his party.
In the course of a bitter quarrel growing out of Kelly's appointment
of Richard Croker as marshal,[1459] the Mayor publicly charged "Honest
John" with obtaining while sheriff $84,482 by other than legal
methods.[1460] "I think," said Havermeyer, "you were worse than Tweed
who made no pretensions to purity, while you avow your honesty and
wrap yourself in the mantle of purity."[1461] Kelly's prompt denial,
followed by a suit for criminal libel, showed a willingness to try the
issue, but Havermeyer's sudden death from apoplexy on the morning of
the trial (November 30), leaving his proofs unpublished, strengthened
Kelly's claim that "Tammany is the only reform party in existence here
to-day."[1462]

[Footnote 1459: Until then Croker had been an attache of Connolly's
office.]

[Footnote 1460: "No law authorised Kelly to include convictions in the
Police Courts, yet he did include them, thereby robbing the city of
over thirty thousand dollars. He charged, at one time, double the
rates for conveying prisoners to and from the Island; at another, 133
per cent. more. He charged for 11,000 vagrants committed to the
work-house, a clear fraud upon the treasury."--New York _Times_,
October 20, 1875.]

[Footnote 1461: New York papers of September 18, 1874.]

[Footnote 1462: New York _World_, September 10, 1874.]

The Republican press, apparently with effect, enlarged upon the
general excellence of Dix's administration, but early in the campaign
the people showed greater liking for reform at home than abhorrence of
outrages in the South, and the result proved a political revolution,
Tilden receiving a plurality of 50,317 and Dorsheimer 51,488.[1463]
Besides the State ticket the Democrats carried the Assembly and
eighteen of the thirty-three congressional districts. With the
exception of James Hayes, who was defeated for register by over 10,000
majority, Tammany likewise elected its entire ticket.[1464]

[Footnote 1463: In 1872 Dix had 55,451.]

[Footnote 1464: Tilden, 416,391; Dix, 366,074; Clark, 11,768;
Dorsheimer, 416,714; Robinson, 365,226; Bagg, 11,310.

New York City: Tilden, 87,623; Dix, 44,871; Clark, 160; Wickham,
70,071; Wales, 36,953; Ottendorfer, 24,226. Legislature: Assembly,
Democrats, 75; Republicans, 53. Senate, Democrats, 12; Republicans,
18; Independents, 2. The Senators were elected in 1873.]

Democratic success was not confined to New York. Small majorities were
obtained in Ohio and Indiana a