what does tom do to the twins reputation?

Tom reveals to his uncle that Luigi is a confessed murderer. Tom claims that he only pretended to be afraid of the Italian, in order to avoid the more serious disgrace of meeting an assassin in a duel. In the Judge's mind, this restores the family's honor, and therefore it restores Tom to his favor. Judge Driscoll is outraged and deeply offended that the assassin pretended to be a gentleman and met him on the field of honor. He resolves to bring about the demise of the twins' political campaign.