Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-01-10
BONANZA O,BRIEE's BROTHER
Almost at Deaths Door, He IL Mystsri-
ously Spirited Away by Two Bold,
Bad Females nIlons
iAA@ at Stake.
Now Ysrk Ronald RaIelsh pispatchl

New York Herald Raleigh DispatchJ
About four months ago the subject
Of this article, Mi. P. S. 0'Brien, was
employed at the Insane Asylum as a
carpenter, but, being very weakly, he
was taken sick and retained at the
asylum, and cared for at the expense
of the State for some time. After
ward it was concluded to send him to
the alms-house, to be provided for by
the county authorities. Learning of.
this abrupt decision on the part of
those in charge of the affair, Mr..
Waters, a Whole-souled Irish gentle
man of this city, had Mr.. 0Brien
carried to his own residence, where he
was assigned the best room and pro-
vided with every comfort. Instead of
improving, Mr.. O Brien' grew weaker
and more helpless, and soon became as
dependent as an infant. Mr.. and
Mrs. Waters, however, were untiring
in their attention, the patient having
to be lifted from his bed and waited
upon as though he was a child. After
Mr., 0Brien had been at Mr.. Waters
house about n month he happened
to pick up an illustrated New York
paper, in which he saw the notice Of
the death Of 0'Brien, of the bonanza
company of Flood & 0'Brisn, Cali
fornia. The paper also contained a
notice of the will Of 0'Brien. leaving
his immense fortune, reputed to be
SO, 100000, to his two sisters and their
heirs.
Knowing the deceased 20 be his
brother, Mr.. p. S. 0'Brien at once
wrote to his sister iii California. tell |
ing her that he was alive, knowing
that they thought him dead. The
sister, in order to prove beyond a
doubt that this was the missingl
brother, sent a lawyer to investigate
the matter. This having been done
andsll parties satisfied ofhis identity.
stc, knowing by this time of his i'm
poverished condition, physically and
financially, sent him funds through
Father White, whom she had en-
ployed as her brothers guardian, and
told him to suffer for nothing that he
desired for comfort and ease that she
would furnish the funds for all puF-
poses.
Regular correspondence now having
been opened up between sister and
brother, all the circumstances connec-
ted with his brothers death, fortune
and will were made known to him but |
since Mr.. p. S. 0'Brien had only one
heiF,a daughter and she was amply pro-
Yded for BY one Of the sisters, and as
Dir. O'Briens wife wa dead, and he
almost dead with consumption. he
cared nothing about the immense for
tune left to his sisters, as he was pa
Yded with everything he desired that
money could procure.
A Mr.. Smith, alawyer ofNew York.
learning through a C~alifornia LAWYER of
the whereabouts Of this missing broth
er, wrote him advising him to break
the will and laimhisportion-s2O0O.
9y0-of the estate. Mr.. 0'Brien att
first refused to do this, but through
Smiths continued solicitation finally
consented, but even postponed 'FRONT.'
time TO time the signing the necessary
documents. On the l4th Of last No
Eember Mr.. Smith paid Mr.. 0'Brien a
brief visit to sntreat him in person 10
sign the paper breaking bis brothers
Will He refused, saying it was time
enough yet, and that be did not care
% break the viii. At this, Smith. it
IS alleged, became indignant, and after
staying one day and night with 0'Brien
at Mr. Waters residence. left for
New York. Before leaving Raleigh
however, Smith had an interview With
Mr.. Waters, telling him that a lawyer
from California would be in New York
% meet him in regard to this matter
that he should have Mr. 0Brien there
by December 18th at all hazards. and
asked Mr.. Waters if be would take
MIN there IL he Smith would send
him a palace a and 800 to defrav
his expenses there and back.
Mr.. Waters consented TO do so. ex-
pecting to hear from Smith by each
mail but to his astOnishmezt, instead
ofthe looked-for letter and the 600.
about ten days after Smiths departure
Two ladies presented themselves at Mr.
Waters door as Mrs. and Miss
O,Brien. Mr.. Waters met them inf
the hall and, after bidding them good
morning, the elder n remarked to
him:
is this Mr.. O'Brien?
No, madam, he replied / wish
TO God i vas.
oh" said she, you look so much
like him | thought it must be he"
Mr.. Waters weighs two hundred
and twenty-five pounds, while Mr..
v Brien is only the shadow Of a man.
weighing about seventy-fve or eighty
pounds. He invited them in, telling |
them they could see Mr.. O'Brien in a
short time, whereupon he returned to
the invalid and said to him:
parlor.
Can that be so27 said he.
The ladies we're then ushered into
tne SICK man room, where they took
q seat, one on either side Of the bed.
The one claiming to be Mrs. O'Brien
proceeded to scan the invalid with her ,
eyeglasses. At length she said to
him:
Don't you know me?"
No" said he. Can it he that Won
are Mary7p
Yes she replied, 81 am Mary.
and this is our daughter Pauline"
i, Good heavens, said he; al,
thought you were dead years ago-and
my daughter name is Mary
know it" said she; but she
was given a second name by our bishop {
at her baptism
Turning to Mr.. Waters she re. ,
marked ,
You will please keep our presence
here as eacrat "a nosaihla W. 49,