New-York tribune., 1876-06-01
MIR. OOONOR JUSTIFIED.
NO FOUNDATION FOR THE CHARGES.


CIAIIoN.
The Bar Association of this city held special
meeting last evening to receive the report OF the
committee appointed to investigate thoroughly the
charges implied rather than expressed against
Charles OConor for his professional action IN the
Forrest divorce case.
There was an unusually large attendance for a
special meeting and most of the prominent members
Of the Association present. Mr. OConor him-
self was in the at one side. Gen. Sandloru
was called to the chair Edgar Ketchum presented
the report of the Committee OF the Association.
This first sets fofth the selection of tribunal, and
includes the report of that tribunal. Some formal
matter comes after this, and the Committees report
closes as follOws
The single duty assigned to Committee being TINS
fulfilled hty might here close their report bnt they can
ton with the result of these proceedings Through
many years the OF Charles OC9nor has been
known Ia our community and to the whole country as
synOn mous with eminent ability and sNoeSs purity.
Such reputation could not bo maried without il4ry 70
tie profession he had long adorned ana pam 10 ms
counrymen. But, conscious OF bis INTEGRITY anu tcn'
tive to the slightest npnation upon ~, he h5
who loved and honored Inn, In demanung lnNesSHtloh
citizens eminent for wisdom and goodness. have fully
beard the evidence, ana nave unanimously Ironouhoo"
fhe charges without foundation
The report is signed by Edgar Ketchum, Charles
A. Peabody, Charles w. Sandford, F. Il. Coudert.
Clifford A. Hand and Orlando l.. Stewart.
The report of the tribunal is as follows:
The undersigned, who requested by the Bar ASso-
citation of the CIty Of New-lcrk to ac as comGre 70
investigate certain charges brought ny me Vubic p'.sS
against Charles OCon0r one OF the members OF lne Az
Tha. on he Goth day Of April last they met at CHECKER
ng Hail, in the sand city, after pnbiie notice anu pro
T Hea nv y e record ~ their poceenas hereto annexed
that special served on the proiretois ~ he
cds Ul we9e uliy rerorted and wrii.'n out ny
ncgapheF, and his report has been carefully examined
Tie charges against MI o'Conor may be summar1y
Taat be accepted the Office Of counsel for Mr For,
rea IN certain suits between her and hor husband Hh'
III rat ne orcrntcd lrou sixty ~ rle most pron.-
uru members OF The Bar NewYTk" silver pitcher,
iI from thirty Of the most csunale ladies' OF ms
testimonials under the belief that hs services worJ Gia-
tu0Gsly rendered and that he permitted thr puohc "
! continue under ths lalse IMPRESSION, iii.
III. IBat after having uuGfIlafen 10 c9nhucl tle 's
referred without compensation he lnad' an eYoil.ht
chaige against Mrs Forrest for his services aud mat INC
oif sIrr tbc Committee was o~auzcd. the chairman
announced that tney were ready 10 hear any statement
oral o. ten, and 10 receive any testimony III Tiat
offered s,..,.,.,,..
usrIy MI ur rpTfe.6 Gaei 2slh OF April last stating
HAT ihe article pfefeir,pg the charges aforesaid was pub
.iycr on ;rs,onsbIe authorIy that IL should not ap
pear; that she had never made any charges aan,t h
ana dii not wish 10 be regarded as desiring or
pre- oslns 20 S' % rad ~ yyTs be, those Of Urof5und
,atitG Ge for lis prolonged aud skilin services ~ hcr
casa and that she had never uttered Woo oi com
Pc ', ~, ~ tl iuasfe9t in ier iayOr h1d been
slis1 y legal expenses ana advances ahl ile interest
1"nrDon' TIis letter IS appcn3cd 10 the record.
Wr Henry sedloy r. ad letter, whcl is also appended
10 lie record, dlcilnu, 10 recognize any OWsion Z"
"i2If 1y,oiq lI.nct a1 ys mate by Nj o'conor oi h
connccton win Forrest case and IT, uutn Is In nc
Tne tontiec proceed to consider 'ho charges in
Sirs There Is NO evidence that Mr. o'Conor became
the counsel u Mrs Forrest win an Hnae.i"nsn ',i M
his services 10 Dc graiuous On ltr contrary it
charge Is iefuted by letter frou her pub.sncl n Tie
ye.s- Yoyk He,aid Oil the 9th OF Dccsa1yr, l6pl tnes
| sire says: "rDoy hny counsel have pei'h0td me
without Zee or reward tle hope Of irou any q'a-
,er except my promise 10 pay them nj So'e iuuie t'
nd: Ilc icSiimony OF Judge Charles =. Dy. ana
| Nerc not presented with tie impression thai 1r.
