His downfall came in
1838, and he fled to Europe. His defalcations in the Custom House
were found to be over $1,222,700; and "to Swartwout" became a
useful phrase until Tweed's day. He was succeeded by Jesse Hoyt,
another sachem and notorious politician, against whom several
judgments for default were recorded in the Superior Court, which
were satisfied very soon after his appointment. At this time
another Tammany chieftain, W. M. Price, United States District
Attorney for Southern New York, defaulted for $75,000.
It was in 1851 that the council commonly known as "The Forty
Thieves" was elected. In it William M. Tweed served his
apprenticeship. Some of the maneuvers of this council and of
other officials were divulged by a Grand Jury in its presentment
of February 23, 1853. The presentment states: "It was clearly
shown that enormous sums of money were spent for the procurement
of railroad grants in the city, and that towards the decision and
procurement of the Eighth Avenue railway grant, a sum so large
that would startle the most credulous was expended; but in
consequence of the voluntary absence of important witnesses, the
Grand Jury was left without direct testimony of the particular
recipients of the different amounts."
These and other exposures brought on a number of amendments to
the city charter, surrounding with greater safeguards the sale or
lease of city property and the letting of contracts; and a reform
council was elected.
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