Page:The Wizard of Wall Street and his Wealth.djvu/95

 head of Erie. "The feeling against Gould," said Gen. Barlow, at the time of the anti-Gould revolution, "grew in great part since Fisk's death. Fisk was always popular with the people of the road and in the office. Had he been alive we should have had more trouble, or perhaps the move would never have been made."

Besides Barlow, Gen. Sickles had other efficient aid, and the anti-Gould movement was strengthened by such names as Gen. John A. Dix, who in the same year was elected governor of New York, Gen. George B. McClellan and William R. Travers.

In March, 1872, the blow was struck. A man named Archer had been elected vice-president in place of Fisk, and with his aid the revolution was accomplished. Gould had made him vice-president with the view of conciliating the opposition. Nine members of the Board of Directors had been won over to the opposition. These wrote to Gould, asking him to call a meeting of the board. As Gould did not respond, Vice-President Archer called the meeting. The revolutionists assembled at Barlow's house and prepared to carry the Grand Opera House by storm. Gould had this barricaded by his men, with instructions to permit no one to pass in. But the revolutionists succeeded in passing the picket line and passed in, and Mr. Archer called the meeting to order. Then ensued an extraordinary scene which lasted all night. Gould ordered the "conspirators," as he called them, to leave the building. They refused. Gould at this time had the benefit of