The New York herald., 1875-12-01
CHARLES O'CONOR.


THE GREAT JURIsr STILL srUBBoRNLx BATTLING
WITH DEATH-sIIGHr IMPROVEMENT IN HIS
coNDr1os-HIs GREAT SERVICES TO THE
cITY-A COLLEAGUES OPINION OF HIM.
Contrary 70 all expectation Mr.. o'Conor stil lives,
ana the improvement In his condition though slight
would almost justify the hope that he may yet survive
His wonderful constitution and his great power Of viii
have enabled him TO make an obstinate struggle for
life and endure amount OF physical suffering that
would have quickly disposed Of an ordinary man.
In the early Rsrt VI the forenoon yesterday food
given him. and his stomach retained II his case
is regarded hopeful beef would not
remain In II for days previous Mr. Robert Liv-
ingstone, or West Point, nephew Of the late MIS-
o'Conor remained all Monday night by his bedside,
and his faithful attendant Rose Bray also at her
/ accustomed post Mr.. Sloane, Mr. oConor's brother
n-law, left for New York at early hour yesterday
morning, apparently hopeful that the worst was over
The doctors did interfere with the watchers yester
day. and nursing being the chief requisites ior the
PATIENTS recovery Even clergymen were not allowed
the distinguished urist, who must have perfect
quiet il he s to 1t all depends on his constitu
ton and his power OF WILL but his constitution greatly
shattered
The food given TO him yesterday little soft toast
spread with sugar liquid FORM and his only drink
was setzer in very small quantities Ex-Judge
Peabody called at the 0Conor mansion yesterday
morning TO see his old friend and declared himself
asonhed at the PATIENTS power to night the destroyer
Mr. o'Conor's sister, Mrs Sloane is quite sangune OF
bis ultimate recovery
Dr. Keyes remains constantly in the house, so as to
Sc present OF any sudden attack or spasm He
considered that Mr. o'Conor would live certainly until
this morning.
Mr. OConor's next Of kin Mr.. Sloane and wife
and their children and Mr. Ernest McCracken, whose
brother Frank young Of great promise, was
killed by fall from his horse years ago in the
neighborhood OF Fort Washington
THE SITUATION OF MR. o'coNoR LAST NIGHT
was about the same as during the day. Mr. McCracken
stated his intellect is bright ever but he shows
signs OF great asstude and Of nervous prostraton II
that the gigantic details OF the Singer case in
volving millions of dollars annoying him he lays
helpless, although all newspapers were kept from him
and he was secluded from noise and intrusion
A singular proof is given OF Mr. o'Conor's oe-
youon to labor in the fact that Christmas
Day the only day in the year upon which he did
not work He considered that day, account of his
enforced abstinence from work. the longest in the year
Mrs. Rowe, relation OF the late Mrs o'Conor, and
whose maiden name is also Livingston, called yesterday
and expressed strong belief IN Mr. Conors recovery
The people in the neghborhood of lnwood, Carmans-
VILE Fort Washington and Manhattanville very
anxious about Mr. O'Conors situation and had as many
anecdotes tell of him told of ofconnel Cur
ran, Rufus Choate Daniel Webster or John Randolph,
/ Of Roanoke
WHAT A COLLEAGUE o'coSoR SAYS
HERALD reporter called on Mr.. Wheeler Il Peck.
ham the eminent counsel who was associated with Mr.
O'Conor in the prosecution the Ring suits and had
from him the following narrative Of Mr. o'Conor's con-
nection with the great legal campaign and also his
testimony TO the singular traits Of character that
distinguished the celebrated lawyer Mr.. Peckham
said ain the death OF Mr. Charles oConor the city OF
New York would lose very great friend, and II is
not exravagance TO say that the whole nation would
| sustain a deprivation because Mt OConor be-
longed to race Of lawyers and patriots who are now
OConor the interests OF New York city will hardly
be fully appreciated He did extraordinary work
in behalf Of a community that walked and went TO
sleep without thinking Of the powerful intellect
working the dismal reaches Of the night for way
of restraining the wholesale plunder OF the Iammany
Ring About the fall Of 1870 Governor Hoffman gave
such instructions TO the Asorney General as resulted
in calling on Mr. OConor to institute such proceedings
as he deemed best against those charged with robbery
OF the city treasury. Mr. O'Conor had already been
In consultation with Mr. Tilden and Mr.. Tiden had at
that time partly completed .,.h his lnYessytdifauQn
q the qeau Consisting Of Mr. oConor Mr. W. T.
Eyarts Judge Emmou and myself, was organized ior
the prosecution Of such legal reedies a. were tnougnt
advisable. Suits were then begun against Tweed, IN
gersol Fields and Connolly and were prosecuted with
varying until the final decision OF the Court OF
Appeals in the ngerso case that SUCH SUITS could not
be maintained In the name Of the people After that
Mr. oConor very active in procuring the legisa.
Of last winter providing Tor the maintenance of
such suits Pursuant that legislation the present
pending suits were instituted
In the conduct Of these suits he developed
ABSOLUTE ssGLESEss or PURPOSE,
animated by the sole desire TO effect peaceful revou-
ton and the corruption that for some years
past has prevailed In politics OF New York. and TO
do whatever he might to give purcr and better
government the city. don't know Of any man that
approached him In absolutely unsehsh devotion TO
that end. He has been throughout the
whole course Of this conflict without an
/ personal purpose or ambition other tha
the success Of the object which he aimed he had
/ wonderfully keen appreciation OF the political evi's
4 from which have long suffered, and the stronge
possible convictions that their eradication was possible
and must be accomplished. The object that he had
! in the prosecution of these suits was not all
business q pecuniary one He felt indeed, very
4 little interest the question whether the city or
county Of New York should recover few millions
OF the stolen money. but he felt that 1t infinitely
important TOR the well being Of the community that
official malversaon should be sternly condemned and
that the pecuators should be deprived OF the fruits Of
their To that end he gave the last four years Of
his life and II during the violent heat of last
mer when, exhausted by the labor he had given TO
the analyses OF figures and accounts and to the
preparation of long and important papers that he
nrst struck with the disease which proved mortal
The citizens OF New York may be satisfied that he has
given them during these years not only his unex
ampled skill lawyer aud advocate. but that lie
( has simply sacrificed his lie their behalf The
v NJ laba ekt nd IA a TO