Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-07-26
TH0IfAS CONROY,S vow.
why lie Refuses to Accept a Large Fortune
Which Might be His,

A Tanners Hall, Penn, specill says:
Regularly every year Thomas Conroy, an
industrious shoemaker OF this village. re-
cciyes official notice from Dublin, ireland,
that fortune OF $4,000, with the accumu-
lations OF twenty-siX years. j. in bank there
awaiting his order, and regularly every
year he sends back word that he will never
touch penny Of the money until he
has had justice done him in an
other way. Thomas COnroy, now fifty
Yeas Of age, was born IN the pro-
vince OF Lenster, Ireland, where the
firm OF COnrOy Brothers had a monopoly
Of supplying bread and liquor 90 1000 SOL
dierS III the barracks near Dublin. Michael
COnroy, one OF the firm, was Thomas Con-
roy's father, and the other member Of the
firm was Thomas COnrOy, an Uncle. When
young Thomas Conroy was nineteen his
father died. His mother had been dead
some years. His father left will direct
ing that when Thomas became OF age he
should he paid whatever the amount OF the
interest Of the deceased man in the supply
business was Young COnroy took up his
residence with his Uncle Thomas in Dublin.
The young man was well educated aud high
spirited, the Conroy family being OF the
higher class. There was ano her uncle,
WHO uIu IldITltu u Mbilldu
who was beneath lin in social standing
His wiie's sister had daughter seventeen
years OF age, and it occurred TO Patrick
that he would be pleased to have his nephew
Thomas marry his niece. When il was pro-
posed 10 young ConrOy he refused to listen
to il, and aroused the onmity OF his Uncle
Patrick thereby, and the latter sought
means TO revenge himself on his nephew
for q warting his plans.
At that time the order OF Mollie Ms
gures-which originated in IreIand-was
very strong there. Their lawless acts had
stricken terror into every neighborhOOd
where branch OF the order was known to
exist. Patrick ConrOy determined to Use
this order TO retaliate on his nephew, and
one day he called on his brother Thomas
and revealed to him the pretended
fact that young Thomas was not only
a member OF the Mollie Maguires,
but that he was secretary and book
keeper OF the local lodge, and had q list
Of PTS members. a number OF Outrages
bad been perpetrated in Dublin about
that time, which had been traced to this
very lodge, and the elder Thomas Com
rows anger was unbounded when he learn
ed that bis nephew was connected with the
criminals. SHmmOning the young man 10
him, he charged him with his alliance with
the hated MOllies. This aroused the blood
OF yOurg COnroy, who was strongly OPP
posed to the order OF which he was charged
with being member, and. upon bong told
that the charge was made on til word OF
his uncle Patrick. the young nan de-
nounced him as liar and villain. Thomas
Conroy. the elder, commanded his nephew
TO Immediately apologize abiectly 10 Patrick
for bis disreSpectful language or TO leave
the house forever. Young Conroy indig-
nantly refused to apologize, and repeating
his words declared he would not remiin an
other moment among flesh and blood that
had so beied him, and left the house.
With twelve guineas In his pocket he sailed
for America. lie landed in New York in
1858. \ former acquaintance OF his lived
in CallicoOn, on the Erie railway, and
young COnroy hunted him up. From
there hc went on foot to Binghamton, aid
from there started 10 walk to New Orleans,
where he had friend. In passing through
the village Of Mount Pleasant, in this
county, he stopped at the shOp-door Of tho
village shoemaker, and while watching HIM
at his work became so interested in ii that
he asked the shoemaker il he did not want
an apprentice. The shoemaker did, and
young ConfOy went 70 WORK Inen ana
there.
When Conroy came Of age he received
notice from his uncle that he was entitled
to $4,000 from their business, and that 1t
awaited his order. lie sent back the word
he has sent every wear ilnce. that whsn
they apOlogiZed to HIM and confessed they
had wronged him by the charges they made
against him in Ireland he would go to Ire
L.. "a. 0 H., 10.
fore. When Conroy learned his trade he
married a Miss Delaney and went to work
for himself at Tanners Falls. He is
obliged 10 work hard and constantly to
support himself and family, and yet he will
not break the vow he took when he left his
native land 10 never visit it again nor touch
one penny OF the wealth he was entitled to
until his uncles confessed to him that they
had WrOnOCd nm