The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-04-18

for In November, 1S6s, gentleman stood by who mad
doubt need, am not; take much Of that
you please He thcrcupon took loan or SIS 0c0 "
Mr.. o'Conor does tell that this gentleman
Mr. Nelson Chase, who had already got that day his
Sl5,975 80 Perhaps Mr.. OConor was ignorant OF the
latter fact or perhaps Ar O'conor thought that Mr.
Chase had magnanlmousiy refused to take his share,
and intended thus to justify prevalent public opinion
That the fact that Mr. O'Conor just then conduct
some stages costly Jnmcl case, had any bearing on
this transaction, we can only conjecture. Mr.
o'coror, iur.her on, repels tho idea that It
would have been right Tor hun to have been
supposed gratuitousiy for Mrs Forrest. He
says:-.l then thought, have always understood, aud
believe that Tor lawyer to oncr a wife who had
disagreed with her husband his voluntary aid in her
igatons with him, aud undertake to get her divorce
gratuIously, would be infamous conductp The obvious
answer to this Is that many very good people, for many
years point OF fact, did suppose that Mr. 0'Conor
was acting gratuitously for Mrs Forest and, although
have heard him warmly and continuously appauded
for doing. never heard his conduct that
spoken OF with word OF blame. Still further, Mr..
O'Conor inqurcs'.'what would have been said II 1t
was supposed that !, bachelor OF forty-ive, had n-
truded myself into this lady's quarrel with her hus-
band and volunteered to become
CHAMPION WITHOUT FEE OR REwARDf"
II the views OF M o'Conor as he clearly would con-
vey, the twenty-five years ago as they
declared to be why Mrs. Forrest asked at the
former time by her counsel TO sign the draft OF letter
for publication widely circulated newspaper.
affirming in behalf OF her counsel precisely what Is
thus stgmatxed to be unworthyY Why her
sci so anxious have thing believed then, aud
why they anxious to have another thing believed
nows Surely by the implication conveyed IN his last
quoted sentence, Mr. O'Conor himself injustice.
Not Mr.. Forrest would seriously have be-
lieved such an implication TO DO well founded. Mr..
OConors reputation was assuredy too well established
for that
have now to allude to what were my own interests
or feelings alone concerned would certainly be passed
in silence Mr. O'Conor s sometimes little
mysterious but any who reads his mem orae ~.
and that directly or implieA.y he charges
me-rst, with prciudiclns Ms. Sinclair against her
counsel and thrcat-Ling her with what would be in
the hghestdcgre painful and disastrous TO her hap
piDsss II she presumed, when he was assaicd TO do
.send him; second, with writing him iudecorous or
improper letter setting forth his clients needs and
position; and third, with iaisehood, nasmuch rs in
that letter untruy represented that supplementary
proceedings had been taken or menaced against Mrs
Sinclair with the further implication that used the
untrulh basis for attempting 10 cxtort rom Mr.
O'Conor some improper or unjust concession.
To each and all OF these charges must intcrpose q
respectful but absolute and unqualified denial knew
pretty well before the OF the maxim "Q sexcse
sdccuse," and Mr.. o'Conor has lately emphasized II
sharply in my mind But the occasion demands a few
words Of personal justification, which shall be gotten
over fast possible Mrs Sinclair being Mrs Sed
ey's eldest sister has been inmate OF my family for
many years The latter, on her deathbed, asked my
promise that the household should not, oil her de-
parturc be broken up, and that should be the
Trend and defender OF her sister that had lang been
before. That promise vas given the arrangement was
continued, aud when aferward IN time, change was
made the house the arrangement was still con-
tinued with the ancctonate assent OF all concerned
have never by any possible construction, excrted or
sought exert, the influence with my sister.in-iaw
that Mr.. O'Conor would convey. With regard TO my
letter to himself must say that u was meant to be
entirely respectful aud becoming and think II was
So AS Mrs. Sinclar's nearest living male connection,
certainly felt myself Mt liberty to address Mr. OConor
in this fashion, The letter is in intrusive
one was through my wife, loser Of $4,000 by
what had been donc, and the allegation as 10 It's nina
tory character is purely fanciiuL Mr. o'Conor lays
stress on my statement that supplementary proceed
ings were threatened by OF Mrs Slnclars cred
TORS He says, mo supplementary proceedings or
the like instituted. and IT may DO proper TO
add that as was pleased with Mr. Scdlcy's inter-
position. | declined TO confer with him." am sorry
ior Mr. OConors sake say that here again his
DRY is at FAULT
The official papers all Of the proceedings referred
TO in my letter Mr.. 0Conor, marked private" by
me ana published by HIM in his memorial, including
in two Of the assignments Judgments, &c, and
all respects confrnatory OF my assertions, lie on
the desk beside me while this letter Is written.
