ABSTRACT
The Tweed Ring of history had its beginning on January 1, 1869. Four men comprised this unholy alliance: Tweed, Sweeny, Connolly, and Hall. Shortly after the inauguration of Hall as Mayor, the Ring ceased to hold its noon-day luncheons at the City Hall. Instead, the conferences were held at Tweed's law office on Duane Street. There was no attempt to conceal these meetings. The town knew of them, the town talked of the Ring, and of Tweed especially, and of his millions—one newspaper estimate placed his wealth at not less than $5,000,000 nor more than $10,000,000—and of his constantly growing power. Every office in the city government was controlled by Tweed. While he had lost the Assembly in the last election, he had the Governor.
