Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1876-06-01
Charles O'Cenor and Edwin Forrest.

Charles O'Cenor and Edwin Forrest.
The present writer was at the time
Of the Forest controversy in the city /
of New York, and had the possible
means of knowing the facts connected
with Mr.. ,O'COnor's, espousal of Mrs.
Forrest S cause. The facts are simply
these: Mr.. O'Conor had just finished
a trying and vexatious controversy,
which lawyers call exdelicto, and had
made up his mind that it should be the
last of the kind in which he would he
engaged, when he was waited upon by
Il lady, who wished to state her griev-
ances that she might secure his legal
services. This lady was Mrs. Forrest.
and it was against such 4 suit rs her
story required, either to prosecute or
to defend, for there were crOss.actions
in the Forrest controversy. that Mr..
O'conor had resolved to have nothing
to do with. But, by singular cir
cumstance, there was an advocate for
Mrs. Forrest. She had the good for
tune to bear a resemblance to his own
mother, whom he had lost when he
was but Il boy, and for whom he had
IN uldying affection. At the first in
terview, Mr.. O'Conor signiticd his in
tention OF acting us the counsel for
Mrs. Forrest. This advocacy of Mr..
O'Conor in behalf Of any cause meant
with his ability, his fortune, and his
life.
Mr.. Forrest soon felt the effects of
this advocacy, and from this his dis
like to Mr.. O. Conor had it's birth. On
the occasion of waiting in court for
the argument of some motion before
the trial, he began to show this dis
like, and to fix his eyes yindictively
OH Mr.. O'Conor to stare him out of
countenance. 1t was intended to
be all exhibition of II scene in Mr..
Forrest mind. no doubt of 1.-THE glare
of the tiger before he pounces on his
prey For Il man less resolute than
Mr.. O'Conor this might have served to
intimidate and elnhH.rrasss, But be-
ing obliged to notice this extra0rdi.
nary conduct of Mr.. Forrest, he fixed
his eyes steadfastly on Mr.. Forests
until the other turned aside his glare,
signally defeated. As Mr.. Forrest
had residence ut Fort Hill and Mr..
O'Conor at Fort Washington Oh the
Hudson river. they were thrown in
the same line Of truyel: Here it hap.
pened in the railroad cars that Mr..
Forrest was 50 insolent in his behavior
toward Mr. O'Conor that the latter
called upon the people in the car to
bear witness to the notice that he gave
Mr.. Forrest, that, unless he desisted
from his attacks on him, he oultl
shoot him. 1t is not trne and it is alb
surd to suppose that ':Alr. O'Conor
procured Il pistol and set up i target
ut his house and practtced on 1t every
morning, believing that he was really
in danger from the burly and passion.
ate tragedian.' Mr.. O'Conor was Il
good shot before any alteration with
Mr.. Forrest had taken place, and was
of too steady nerve to require any
more accuracy of aim than he already
possessed to shoot his man: A duel
was we'll understood to be out Of the
question. for Mr.. O'Conor might well
know, and perhaps did, that Mr.. For.
rest would not give i challenge for
prudential reasons aside even from
cOwardice, and hostile message from
Mr.. O'COn0r would have placed him
where Mr.. Forrest WIS anxious to see
HMM prison.
| Whether or not Mr.. O'Conor intend,
ell to be rs good as his word in shoot
ing Mr.. Forrest for his insults of he.
havior and language, cannot now be
known, but certain it is, tho last pub
lie meeting between them exploded in
another manner. 1t was in the fall
Of the year, and Mr., Forrest had spent
the summer in Pennsylvania, in which
place he was still supposed to be, when
he was seen one morning, in the same
train that carried Mr.. O'Conor and &
friend to the city of New York. Mr.
Forrest made his appearance us full OF
unrestrained insOlencc toward Mr.
O'Conor as eyer. 1t would seem thai
he did not mind CT care for Mr.. icon
or's threat to shoot him, unless he re
lied on the people present to protec
him. There was a marked difference
in the bulk Of the two men. Mr.
| O'COnor was thin and spare, he ma,
have been as tall, but was not us Wig
orous and bulky.looking as Mr.. Forrest
The latter, too, had stout cane while
the former was wholly unarmed
When the depot at Thirty.fourth stree
was reached, the cars went no further
From this spot Mr.. O'Conor usual,
walked down town to court or to hi
office, but on this morning the frient
who was with him CHANGED to be lame
and wished to ride in an omnibus run
ming to the lower part Of the city
While waiting for the omnibus, Mr.
Forrest, who also had the same. inten
ton began to abuse Mr.. O'Conor, and
as he had either to submit to this ag
erosion or pay Mr.. Forrest back il
his own coin, he used his tongue q,
freely as did the actor.
This "logomacly, or battle o.
words took place in the presence of :
crowd Of persons. The combatant.
separated, and met again three differ
ent times. The actor was all passion
ate dennnciation and coarse expires
sion, while MIR. O'COnor replied will
the GOODNESS of force which made hi!
words terrific. At the close of tn,
last round, rs the omnibus drew up il
which the travellers for the downtown
distance: were to take their seats, AZ
Irishman, who had been listener tt
the spirited debate, approached Mr.
O'Conor, and remarked, with 4 merr,
twinkle in his eye, ':.Begorra, sir, but
you did ballyrag him beautifully !!
AS this critic was no doubt an expert
in the business OF ballyragging, as he
called it, it was an evidence, if any
were needed, that Mr.. O'Conor's talk
had been effective. Into the same
omnibus the beligerents entered, and
were driven to and down Broadway
Mr.. O'ConOr sat next the door, on one
side, Mr.. Forrest some removes from
him, upon the side opposite. Here
Mr.. Forrest began to treat Mr.. O'Cono1
to one of his tiger glares. fixing his
eyes unwinkingly on him, with the
expression of the tigers ferocity
which Mr.. O'Conor met with an I'M
daunted smile and steady, fixed re-
turn. Mr.. Forrest broke down, and
as he turned his eyes away, said
''Pshaw! You have ladies here to pro-
IN Il, -