The document marked sNotc ID, - hcreunto appended,
is the original and its date and character Mr..
O'Conor's conclusive rcfuiation. But there was
tary proceedings likewise taken against Mrs. SIN
clair soon after this time In thus the counsel for
plaintiff and defendant were respectively William
was some LOCO Mrs. Sinclair was Intercepted in
open court and obliged tell what Mr. O'Conor and
Mr. Chase had DONE and on hearing this the opposing
counsel
and sat some time In silence.
Mr.. O'Conor remarks that he declined TO confer with
me. l never asked him for conference. Ny letter
will not bear that construction. But Mr.. O'Cqnor an
swcred II, saying, in his reply, that he saw no reason
why the facts mentioned should have been conmuni-
Gated to him. II is plain that he wished to know nothing
about them. Ny letter made u clear to Mr. oConor.
knowing what his bill had been. what amount
must have remained IN the hands OF Mr Chase. Yet,
In his memorial Mr.. O'Conor observes Of Mr.. Chase:
~ never had any but the most trifng and casual
Knowledge his pecunary dealings with Mrs. Forrest
until the present month, April, 1915" statement
which rendered more remarkable by the fact that
Mr.. O'Conor's and Mr. Chascs original bills, now IN
my keeping, the same handwriting appears, and that
the lines OF receipt ut tho end OF Mr.. O'Conors
written. not the signature alone but IN iull by Mr.
O'Conof's own hand.
As further confrmatory of what has been heretofore
said relative to tho proceedings OF Mrs. Sinclars cred
tnrs, who astonishcd and aggrcved by her ina
bity pay them after the settlement OF the judgment
have TO say that Mr.. James b. Taylor wrote strong
plana,ory note s to Mr. Nelson Chase IN March 1850
About the time Mrs. Sinclair despatched note
the gentleman ncIosing Mr., Iaylor's letter. Mr.
Nelson Chase replied TO Hrs. sinclair by letter. which
Is hercCnto annexed, marked "Note E'' Mr.. Chase.
like Mr. 0'Conor, did not any why the facts
named should be brought before his attention. IL will
be from Mr. Chases letter that when IL was writ
ten four months bad elapsed since the payment OF tho
judgment IN November, 1865 After that Mr.. Chase ab
soutcly and entirely neglected Mrs Snclsirs business
thereby subcct,ng Der crue, and annoy
ancc, and obllging her TO employ another lawyer.
Mrs sinclair has never said or wished to be UNDER
stood as saving that Mr. oConor had made any state
ment whatever, IN his memorial or otherwise, that
she desired to contradict in the newspapers. She has
sald that she thought MT. O'Conor was, IN some
stances that she deeply regretted tho whole
melancholy controversy that she had always felt and
SUI isl' the deepest gratitude toward MI oSono.
while she must, OF course adhere strictly 10 TRUTH II
was her earnest wish that Mr.. 0Conor should IN the
end. in all material respects be cxoncracd In BRIEF
that II any blame rightly attaches to him, she will
not volunt rily be made the instrlmcn, TO afix Il
think IL right 70 add 10 these statements, for
reasons that Mr. O'Conor and his friends may under
stand. that have up the opening OF this con-
troversy through his memorial the Bar Association
written prompted one line against that gentleman
for publication sought in any way to do him inus-
tice. HENRY SEDI.EY.
NEW York. Monday, April II, 1870
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