The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-04-30
Session of the Committee Appointed
to Try His Case.
Chief Justice DAILY and Others Cor
roborating His Contradiction
Of the Charges.
Mr.. SEDLEY OBJECTS TO THE TRIBUNAL As Elk PARTE

tisatc the charges made against Charles o'Conor
connection with the Forrest divorce case met at Chick
erng Hall yesterday morning to proceed with the in
vestgaton Among those present in the body Of the
hall Chief Justice Daily, Henry sedcy Mrs For
rests brothcrn law) Frederic Couder ex-Judge Pea
body, Orlando Stewart and Eiqar Ketchum. Governor
John A. Dix presided and Duane L. Peabody acted as
secretary. In opening the Investigation Governor Dix
stated that In accordance the request Of the Bar
Association, the tribunal had met to investigate the
charges brought by the public press against Mr. Charles
0'Conor The tribunal had been constituted at Mr..
0'Conors request and no desired that every facility
should be afforded to any present who had any
statement written oral to make that had any con-
with the matter under investigation.
The secretary read a citation served upon tho
propretors and editors of the New York Times to ap
pear and substantato the charges published in tho
columns OF that newspaper against Mr. o'conor, and
also affidavit the service of the instrument
Citations which had been served on Mr. Charles A.
Dana, of the New York Sun, Mr. scdley and Mrs
Sinclair also read. Mr. O'Conor announced that
he had in his possession note which he had received
the previous evening from Mrs Sinclair. The letter.
which by the secretary acknowledged the re-
relpt OF invitation appear and give evidence be-
fore the tribunal. Mrs Sinclair stated that she now
as well us always bore the feelings OF gratitude
to Mr. oConor, and reiterated her assertion that the
article in the Tnes had been published without her
consent, against her WISH and after solemn promise
had been gwen that 1t should not be. Mrs. Sinclair
also says that she has made any charges against
Mr. O'Conor and had intention OF doing so.
Therefore she did not intend to avail herself OF the
right to appear before the tribunal, she did not
gard herself any party to the unpleasant
controversy intruded upon tho public.
Mr.. Pierce of counsel for Mr.. Scdlcy here
nounced that the latter present and would if tho
committee pleased. mako statement. Mr.. Sedley
was invited to tho platform and read the following
paper:--
To the Hon JouS A. DIX the Rev. WILLIAM ADAMS, ID.
d.; WILSON g. HUNT, Esq. HOWARD PorrER, Esq,
ana the Hon. john X PoRTER:-
GENTLENEy-I have received from Mr. Edgar
Ketchum chairman of committee of tho Bar Associa
lion, an invitation TO appear on this OCCASION and al
though not properly included in the list Of persons
in that invitation, have thought 1t respectful all
concerned to come here to-day to make the following
Observation-Disclosures have placed mo in po
siiion which would gladly have avoided, as have al
ready explained through other channels. ! neither
originated any way connected myself with tho
statements which Mr. o'Conor has repealed. |
GREETED this publication and should not voluntarily
have contributed IN any way to the controversy which
II has provoked. Mr. oCopor however, in his reply
felt himself at liberty TO Introduce the of lady
TO whom no responsibility IN the premises attached,
and further TO the public strictly private letter OF
my own, having no bearing upon the points which
Mr.. o'Conor has made matter OF dispute Against my
VIII, then. have been compelled TO enter into partic
ulars which to some extent conflict with Mr.
DConors version OF the case and have thus been made
party to the questions at issue which the committee
OF the Bar Association have submitted you tor ndju-
uication For yourselves, gentlemen, personally, en-
sertain sincere xespect- ! am that Of you
would consciously act otherwise than justly in the case
submitted TO you by the Bar Association for inquiry
aud consideration, and constrained say that
cannot recognize any obligation to appear before
tribunal nominated altogether by those to whom Mr.
