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William Magear "Boss" Tweed [note 1] (April 3, 1823 – April 12, 1878) was an American politician most notable for being the political boss of Tammany Hall, the Democratic Party's political machine that played a major role in the politics of 19th-century New York City and State.
Tammany Hall operatives continued their practice of paying prisoners of the almshouses for votes and also paying for votes at their polling places. [37] The Tammany Hall "ward boss" served as the local vote gatherer and provider of patronage. New York City used the designation "ward" for its smallest political units from 1686 to 1938.
Politically, the city was dominated by Democrats, many of whom were under the control of a political machine known as Tammany Hall. Led by William "Boss" Tweed , the Democrats were elected to numerous offices in New York City, and to the state legislature and judges' seats, often through illegal means.
One of the biggest urban scandals of the post-Civil War era was the corruption and bribery case of Tammany boss William M. Tweed in 1871 that was uncovered by newspapers. In his first muckraking article "Tweed Days in St. Louis", Lincoln Steffens exposed the graft , a system of political corruption, that was ingrained in St. Louis.
They were involved with the corrupt Tammany Hall political party machine, and made Boss Tweed a director of the Erie Railroad. Tweed (who later died in prison for embezzlement and fraud), in return, arranged favorable state legislation in Albany for them, legalizing the newly issued shares. New York railroad row as seen by contemporaries
Tweed's fall put an end to the immunity of corrupt local political leaders and was a precursor to Progressive Era reforms in the city. [43] In this 1899 Udo Keppler cartoon from Puck, all of New York City politics revolves around boss Richard Croker. Tammany did not take long to rebound from Tweed's fall.
Tilden initially cooperated with the state party's Tammany Hall faction, but he broke with them in 1871 due to boss William M. Tweed's rampant corruption. Tilden won election as governor of New York in 1874, and in that office, he helped break up the Canal Ring. His battle against public corruption, along with his personal fortune and electoral ...
Gerry was a notable member of Tammany Hall, the Democratic political machine of Boss Tweed, for more than 35 years. In 1867, he served as a delegate to New York State Constitutional Convention , but never again sought elective office.