creating an even greater effect. The cartoons conveyed Tweed's abuses to masses of recent immigrants and aroused a tremendous effect. He was, however, offered a $100,000 bribe to go study aboard in Paris by Tweed, a euphermism for discontinuing his pictorial campaigns against Tweed. Nast refused the bribe although higher offers were also made.
To escape arrest, Tweed fled to Spain. Ironically, Tweed was similarity identified from the Nast political cartoons that were circulating in that country. As a result, Tweed was captured by Spanish authorities and extradited back to the United States of America. He was ultimately convicted in 1872 and ended up dying in jail.
Thomas Nast, a cartoonist, launched a series of cartoons in response to the scandal. The cartoons reached out to both the literate and illiterate, thus creating an even greater effect. The cartoons conveyed Tweed's abuses to masses of recent immigrants and aroused a tremendous effect. He was, however, offered a $100,000 bribe to go study aboard in Paris by Tweed, a euphermism for discontinuing his pictorial campaigns against Tweed. Nast refused the bribe although higher offers were also made.
To escape arrest, Tweed fled to Spain. Ironically, Tweed was similarity identified from the Nast political cartoons that were circulating in that country. As a result, Tweed was captured by Spanish authorities and extradited back to the United States of America. He was ultimately convicted in 1872 and ended up dying in jail.