The New York herald., 1879-01-03
P. s. O'Brien Carried OFF, Though
Dying Of Consumption.
MILLIONS AT STAKE.
Great Anxiety of New York Lawyer
to Get a Case
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERAID.1

taken sick and retained at the asylum and cared for
ut the expense of the State for time. After
ward it concluded to send him to the Almshouse
to be provided for by the county author-
ties. Learning Of this abrupt decision on
the part of those in charge of the affair.
Mr.. Waters, q whole-souled Irish gentleman Of
this city had Mr. Brien carried his own residence
where he was assigned the best room and provided
with every comfort Instead of improving Mr.. OBrien
grew weaker and more helpless, and soon became as
dependent as infant. Mr. and Mrs. Waters, how
ever, untring in their attentions the patient
having to be lifted from his bed and waited upon
though he child After Mr.. o Brien had been
at Mr.. Waters house about one month he happened
to pick up illustrated New York paper in which he
the notice OF the death Of Bren of the Bonanza
company of Flood & O'Bren. California. The paper
also contained notice of the will of OBrien leaving
his immense fortune repued to be $6,000O0o. to his
two sisters and their heirs.
COMMUNICATING
knowing the deceased to be his brother. Mr.. P. 8.
OBren wrote to his sister in California, tell
ing her that he alive knowing that they thought
hlm dead. The sister in order to prove beyond
doubt that this the missing brother sent law.
yer to investigate the matter. This having been
done and all the parties satisfied of his identity she
knowing by this time his impoverished condition,
physically and financially, sent him funds through
brothers guardian and told him to suffer for nothing
that he desired for cofor tand that she would
furnish him funds FOR all purposes.
Regular correspondence now having been opened
up between sister and brother all the circumstances
connected with his brothers DEATH fortune and will
was made known to him; but since Mr. P. S. O'Brien
had only heir. a daughter. and that she was
amply provided for by Of the sisters and as Mr..
O'Brien's wife was dead and he almost dead with
consumption, he cared nothing about the immense
fortune left to his sisters, he provided with
everything he desired that money could procure.
URGED TO BREAK BONANZA o'BRIEN's
Mr. Smith, lawyer of New York. learning
through a California lawyer of the whereabouts Of
this missing brother, wrote him advising him to
break the will and claim his portions 900, ,ooo-of
the estate Mr.. O'Brien at first refused to do this.
but through Smiths continued solicitation finally
consented, but even postponed from time to tmo
the signing of the necessary documents. On the
14th of last November Mr.. Smith paid Mr..
OBrien brief visit to entreat him in per-
son to sign the paper breaking his brothers will. He
refused saying it was time enough yet. and that he
did not to break the will At this Smith. it is
alleged became indignant. and after staying day
and night with Mr. O'Brion at Mr.. Waters residence.
left New York. Before leaving Raleigh however.
Smith had an interview with Mr.. Waters. telling him
10 meet him in regard this matter; that he should
have Mr. OBrien there by December Is all hazards.
and asked Mr.. Waters f he would take him there il
he (smi.h) would send him palace car and.$200 to
defray his expenses there and back.
AnnrvAL OF TWO FEMALE VISITORS.
Mr.. Waters consented to do 20. expecting to hcar
from Smith by each mail, but to his astonishment
instead of the lookedfor letter and the $780, about
ten DAYS after Smiths departure two ladies' pre-
sented themselves at Mr.. Waters door rs Mrs. and
Miss OBricn." Mr.. Waters met them in the hall.
and after bidding them good morning the eldest one
remarked to him:-
lis this Mr.. O'Bren %
mo. madam" he replied; "I wish to God I was"
"oh." said she. you look so much like him
thought it must be he.''
Mr. Waters weighs 225 pounds. while Mr.. O'Brien il
only the shadow of q man, weighing about seventy
fvc or eighty pounds. He invited them in. telling
them they could Mr. O'Brien in short time.
whcreupon he returcd to the invalid and said to
him.
.:Your wife and daughter are in the parlor.''
..Can that bc so," said he.
'.DoSr KNOW ME?'
The ladies' we're then ushered into the sick mans
room, where they took seat one on either side Of
the bed. Tho one claiming to be Mrs. o Brien pro-
cecdcd TO the invalid with her eye glasses At
length she said to him
"No." said he. 'Can it be that you are Mary, 80
YES" she replied II am Mary and this is our
daughter Pauline
Good heavens" said he; Il thought you wcre
dead years aso-and my daughter & name is Mary"
name by bishop at her baptism"
Turning TO Mr.. Waters she rcmarked:-
lyon will please keep presence here a. secret
as possible We do not wish any one to know
business"
Mr.. o'Brien had been near deaths door the day be-
fore their arrival but under the excitement had rail-
lied sufic,entiy 20 sit up few minutes a timc and
after day or two the attending physician took the
wouldbc Mrs. oBriou aside aud told her that If she
h,Ja 1,po fcf badh NOT
IT, for Mr. q osrien was liable drop of at any tinie
and could not possibly survive but q few days at
most.
THE PATIENT HURRIED orr YORK.
On the seventh day Of their stay Mr.. Waters
ing. aud being familiar with smiths handwriting.
knew it from him. and he know.
too. that they had anxiously expected this letter,
"Herc is letter from Lawyer Smith. That samo
night about nine o'clock Mr.. Waters was called into
their and told by them that they should leave
on the eight o'clock train next morning; that they
had received letter stating that they must be in
they had ordered the carriage 10 convey them to the
depot. Mr.. Waters thinks it was pre-
eda,sd affair." s11.o one s,n,s had been in
Previous to their leaving they gave Mr.. o'Brien
The poor fellow was drunk with tho draught and by
the time they reached the depot he had to DO or
tcndants to help them nurse him, and so they left
WHAT BECAME OF oBnIES.
Consumption had so reduced Mr., q Brien that had
IL been made known that it was the intention to
with him perforcc they would have been detained.
But Father White did not learn Of the ab,
sconding parties with their helpless invalid, until
they had safely made their way or They left with
out settling their board bill The women
promised 10 write Mr.. Waters. MIR. 0Brcn also
promised to write. and told Mr.. Waters that he
should also write Father White. but TO the present
date not q syllable has been heard of their where
abouts People here are greatly puzzled ms TO the
object of taking O'Brion away. IL rs the
opinion of those acquainted with the cir
and there is no hesitancy in saying tho
object was TO secure y. 5. OBriens signature
as that is the only signature by which tho S2.oo00Jo
coming TO him can be secured The indifference
of the women do not accord with the actions OF a
wife and daughter; their sudden appearance and dc
parurc as well az that while here they did want
TO be known, is queer chapter in the history.
1t is alleged that Mr. OIricn has been kidnapped
by the women, and forced TO sign papers setting
aside the will OF his brother and that his part the