The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-04-13
FORREST o,coxoR coNrRovERsr.
MIR, O'Conor's Elaborate Defence before tho
bar Association.

1
bar Association.
To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN-Str: Last
night Mr. O'Conor presented to the Bar Associa-
ton an elaborate defence to the Indirect charges
| that appeared In the Times OF the 26tn ultimO.
IL tn Il artcl1 II was stated h.t during the prog
| rcss Of the divorce suit brought by Mrs. Forrest
against her husband, divers articles had appeared
| IN magazines and public statements had been
made to the effect that Mr.. OConOr conducted
! MIS-. Forests case gratuitOusly, and that Mrs.
! Forrest was led into the same belief, aud had
| lately stated, 81 told Nr. O'COnur when he took
tAc case that had no money, aud 1t was my
understanding that he took 1t free. never
made any agreement to pay him anything either
for the trial or for the alimony proceedings =
and that Mr. Chase, who wds the attofuog In the
cause 1T the time OF the trial, told her, e You
know that we have taken the case free Of cost TO
you" and induced her to sign a card to that eff
| feet, which was published.
| The ar icle adds that the final recovery ia that
case for alimony was $4,000, of which $4,000 was
retained by Mr.. O'Conor. and OF this $4,000 was
charged by Mr.. O'Conor and $4,000 10y MIR. Chase.
| Mt. O'COuOr's defence will be read with inter-
| est, not alone by those, and their name Is LEGION
who desire to see him indicated, but by those
who are curious to see how great advocate,
whose whole role in life has been to act upon
the offensive or attacking side, conducts himself
| when put personally In the attitude OF defence.
II Il interesting to- watch the gladiator, who has
| passed go many years In welding a bright and
| ritess blade and who has always discovered
| the weak spots OF his opponents Grmor and
| hewed into them without mercy, engaged now
| In interposi1g the shiold to cover himself, and
| In using his weapon to parry rather than to at
| tack. 1t Ia interesting, too, to mark how
| keenly one who has never ecruped to attack,
| who IN his long career, whether in forensic CON
| tpstg In Uplitlgal discus iDue. In
| controversies, has never hcsitated to war upon
| ali who offered with him In law in politics or
In belief or opinion Of any kind. with the utmost
| vehemence, and who was always willing, Indeed
eager. to impute the worst o. motives ana to
| charge the most hagitiOus crimes to his Oupou-
| eDts, feels the thfusts aimed against himself.
lie has always been other unconscious or
His late correspondence In regard to the decision
| OF the Court Of Appeals in the Tweed case aud
to the Judges OF that tribunal, is but a fair
| Illustration Of the bitterness Of his nature and
the loatning and suspicion that he invariably
| exhibits toward those who do aot coincide Win
| his views. lie now betrays a sensitiveness that
may teach him tperhaps too late) that all they
that take the sword shall perish with the sword"
lie does not hesitate TO give back some netce
| cuts to his opponents. to Mrs. Forrest, and the
| newspapers, aud especially To Chicago sheet,
| which bad placed him among the pen portraits
| OF It's "rogue's gallery,' in his verbal address
and his written defence, and broad hints of
libel suits are thrown out.
made various loans to Mrs. Forrest which scgre.
gate about $l7.6i7.40, and that his only charge
Tor services was $I5OO, with some years inte-
rest. and $500 without Interest.
Now. any one familiar with the fees received
and fairly earned by lawyer Of Mr.. OCon"r's
position VIII cOnceje that these fees are exceed
ingly moderate. But in the amount Of fees does
not consist the sting Of the insinuation against
Mr.. OCunor. The point Is that he allowed 1t to be
believed that he acted gratuitOusly, aud permit
ted himself to be repeatedly publicly compli-
mented on that account; received the credit
and enjoyed the reputation consequent there
on; and then. the instant that any money was
| collected for his Client deducted his ices, and
| permitted the attorney To upurulrtAte the
ef portion Of the rest OF the Iund.
| As to MIR. Chase's fees he Is entirely silent,
with the exception OF the statement that Sir.
