Tammany Hall, the New York Democratic political organization, is best known for its scandals, corruption, embezzlement, fraud, and rigged elections. At the heart of it all was William Magear Tweed, nicknamed “Boss Tweed”, the corrupt politician behind the Tammany Hall party machine from the height of its power in 1868 to his eventual downfall in 1871.
At a time when volunteer fire companies were fiercely competitive and sharply divided along immigrant communities, Boss Tweed rose to prominence as a Foreman in the Big Six Volunteer Fire Company. His violent tactics and competitive nature caught the attention of the Democratic political machine.
