Daily Los Angeles herald., 1878-11-22
Yus Suoeles Aerald.
HONOR DEARER THAN WEALTH.
twenty-five Thousand Dollars Bequeathed
Rnt Not Yet Accepted.

HoNEsDALE, N. Y, Nov. 3.-For
fifteen years Thomas Conroy has
earned livelihood for himself and
family in the little village of Tan
ner's Falls, six miles from Homes.
dale, by making and repairing the
boots and shoes of tanners, bar
keepers and lumbermen yet DUR
ing all that time fortune of $685.
600 has been waiting for him in
Lelnster, ireland. The only condi-
ton required ofhim is that he shall
60 to that country and claim the
money. But he stubbornly refuses
to do this, and hammers away on
his lapstone from daylight until
dark, earning just enough to keep
the wolf from the door.
Conroy Is an educated Irishman.
His father was Michael Conroy, OF
Conroy Brothers, Leinster. This
firm had for years a monopoly of
furnishing bread and liquors to A.
600 soldiers in the barracks around
Dublin. The brothers were Mi
chael, Thomas and Patrick Conroy.
In 1857 Michael Conroy died. He
was widower, and left one son,
named after his brother Thomas.
This son was then 10 years of age,
. graduate of a Dublin college.
His fathers fortune, 5000, was to
remain invested in the business,
and was SO left that if the son took
his fathers place in the firm, the
money should be controlled by
him. If not, the uncles were to
have the use OF it for such time as
they choose or until the death of
either of them, or the dissolution of
the firm. and then it was to revert
to young Thomas Conroy. The
heir was to make his home in the
family of his uncle Thomas.
Patrick Conroy, the other uncle,
had married into family of a
lower social grade than that of the
COnroys. A brother of his wife, a
linen draper named Corcoran. had
q daughter two years the junior of
young Thomas Conroy. The Cor
corans were wealthy. 1t occurred
to Patrick Coproy that it would be
a good stroke of policy to unite the
Conroy and Corcoran fortunes by
bringing about a marriage between
his nephew and his niece. Thomas
Conroy, the elder, fell in with the
scheme. Young Thomas, however,
positively refused to consider the
subject for moment. His uncle
Thomas was content to let the mat
ter drop. Not so his uncle Patrick
The refusal OF his nephew incensed
him, aud he determined &c
revenge what he called tbs
insult to bis wife's family. Abou
that time the order of Molly Ma
guires was strong in that part o
Ireland. One day Patrick Conroy
laid before his brother Thomas
what seemed to be positive evidsnc,
that their nephew was not only I
member of the detestea order, bu
that he was Secretary and book
keeper of lodge, aud a leadin:
spirit in all its doings. The eide
Thomas Conroy summoned hi
nephew to him, and taxed him will
his connection with the secret so
ciety. The nephew Indignantly re
PEELED the charge and demanded
the source of his uncle Thomas in
formation. This was given him.
"Then uncle Patrick is a peijuret
villainn' young Conroy exclaimed
ssand you are another if yon reiier
;sf m ,9ss.ises charged
HIS uncle Thomas demanded
that the nephew at once apoIogiz'
to both him and his brother Pat
rick for such Language or quit tn
Conroy roof. Young Thoma
chose to do the latter. With twelv'
guineas in his pocket he took pas
sage for New York. He found hi
way to the village of Pleasan
Mount, in this county, and ther
learned the trade of shoemakin!
and married Molly Delaney, TIN
daughter OF respectable farmer
Then he moved to Tanners Fall
and established himself in bust
ness. Some time afterward lie re
eeived official notice from his un
cles' attorney that they were ready
TO pay him the $4,000 left by hi
father at any time he would appea
in Leinster ana claim it. This no
tificaiion is reI eated annually. Oi
receipt of tie notice Thomas Con
roy writes back that whenever thi
notification is accompanied by
confession from his uncle Patricl
that he made false accusation
against his nephew, and with al
apology from his uncle Thomas fol
repeating the false charges, then h'
will gladly return to Ireland.