Chases office was not IN the same street with
relations that must exist between the attorney
and the counsel, In such protracted litigation
% the Forrest case, and especially those who
| know the cl Sc personal Intimacy between those
two gentlemen for many years past Will be in-
clined to ask why he did not intervene to pro-
tect his client against what, unexplained, as 1t Is
thus far, appears, to say the least. to be an ex-
ortitlnt charge, and to ask, moreover. why. Il
MIR. O'ConoTs fees were $1,000, the attorney S
| fees should he $1,000.
As TO the suggestion that he "caye out or in
some way permitted the puthc to believe tuat
he volunteered 10 carry on the lady's case with
out compensation he makes u mere naked de
MIL
Now, the article in the Times says that after
the trial certain LADIES' OF tue city presented him
with "A silver vase " Hs IA testimonial OF the aid
| freely gwen to a woman In distress ana that
Mr.. O'COnor To acceptnR II said tnat " the result
was al ample rewcrd for whatever OF labor de-
vowed upon" him ana that Daniel Lold, IN an
address on the occasion OF a lawyers present 20
| ton OF MOtneT ElIl, acting upon Tue \ me
suppOsl:ion, sad, You fulnlied with success
that Office OF the profession which allies II 10
cavalry" and that MIR. OConor repl,od " IL Is a
prnciple. and not this simple inseince Of con
fnrmity TO II, that ehcits your applause Mr.
OConor, in his long aud labored defence, makes
no denial whatever OF those statements, and 4
must assume them to be true.
How isit aiding a woman in distress" to un-
dertake a case Tor ner2 People 90 not employ
lawyers Gul - they are In trouble. IL Is law
: yers business to act for them. lie gets his iiv
ing by beng paid for such services. II he Is
paid, or IL Is agreed that lie shall be y. id, how
does his conduct diler from that OF every other
liwNer every day OF his life II Mir. O'Couol
{ took this suit upon the ordinary terms, how was
his conduct allied to chvalryf'
Was 1t because his client VS. woman way
| every lawyer and every ayman familiar with the
3 courts knows that l'wyer With a woman for a
t the battle 6efo.e the trial his begun.
Was 1t because he did not tx CT his fees IN
ices In a litigation is concluded Was /, be-
use lie could not get paid Ut all unless he sue
ceededf Then he took the case on speculation
| ana tnat, III ugh by no means Improper ~
| many inst inces Is not a course that IS Usually
rewarded ~ nqueis and pieces Of plate.
IL ma, have been, in the ordinary pursuit OF his
profession, Is not complimented was Mr.
hin, not for his success, but IN his labor with
, out reward or hone OF reward, and the low
u m gaines and the Herald Of that date 40 stat ed
one Itmos article says) without contradiction
TIL Mi. OConor sh II exi ain away these tHings
| We must serve our ludgu.cnt upon what ht
admits 10 be a most serious charge.
T While rcpretting this result, we can hardly
ftpress smile Al MS proposition, gflNclY mace
, | to submit his case To a jury composed Of ." Pro
testant and lsraelitsh clergynen.' rms seems
To toe w IN the idea that as lie u Christian and
Catholic, a jury OF Protestants and Jews wo aid
be SO preJuuiccd tgainst him, aud so likely "a
4 decide against him, right or wrong. that L.
Q | wiring favorable verdict from such TO y
would be a triumph that no one could gainsay
And no duu1t no sincerely believes tbat either
| Pr, testlnts or Jews would endeavor to dec, dc
against him II they could, upon the theory thai
seems always TO have governed his int. courst
with men, that all are ruled by interest or pFeju.
| dice, and that the judgment OF all must nrCSs
( | strlly toe warned hY one or the other.
No, MIR OCouOr; II YOU are tried AZ all
whether by a jury or by the public, II VIII nt
| your conduct and not your rellEln II, that vii
be cohsilercd, and the Judge ana the jury Wi
| not tie swayed by the prejuiices OF race, color
j | creed, or previous condition OF servitude.
10 Yours, LIGHT WANTED.
NEW YORK, April II.