The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1878-11-08
Honor Dearer than Wealth.
Twenty FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS BE-
oUFATHED, BUT NOT YET ACCEPTED

HoxEsDAI,E. Nov. 3.-Fer fifteen years
Thomas Conroy has earned livelihood
for himself and family in the little vlhago
of Tanners Falls, six miles from tloneS-
dale, by making ann repairing the pooIS
and shoes of tanners, barkeepers and lum-
bormen yet during all that time ioI-
tune Of S25, 600 has been waiting TOT DIM
in LeinsteT, Ireland. The only coodition
required Of him is that he shall 60 to that
country and claim the money. But be
sfubbornIy refuses to do this, ana nam
ners away on his lapstone from dayOreak
until dark, earning just enough 30 Keep the
wolf from the door.
Conroy is an educated Irishman. His
father was Michael Conroy, OF Conroy
Brothers, Jeinster. This firm had loT
wears monopoly of furnishing bread and
LIQUORS to four thousand soldiers in the
barracks around Dublin. The brothers
were Michael, Thomas and Patrick Con-
roy. In 1851 Michael Conroy died. lie
was a widower, and left one son, named
after his brother Thomas, This son was
then nineteen years of age. a graduate OF
Dublin college. His fathers fortune,
e5 COO. was to remain invested IN the bus
mess, aud was so left that if the son took
his fathers place in the firm, the money
should be controlled by him. If not, the
uucIes were to have the use of 1t for such
time as they chose, or until the death OF
either of them, or the dissolution OF the
finn, and then it was to revert to young
Thomas Conrov. The latter was TO make
his home in the family of his uncle Thomas.
Patrick Couroy, the other uncle, had
married into family OF lower social
grade than that Of the COnroys. a broth
er of his wife, a linen draper named Cor
coran, had Il daughter TIVE years the jnuior
of young Thomas Conroy. The Corcorans
were wealthy. 1t occurred 20 Patrick Con
roy that it would DC good stroke Of poll
cy further to unite the Conroy and COrco-
ran fortunes by bringing about a marriage
between his nephew and his niece. Thorn
as COnToy, the elder, fell in with the
scheme. Young Thomas, however, posi-
lively refused to consider the subject for
moment His uncle Thomas was content
to let the matter drop. Not so his uncle
Patrick The refusal of his nephew in
censed Linn, and he determined to revenge
what he called the insult TO his wife's fam
ily About that time the order Of Molly
Maguites was strong in that part of Ire
land One day Patrick Conroy laid before
his brother Thomas what seemed to be
positive evidence that their nephew was
not only member of the detcsted order,
but that he was secretary and book keeper
Of a lodge, and a leading spirit in all its
doiugs. The elder Thomas ConrOy sum
moncd his nephew 90 him, and taxed him
with his connection with the secret society.
The nephew indignantly Tepelled the
charge, and demanded the source of his
Uncle Thomas's information.
"Then uncle Patrick is a perjured viii
laihv young Conroy exclaimed "and
you are another if you reiterate the
charge -
Ills uncle Thomas demanded that the
nephew ut once apologize to both him and
his brother Patrick for such language, or
quit the (Conroy) roof. Young Thomas
chose TO do the latter. With twelve guin
cas- ~ his pocket be took passage for New
York. lie found his way to tie village of
Pleasant Mount, in this county, aud there
learned lie trade Of shoemaking, and mar
ried Miss MolIie Delaney, the daughter Of
a respectable farmer. Then he moved TO
TanueT's Falls, and established himself in
business. Some time afterward he receiv-
ed Official notice from his uncle's att ttoTney
that they were ready TO pay him the G5, 900
left by his father at any time he would APP
pear in Leiuster and claim it. This notifi-
cation is repeated annually, and annually,
on receipt of the notice, Thomas COnroy
writes back that whenever this notification
is accompanied by a confession from his
uncle Patrick that he made false accusa-
tion against his nephew, and with an apol-
Ogy from his uncle Thomas for repeating
the false charges, then he will gladly re-
turn to Ireland.