st issues of fraudulent
bonds, the swindling by franchises and favours granted, and
peculation by blackmail and extortion, the grand total would aggregate
two hundred millions. Of the entire sum stolen only $876,000 were
recovered.[1290]

[Footnote 1290: Myers, _History of Tammany Hall_, pp. 297-298; New York
_Herald_, January 13, 1901.]

CHAPTER XX

CONKLING PUNISHES GREELEY

1871

"It were idle," said Horace Greeley, soon after the election in
November, 1870, "to trace the genealogy of the feud which has divided
Republicans into what are of late designated Fenton and Conkling men.
Suffice it that the fatal distraction exists and works inevitable
disaster. More effort was made in our last State convention to triumph
over Senator Fenton than to defeat Governor Hoffman, and in selecting
candidates for our State ticket the question of Fenton and anti-Fenton
was more regarded by many than the nomination of strong and popular
candidates. Since then every Fenton man who holds a federal office has
felt of his neck each morning to be sure that his head was still
attached to his shoulders."[1291]

[Footnote 1291: New York _Tribune_, November 10, 1870.]

Conkling's effort to obtain control of the State Committee provoked
this threnody. Subsequently, without the slightest warning, Fenton's
naval officer, general appraiser, and pension agent were removed.[1292]
But as the year grew older it became apparent that designs more fatal
in their consequences than removals from office threatened the Fenton
organisation. It was not a secret that the Governor had kept his
control largely through the management of politicians, entitled
"Tammany Republicans," of whom "Hank" Smith, as he was familiarly
called, represented an active type. Smith was a member of the
Republican State committee and of the Republican general city
committee. He was also a county supervisor and a Tweed police
commissioner. Moreover, he was the very model of a resourceful
leader, acute and energetic, strong and unyielding, and utterly
without timidity in politics. In supporting Fenton he appointed
Republicans to city offices, took care of those discharged from the
custom-house, and used the police and other instruments of power as
freely as Thomas Murphy created vacancies and made appointments.[1293]
In his despotic sway he had shown little regard for opposition leaders
and none whatever for minorities, until at last a faction of the
general city com