The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-12-08

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Triumphs Tho Forrest and Jumel Cases
"Reminiscences Of Old Times and Old Houses
Tho Jumel vansion and Richmond Hill
VIM. B. Astor's Middle Name-Rich Men
who do not Love Their Fellow Men.
New YORK, Dec. 3, 1875.
o'coNoR.
The wonderful old man is said to be bet
ter of his illness. The announcement OF
his dangerous condition excited thrill Of
interest among the Community, generally.
He was really one of the people, and ihe
public felt it. In personal appearance, as
well as in legal attainment, O'Conor was
unique" and peculiar. To the eye Of a
stranger he had no professional character
istics. That tall ana hardly graceful form,
and that plain countenance might indicate
some moderate position in lite, but no one
would take its owner for the leader of the
New York bar. Sometimes his features
relapsed into a vacancy, and even at bes,
they were of ordinary Celtish character.
noticed at the Walworyh inquest that his
was one of the least interesting counte-
nances in the room. He was the prison
er's attorney, but he did all to facilitate the
proceedings, and acted like public officer
In service. l am indebted to him tor q
suitable place on this occasion, which he
gave me as soon as he observed that was
connected with the press. This shows that
he noticed everything in a court, and was
ready for any duty:N Were it necessary he
could have swept the floor and done the
work of the janitor as readily as he could
argue on the most reconcile points of a le-
gal question. He had nothing of the So
called "dgnity of the profession" and yet
in many points he was its master. AL
though thoroughly an Irishman, his oratory
was not of what is called the Irish school.
He had not the glowing oratory of the
Grattans, the Emmets, and others of that
distinguished circle of genius, but he had
what they so often lacked, a knowledge OF
law which resembled inspiration, and ten
acity which was only equalled by the mex.
haustible nature of his resources.
BEFORE COURT.
Ordinary and Indifferent as O'Conor sp-
pears in common life, as soon as he rises
in court he is different man. His un-
polished visage becomes imbued with pow
er, and he Immediately assumes the posi-
ton of master, which he retains, treat
ing all others as his subjects. His intellec-
tual superiority is SO manifest that it al
once excites admiration, and yet it is only
intellect that one admires. Moral power
has no place in his greatness. During the
rebellion he was friend of the secession
ists, and at its close he entertained JEFF
Davis at his residence at Fort Washington,
where is now enduring what is thought to
be his LAST MnsGA O'Conor is Indifferent
to public opfhid!l and. when popular SEN
timent rebuked his conduct, he only smiled
at it. As a reasoner, he shows remarkable
scope and intensity. He is completely al
home in all the important cases; in fact, he
carries an immense law library in his brain.
When pleading case, instead of reaching
the emotions, he bears down upon the OPP
position with all the power OF an iceberg.
In this feature he differs essentially from
the Irish school of oratory, whose appeals
and invectivc were so powerful. O'Conor
had vein of satire which, when available,
he used with great effect, but the chief ell
ement in his professional character was the
combination of memory, reason and ten
acitv working in the service of mighty
intellect.
THE GREAT DIVORCE.
The most important of all social quar-
rels that ever occurred in this city was thai
between Forrest and his wife. The mar
riage was infelicitous in its very inception
and the welded parties never harmonzed
II. both ir
social and in professional intercourse. Hi
jealousy of Macresdy led to the Aston Place
riot, and his Jealousy of Willis led to the
divorce case. He assaulted the latter il
Washington parade ground. and paid So,
500 damages and costs for the salts actor
of horse whipping his enemy. He sued hi:
wife for divorce, and was beaten IN The
most ridiculous manner Forrest retained
John Van Buren,, and his wife was defend
ed by O'Conor. The trial was the mos
protracted ever known at that time in ou
courts. The skill and strategy exhibited
by O'Conor surprised his warmest admirers
Van Buren,, although man Of acknowl
edged talent, was at every point out gen
tralled. He came into court to obtain
divorce for his client. He went out of cour
thorouphlv routed, the divorce having beer
won by O'Conor. The chief feature in thi
case WAS the immense use made of per
Jury. Testimony was manufactured every
day on both sides, and as fast as one thin,
was proved witnesses were found to con
tradict it. The verdict, however, was sat
isfactory:: and O'COnOr carried on the liti
CATION for 10 years until it was settled By
our highest courts. O'Conor was the only
man who was more than q match for Nee
Forrest.
THE JUMRL CASE.
Hardly had the Forrest case reached 1T
termination when Madame Jumel died, ant
this placed another ten-year litigation II
| O'Conor's hands. The matter, however
was entirely different. One was the defenc'
of female honor; the other Was the defence
of land title worth s9,O0O,000 How ad
mirably this defence was maintained th'
world has already seen, but 1t can neve
measure the full stature of that geniu
which won the victory. There is more con
| cealed in O'COnor than there is manifest
| The last conflict in the Jumel case occupies
| three months. Prior to that various suit
had taken place, and the defendant ha'
suffered series of worriments which wer
of an annoying character, but OCono
never wearied in his task. The vexation
of lawsuit nerved him to more intense ct
fort. A legal fight was his element, an
the more powerful the foe the more he en-
joyed the battle. attended the last AM
longest Jumel trial, and was surprised Il
see the apparent happiness of this lega
gladiator. The importance of the issue oc
casioned him no excitement He was coo
and self-composed, but al~ays on the alert
l thought his ply steal system would shov
the tension to which it was subjected, bu
he was as bright at the last as at the first
Whatever he did or said indicated his sell
consciousness as the master of the situation
He was probably the only man that coul
have won the estate for Nelson Chase, N
other advocate could have handled the cas-
in all its various bearings without an erro
of practice and without the slightest ind
| ca,i0n of doubt,