Today in History—October 27: A Newspaper Brings Down Boss Tweed

The arrest of Tammany Hall leader William Magear “Boss” Tweed on this day in 1871 marked a turning point in one of the biggest, boldest, and most egregious political scandals in U.S. history.

Even by 21st-century standards, the power wielded by New York City kingmaker Tweed, the scale of his corruption, and the fear he instilled in those around him were staggering.

But the story of Boss Tweed is as much about the power of the press as it is about the power of the political elite. It’s also the story of what happens when political insiders become disenchanted and turn on the “boss.”

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Tweed held a number of powerful positions in the New York City government. He and his cronies used these to systematically bilk the city of as much as $200 million through faked leases, padded bills, false vouchers, unnecessary repairs, and overpriced goods and services bought from suppliers controlled by Tweed’s ring.

Enter The New York Times. In the summer of 1871 the paper undertook one of its first investigative projects, after a disgruntled Tweed henchman, Sheriff James O’Brien, sent it hand-copied ledgers that detailed the scope of the graft and corruption.

When Tweed heard that The Times was about to publish damning information, he sent New York City Comptroller Richard Connolly to publisher George Jones with an offer of $5 million if the paper dropped its investigation.

Instead, on July 22, 1871, The Times published the lurid details of the corruption under the headline “The Secret Accounts. Proofs of Undoubted Frauds Brought to Light.”

Everyone knew Tweed was a criminal, but it wasn’t until the evidence became public that the criminal justice system felt free to act. A formal investigation quickly followed. Tweed was arrested three months later and convicted two years after that.

With this case, the role of the whistleblower became a staple of investigative journalism.

Today’s edition of Today in History was written by Tracy Grant.