New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-05-14

the rcporfs given in the papers OF that day are su
TO convey but feeble notion Of his eloquence' Inc
| case was long and difficult one. 1t was carreo 10
the General Term and then to the Court OF Appears
where James I. Brady, also appeared LOT MI 4 Or
rest and everywhere Mr. O'Conor was victorious
His iooI triumph was received with great rejoicing
Thirty ladies of this city, who kept their
names from the public presented him. Judge
Charles p DAILY acting as their spokesman, with
splendid vase OF silver saying that they did so DC
cause by indicating Mrs. Forrest he had ralseu
wall of defence around every home and hreside III
this community making "eyery womans 1alr
name safe by the example" Sixty of the leading
members of the bar presented him Win q silver
pitcher Daniel Lord making brief and eloquent
speech This latter gift had inscribed upon it the
arms of The OConor Don. then the representative OF
the family in Ireland. and Member of Parliament Tor
RoScommon. Its motto was thought peculiarly APP
proprate: "From God cometh the succorlng
champion" Perhaps of all his cases this was the
one that excited the greatest popular interest.
NOTED CASES IN WHICH HI WAS PROMINENT.
There wcre many. however in which he was
engaged which represented interests of transcen-
dant Importance and often millions in money.
Among the greatest of these were the case of the
slave Jack in 1885, the Lispenard will in 1913,
the John Mason will in 1888, the slave Lennon in
1856 the Parish will in 1862, the cases of Curtis
agt Willis Conjolle agt. Ferro, United States agt.
Casteller0 and of late years the Jumel will aud the
Walworth parricide. Some of these cases were so
important as to engage not only the attention OF
the whole profession, but the services of many OF
its leading members. In the case of Barnard agt.
Adams the argument was written by Mr.. OConor,
though Daniel Webster was on the same side, and
has received the honor of frequent quotations on
both sides of the Atlantic The same thing IS true
of the Parish will case In his arguments Oh the
slave cases Mr.. OConor stood on the side to which
his own opinions would naturally have carried him
that of the shareholders. lie was Democrat of
the most pronounced type, and never abated one
jot title of his opinions The Lennon slave case
was one where slaves in transit through this State
were set at liberty by court on the ground that
slaves freed by their passage through free
State. This decision affirmed in the supreme
Court of the State in December, 1857, and an ap
peal taken to the United States Supreme Court.
William NJ. Evarts and Charles OConor appearing as
opposing counsel. Mr.. OConor, says Henry Will
son, in his History of the Slave Power" :" based
his argument for reversal of decision upon the
ground that property in rested on the basis OF
all other property, and that no state could pass
laws that would vtiate extinguish its claim
He declared that slavery was not morally wrong
aud that there was no law of nature or OF God
from any lack in his argument. The strength, in
genuty, and eWdition of his pleas on the side OF
slavery were acknowledged frankly by those OPP
posed to him. They not inspired. however,
by any animosity toward the race In one Of his
cases, which was brought against persons who had
assisted in helping a slave to his freedom, he
abandoned the suit on learning that the principal
defendant was cOlOTcd man. With the aspirations
of his fathers native country for freedom he had
a hearty sympathy. In 1913 he became one of the
Directory of the Friends in Ireland" which was
organized in anticipation of an outbreak in ireland.
and also included Horace Greeley and RobertEmmet.
He presided ut the great meeting held Mt Nauxhall
Garden in August of that year, at which Bishop
Hughes and General Hiram Walbrdge made
addresses, and also at the great demonstration Il
week later
THE JUMEf. AND WALwORTH CASES.
The last suits of prominence in which Mr..
O'ConOr was engaged. excepting those against the
Tammany Ring, were the Jumel Will case and the
Waiworth murder trial. The first was a suit
brought by George Washington Bowen against
Nelson Chase, who married the adopted daughter of
Nine JumeI to deprive him Of the possession of the
wcll-known Jume estate, valued at about $4,000
900. and situated at Washington Heights. Bowen's
claim was that he was Nine. Junels illegetimate
son. and her only child. and that. therefore, he was
vides that in the absence of legitimate issue illegt-
innate children shall inherit the mothers property
The suit was tried for the first time IN the United
States Circuit Court before Judge Woodruff, IN the
winter of 1871 the trial lasted about two months,
and resulted in disagreement of tie jury. they !
standing three for the plaintiff and nine for the de
PENDANT The second trial Of the suit was bad IN !
the United States Circuit Court before Judge |
William ID. Shipman, IN the winter of lS72-73. Mr. |
O'Con0r obtained "struck" jury, composed OF !
prominent bankers, brokers, and business mon; the |
trial lasted about eleven weeks, and ended with |
verdict for the defendant. An appeal was taken to
the Supreme Court of the United states, where the
Judgment which Mr. O'COnor had secured for his !
client III the courts below was substantially |
affirmed. About two years ago the controversy |
was settled by a compromise and the real estate |
sold at auction.
his father Mansfield Tracy Walworth, novelist |
Mr. VConor. who had then almost reached the |
Scrptural term of life, threw himself with ali the |
fire OF young lawyer handling his first brief He |
actually carried the whole on his own |
shoulders and gave excellent examples OF his power
of sustained labor as well as good proof of his deVO-
ton TO his client.
PROSECUTING THE TAMMANY RING.
The service for which Mr. O'Conor will perhaps |
be longest remembered was that which he rendered
to the city in his aborous and able prosecution of
the Tammany Ring. The Committee of Seventy !
engaged Mr. OCOnor and Wheeler H. Peckham. |
Democrats, and William NJ Evarts and cx-Judce
Emott, Republicans, to conduct the prosecution
against the Ring thieves. This was done in order
that there should be opportunity to raise the cry
that it was a political persecution. Mr.. O'Conor
had the direction of the preparation of the civil
suits for the recovery of the stolen money. All of
the evidence attainabe was carefully sfted bv the
counsel When all was in readiness Mr. Pcckham.
provided with an affidavit of br. Tilden. giving am
analysis of the accounts of the accused persons and
another of John H. keyseT, setting forth the fraud
ulent practices of Tweed and his con sederates pro
ceeaed to Albany and laying them before Judge
Learned of the supreme Court, asked for AN order
of arrest against Tweed IN suit 70 be instituted TO
to the people of the City and County of New-York |
The order OF arrest was granted, and William NJ
The suit was brought in the name of the People Of
fhe State OF NeM-Y0rk Tveed gaye hi Inn TIC