UConor has nrusted the task of his vndicatiou. The
honor OF your individual motives presume not to i'm
pugn, bnt must decline acknowledge the legitimacy
pf what may be termed court IN whose organization
only OF the parties to the controversy has had
voice and whose decision, whatever 1t may be- must
Ia can
satisfactorily dispose OF the disputed points Before
tribunal so constituted that 1t shat! represent both
SIDES and shall furnish guarantees that be
suspected Of afation or sympathy with either shall
be ready at time 70 appear and to contribute what
rightly can to the evidence which impartial
judgment must necessarily be founded
When he had finished reading Mr.. Sedley retired
from the hall After pause OF half minute Mr.
u'Conor and made long address.
o'coSoR's RgAARKa
lie said he embarrassed in what he had to say
because there was accuscr Mr.. sedley having dis.
tinctly declined to appear lie had prepared 10
verify every word in his memorial presented to tho
Bar Association. The only thing in the nature Of an
accusation sort of replication contained in the
protest of Mr. Sedley. He had said that under certain
circumstances he would appear at other time and
In some other place. He had sanctioned the
charges 1t would appear that there was nobody to
blame In this matter of publication except the ac-
cused Nevertheless Mr. oconor found in Mr.
scdley's paper certain warmth against
him. Now, there should be no feeling on
Mr.. Sedley's part because OF any counter statement
that had been made to one Of his own. He had said
That supplementary proceedings had been threatened
Mr. oConor had said that supplementary proceed
lngs had actually been commenced There was In
reality no contrariety OF expression there Perhaps
added Mr. o'Conor, II should have added 10 my knowl
edge The accounts between himself and Mrs. SIN.
clair were then gone Mrs Sinclair had received
IN all IRON Mr. Forrest 100000 Mr. OConor ! entire
10 Ia mi
FLO 900 for nineteen years legal On this
he had charged interest but only alter as lac m gut cx
press IL, he had In wicked way been ping interest
tor her poor Forrest and when settlement between
lawyer and client was long due. The speaker read
note of Mrs. Sinclair to James Gordon Bennett.
written, he SAID, TO rcpcl the charge that she
mad been driven back to 10 the stage account
81 the excessive cost OF carrying on her suit and
which she says he mad conducted her defence
'at the expectation OF present reward The note
showed plainly the speaker said, that III that time the
lady thought him by OF lauuaton The story that
he had undertaken tho case without the hope of re-
ward had been hrst preached 10 the world Ia novel
published in Philadelphia IN 1852 entitled 'Thc Match
GIRL; or, Life Scenes They Are y This novel had
been written in the interest, apparently, of Mr. For
resi-. The lawyer the book IS actaaied BY revenge.
rms brought Mr. OConor TO the alleged story OF his
meeting Mr.. Forrest on Wall street Mr. Forrest bad
lskcd hlm u he had made certain statements lie had
objected 10 the question. but did not let the ragedisn
leave him without telling HIM lie had not This
was all that occurred. There quarrel
Within the hour however, he reflected that IL
would now b. necessary for him to take up the
lady case or IL might be said he had boon driven from
H. Mr. OConor then referred TO the presentations of
silver TO him, and SAID that General sandiord who
presided at 81 the Presentation dinners and
Judge Daily, were ready TO testify that the idea OF his
working Tor Mrs. Forrest gratutousiy never entered
their minds. The tribunal, he added, might ii 1t
chose. also examine himself under oath
General DIX askedf 4 would be agreeable TO him to
have the statements Of Judge DAILY and Gcnera sand
ford taken Mr.. OConor answered in The Affirmative
CHIEF JUSTICE DALys STATEMENT
Chief Justice Charles T. Daily, OF Court Of Com
Pleas. called TO the platform. and said
TO the questions OF Mr. OConor, that when he
presented The silver behalf Of ladies New
York hc had no impression that Dir. OConor not
to lee, had heard 81 such an impression
prevailing the minds OF any OF the ladies' with whom
he comm unicatcd Their names not to be told
Mr.. O'Conor. They were not ladies connected with
The case. Mrs Sinclair not one OF them
General Charles W. Sanford testified that no
member OF the Oar and had lived In this city all OF this
century; IN the summer OF 1852 he present
ut a presentation OF silver to Mr.. o'conor; he de-