presented tc silver vase Ia behalf of t' ladies n reply
90 tie question whc-hcr hc suppose or any one cpl-
ktn 10 conduct the business 0i Mrs Forrest fec of
cilarg. says: bad no such impression, ana derived
such nnpiessluh iItih NY "n NI ,'I -" 70
| iadics at whose request acirG.' Ca s'I"ofd, al
wh"se Louse ne -i'f pehta @ Sas H. - ,tr 'tI
sad at IN ne IDEA it the counsel o Mrs Forest had
! y,lert he certainly should have head H.
he }igputat0n tiat III. OC0nOr agreed TO cOudnc he
bv .rs forrest LcIstll, aud Tie uIiLor mpnlai' li&t
permitted the pabAe TO- eonum"1 un+oL w. "I,1 m
/ judge pay ana Gen sandiord, Ii onJ remains -
! 4Iyd: Whether Mr. OConor made an exor1iiant
lsrv necessary to say that the Forrest caae was
uc az fDe most celebrated tr-d on iAi5 c5HI..A
and That II cCn'iut ted 10y MIR. Otnapr WIN ai'
ab,ity zeal and perseverance rarely equ"rd Al the
circumstances concur show that nc under
fooR tnc service WITH sincere bclo tEat hIs IU4Cat
Ma ~' ,;,Is 10 defend her. Alier t-diion o nine
teen years her reputation was trunpAauiy Nhdthlel'
aud Judgment ior 6d44d ~ Vas @ 9.le,,. i Ter ir.I;
Daring prog o. the suit MI " "oi ma ItctiNi"
compensation for hs services i.n m Lao & nO' n oy j m
large advances Of money u carry IL nn Du1 aI i"'','t
nor $1,000 Tor hcr personal use. O tie aiaount Q,
| y,lirh tle sun OF Tl3,074 IL was Tor MS
services daring 10 years, including lhirist on 2|nOV
uc OF S2J ZIG 80 was iOf money advanced ana loaned
/ with nl Fcst to tnc time oi payment , ST., 90,
a m Oh n it!l 6, SinliH. tBat hr. OCODot paid uIch
~ January. 15o4 ior services rendered ~ tne eiSe tI9
.un al 81 IS. which not included IL his accounts ~
ns 5a ~ Niit frsI recci cd fron her husband ana
s estate ON account Of alimOny 90 $50 33 and ior
! dover 59JUCO-in tne aggregate Tz2l,LiG oJ-ihu Ac
Tscori of the case SHOWS nat tins asge amouIt vas
secured by perseverance ana Sklliu iaaasymenl oi
AZ OCJnOs. and by procuring The reversal :" jhI 90 IL
cisols which, II thcy had been huStaiH.u, "2ell nave
r,stricoi her receipts 10 much smaller sun FOR t~Ce
prolonged ANA SUGGEST services the Committee co7der
| nm very moderately cOhpehSi.o o. -, ,t, elm,
In oonciusoD, tAe u1dciSisned are OF OPINION 'At
there IL foundation ioi am Oi tc cA'Ist asia. @
OCoGor UuJust dccusaii.1N "e di"h! 10 po u"to4c'
Tor even though tAcy are shown to Dc &C., tAey arc
source tronris and annoyance to thOse against Who
INV re brincnf In his case it h. well thar tey have
bocL made and Ieuted IN hs lifetime, Tor they In-nt
IGmois a,,ieI sion When hs laie eN.Fehe and npiaf-
cutly nOpe illness - considered his recovery even 10
tiis wuu are nd posed - regard te events Oi th3 no
a,inneneed by any Otner than natural aScncS VIII cfH
aInOst sc a recall rom iho cohhts OF ahohef @vi,l
maintain the mU4t precious Vi his possessJlsa spo'less
n",.,r JOHS s. DIX,
/ ~ v VI. ADAMS,
| WILSON G.. HUNT,
j. uOWAED POTTER,
JOHN b. PORTER.
! DUANE J.. PEABODY, eecretary
! Nel- I0lk, Shay 70, 1876
| Edgar Kotchum, who presented the report OF the
Bar Association Committee offered resolution that
! the reports be approved aud adopted, which was
passed with much enthusiasm. On resolution Of