[5] It was probably at this election that a certain amusing incident in the swearing in of the Election Inspectors occurred. No Bible being at hand, they were sworn on a copy of Ollendorf’s _New Method of Learning to Read, Write and Speak French_. The courts subsequently upheld the substitution of Ollendorf for the Bible, deciding that it was not such an act as would vitiate the election. _Documents of the Board of Supervisors_, 1870, Vol. II, No. 12. [6] _Document No. 8_, pp. 133-34. [7] _Document No. 8_, p. 226. [8] Kelly left rather hastily for Europe, where he remained three years. [9] Report of the Bar Association Committee on Extortions, March 5, 1872. [10] Tilden: _The Tweed Ring_, J. Polhemus, 1873. [11] “The Ermine in the ‘Ring,’” _Putnam’s Magazine_ supplement (about 1869). It happened that a singular suit brought by Wood against the city came before this very Judge, when Wood obtained by his decision a judgment for $180,000 for the rent of premises owned by him, not worth, for any use of the city, over $35,000. The buildings, in great part, were so unfit for use that the city, although paying rent for them for years, established its departments elsewhere. Wood re-leased these unused offices, collecting a double rent. [12] _Ibid._ [13] Garvey’s testimony, _Tweed Case_, etc., Supreme Court, 1876, Vol. I: pp. 814-16. [14] _Document No. 8_, p. 29. [15] _Document No. 8_, pp. 212-13. [16] New York _Sun_, February 6, 1871. [17] Q.--“Did you ever receive any money from either Fisk or Gould to be used in bribing the Legislature?” A.--“I did, sir! They were of frequent occurrence. Not only did I receive money, but I find by an examination of the papers that everybody else who received money from the Erie Railroad charged it to me.” Tweed: _Document No. 8_, p. 149. [18] _A Life of James Fisk, Jr._, New York, 1871. CHAPTER XXIV TWEED IN HIS GLORY 1870-1871 Urged by various motives, a number of Tammany leaders combined against Tweed: Some sought more plunder, others felt that their political aspirations had not been sufficiently recognized, and a number were incensed against Sweeny. They were led by Henry W. Genet, John Fox, John Morrissey, James O’Brien, “Mike” Norton and others, and called themselves the “Young Democracy.” Tweed had used these men in building his power; now, combined, they believed they could retire him. The dangerous classes joined them. Heretofore, these had stood by Tweed under a reciprocal agreement valuable to both sides. But the “Boss” had recently yielded to the public indignation over the leniency shown to an influential murderer, and had given orders to the Judges to deal more severely with flagrant criminal cases. This act constituted a virtual breaking of the compact, and the lawbreakers with one accord turned against him. There were at this time in the city, it was charged, about 30,000 professional thieves, 2,000 gambling establishments and 3,000 saloons.[1]