The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-04-01

LAWYERS FEEs.-We once heard an
eminent English judge remark, in his
own court, in a case, relating to lawyers
fees, that the allowance of enormous fees
to attorneys had come to amount to a
denial Of Justice; as innumerable claims
altogether just were abandoned, for the
reasonthat the counsel fees would cost
more than the claim when collected
would amount to-. We are reminded Of
this when reading of those enormous
fees paid to counsel in cases like Bris-
itow's and Pendleton's and Tilden's and
Evarts' and Ben. Buffers, and so on.
on this subject the New York Times
has recently made public some very re-
markable circumstances of "crooked-
nessn in relation to that distinguished
lawyer, Charles O'Conor. The sub
stance of all this is,-that O'Conor was
the counsel for Mrs. Forrest, wife of the
eminent tragedian, In her suit for di-
yorce from her husband. The suit at
tracted public attention to a large de-
gree; and was stoutly litigated. The
Il. I'D.
result was a decree OF divorce, with
'alimony to the amount of $4,000 per
year. This was by subsequent proceed
ings raised to $4,000 yearly. In all this
Mr.. O'Conor was the able and efficient
counsel for Mrs. Forrest, who took her
maiden name Of Sinclair after the
divorce.
In her struggle for divorce Mrs. For
restwas without means. 1t was under
stood, at the conclusion of the trial, that
tnsr COUNSEL. o'Conor, had given his
PROFESSIONAL services gratuitously, be-
cause Mrs. Forrest was without means
and had been infamously treated by her
divorced husband. AS a mark Of their
appreciation Of this chiyalric generosity
on his part, thirty ladies, whose names
were kept secret, presented to O,Conor,
through Judge DAILY, q magnificent silver
vase; to which he CALAMITY replied that
"this. was his ample reward" &C., &c.
Subsequently, sixty prominent members
for the New York Bar gave O'Oonor a
banquet, and presented him massive
Hilver pitcher, with the inscription
i"Trom God co,aeth the Succoriag Cham.
pion," as token Of their high regard for
his unselfishness in aiding Mrs, Forrest
I'm her contested case; and many high
toned speeches were made, and Mr
'OOonor responded in like tone, &C., &c,
But Mr.. Forrest refused to pay the
alimony ideoreed against him. and in ev-
tery possible way delayed and ieluded
payment. Meantime Mrs. Forrest, now
Sinclair, was compelled to go upon the
Stage for means Of support. Finally,
however, in 1868, sixteen years after the
decree for alimony was granted, there
were proceedings affirmed that CON-
PEELED Mr.. Forrest, who had large
wealth, to pay over to his former wife
$4,000. That amount was paid for her
to Mr.. o. Conor as her attorney, who had
received such public applause for serv.
ing. gratuitously.. And of this s64,OO(
awarded to and paid for Mrs. Forrest
D'Gonor retained $59, 1000 for his fees, fol
himself and associate, and gave Mrs
Forrest q paltry $1,000 out Of the $4,000
Eecoyered. til as
About all this there seems to be n
grounds for doubt, as Mr.. O'Conor's bill
las rendered by himself is now in tn
handsof Mrs. Sinclairs brother-in-law
MIR Henry Sedley. In view of oil thes
thdngss among distinguished men, en-
might well doubt whether true scrupu
housness Of honor any longer exists.
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The Cars Abdicati0n,
from the numerous accounts given il
European journals in reference to til