By and by the newspapers came out with exposures and called Weed and O'Riley "thieves,"-- whereupon the people rose as one man (voting repeatedly) and elected the two gentlemen to their proper theatre of action, the New York legislature.
The newspapers clamored, and the courts proceeded to try the new legislators for their small irregularities.

Our admirable jury system enabled the persecuted ex-officials to secure a jury of nine gentlemen from a neighboring asylum and three graduates from Sing-Sing, and presently they walked forth with characters vindicated.

The legislature was called upon to spew them forth--a thing which the legislature declined to do.

It was like asking children to repudiate their own father.

It was a legislature of the modern pattern.
Being now wealthy and distinguished, Mr.O'Riley, still bearing the legislative "Hon." attached to his name (for titles never die in America, although we do take a republican pride in poking fun at such trifles), sailed for Europe with his family.