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William Marcy Tweed a.k.a. "Boss Tweed" ( April 3, 1823– April 12, 1878), American politician, was the first political "boss" of Tammany Hall, which had formerly been controlled by committees.

Tammany Hall had existed since 1789. Tweed was a chairmaker who used his popularity as a volunteer fireman to advance himself. He became an alderman in 1851 and he built his power through the election and appointment of his friends. Tweed and his cronies became known as the "Tweed Ring". Tweed's political machine gained numerous offices in New York City, and even to the state legislature and judges' seats, often through illegal means. From 1860– 1870, Tweed controlled all Democratic Party nominations for the city and the state.

Tweed himself was elected to the United States House of RepresentativesThe House of Representatives is the larger of two houses that make up the United States Congress, the other being the United States Senate. Members Members of the House are elected for a term of two years. Elections alternately coincide with the president in 1852Events January 14 President Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte proclaims a new constitution for the French Second Republic. January 17 United Kingdom recognizes independence of the Transvaal Devil's Island penal colony opens February 11 First British public toilet, the New York City Board of Advisors in 1856Events January 8 Borax is discovered ( John Veatch). January 29 Queen Victoria institutes the Victoria Cross February 18 The American Party ( Know-Nothings) convene in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to nominate their first Presidential candidate, former Presi, and the New York State Senate in 1867Events January 8 African-American men granted the right to vote in the District of Columbia January 11 Benito Juarez becomes Mexican president again January 30 Emperor Komei of Japan dies. Crown Prince Mutsuhito is expected to become the next Emperor of J.

In AprilApril is the fourth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 30 days. Derived from the Latin aprilis either from the Latin word aperire which means "to open", probably referring to growing plants in spring, or from the Etruscan name Apru for Aphr 1870, Tweed secured the passage of a city charter putting the control of the city into the hands of the mayor, the comptrollerA comptroller may refer to a royal-household official who examines and supervises expenditures, or a public official who audits government accounts and sometimes certifies expenditures. In the United States the term is similar and is used as the name of t, and the commissioners of parks and public works. He then set about to plunder the city. The total amount of money stolen was never known, but was estimated at between $30 and $200 million. Over a period of two years and eight months, New York City's debts increased by $81 million, with little to show for the debt.

They generally worked by presenting excessive bills for work performed. Ostensibly the bills were paid in full, but in reality only part of the amount was paid, with Tweed retaining the remainder and dividing it between his followers in proportion to their importance. For example, the city was billed $13 million to build a courthouse, which was several times the actual cost of construction; and $3 million for city printing and stationery over a two-year period.

The end came when one of the plunderers was dissatisfied with the amount he received and gave The New York TimesThe New York Times is an internationally influential daily newspaper published in New York City, New York, and distributed worldwide. Overview Nicknamed "The Gray Lady" or The Times the newspaper was founded as The New-York Daily Times in 1851 by Henry J. evidence that conclusively proved the stealing was going on. In a subsequent interview about the fraud, Tweed's only reply was, "What are you going to do about it?" However, accounts in The New York Times and political cartoons drawn by Thomas NastThomas Nast ( September 27, 1840 December 7, 1902) was a famous caricaturist and editorial cartoonist in the 19th century. He was born in the military barracks of Landau, Germany (in the Rhine Palatinate), the son of a musician in the 9th regiment Bavaria and published in Harper's Weekly resulted in the election of numerous opposition candidates in 1871. Tweed is attributed with exclaiming, "Stop them damned pictures. I don't care so much what the papers say about me. My constituents can't read. But, damn it, they can see pictures!"

The efforts of political reformer Samuel J. Tilden resulted in Tweed's trial and conviction in 1873. He was given a 12-year prison sentence, which was reduced by a higher court and he served one year. He was then re-arrested on civil charges, sued by New York State for $6 million, and held in debtor's prison until he could post $3 million as bail. On December 4, 1875, Tweed escaped and fled to Cuba and then to Spain, where he worked as a common seaman on a Spanish ship. He was identified, purportedly recognized from one of Nast's cartoons, and was extradited to New York (he was delivered to authorities in New York City on November 23, 1876), where he died in debtor's prison two years later.

He is buried in Brooklyn's Green-Wood Cemetery.

Boss Tweed was portrayed by Jim Broadbent in the 2002 film Gangs of New York.