New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-05-25
THE WINANS DIVORCE CASE.
MRS. oKEEFFE LOSES HERLAwYER.
Ex-JUDGE PORTER wIrHDRAws From THE CASE
SURPRISED by EVIDENCE INTRo DUcEp.

l.x-JUDGE PORTER wIrHDRAws From TIE CASE
SURPRISED by EVIDENCE INTRODUCED
Daniel NJ. Porter, the counsel of Mrs. Alice
CKecfc in her suit for divorce from Ross r. Wnan' oil
Baltimore sent word 10 Mrs. OKeehe and to James G.
Carter. Mr. Winanss counsel on saturday morning. t"'
he had Withdrawn from the litigation
At the Murray niu Hotel yesterday Mr. Porter said TO
q TRIBUNE reporter Ny action was based on the IN
PRODUCTION in evidence OF Friday Of payer of which
was in complete ignorance. This was document OF
several pages the handwriting of Mrs. O'Keehe which
pnrported to he an agreement between her and MI
Winans whereby she release him from all oOlsa-
tDns to her consideration OF the paymeut OF S2OuuO
mot $4,000 hitherto stated. The document was not
signed however 1t that ir December ISL AFTER
Winaus had returned to Baltimore. had LEFT MS
O'KeeGe pennilcss in this city and refused to
answer any of her letters William SchleI'
a lawyer Of Baltimore acting for Mt. Nh'h7
ana for Mrs. OKeeie, undertook to bring aDont settle
ment between them. II he vino before had advised
Mrs O'Keelc that her marriage with Nj. NlndnS WOdld
not hold in law. lie did so consclentously without
doubtfo that the general belief in regard to the law
in Maryland at The time Tie mistake made in the mat
ter was to my mind that the advice should have been
based the in this state as Mr. ana Mrs Nlhhs
hal lived together as man ana WIFE, according 10 me
complaint at the Breyoort lIous and elsewhere in this
CITY, However, am making no criticism on Mr. @chcy
The simple fact is that he advised Mrs. Okcohe.
matter after some pondcnce with the LADY, lie
sent 10 her January Io>2 tine draft Of an agreement
whereby Mrs. Okeefo was TO renOunce her claims Tor
$4,000 with this he sent hera letter asking her 10
read it aud then it to him. what might be- better
TO copy 1t aud send him The copy. Mrs. Okeehe now
tells that copied The agreement aud Kept IT, send
in Mr. sculcy the copy She ala not N 10 ana sue Hot
10 money. There the matter dropped. apparently.
Now, when / undertook the case and prepared H. ]!
advised sirs O'AcrGe to have trial by jury. con
slcrrd her case a strong aud do sim. Tut sAc
wishing to avoid publicity IN the matter, and influenced
bl friends. insisted reference lrriucauti5, ANA
AGAINST my better ud neut, consented knew huthln-,
however. Of The existence Of ths paper Mrs kcche
did not ten of ,hdt. While lis existence. under tnc
circumstances docs no huit her cas-, Adl known al H.
never should have consented L. -ou before rc!cf'e
Mrs. Okeeie say, That tue circumstance mad escaped
her NINA ad sue never thought Ol tudi ducdhrHt "t
It put in evidence Oh trday. she undoubtedly brl-
tie truth But. before had been aware oil VIVA.
A, done would nave insisted On jar, liih SOW,
frt as-ucVcd thai lad not been nIoiEci o tAc cA-
isencc of that PAL cr, since found myself 30 POSITION
before referee where would not nave neeh ii Ati
that knowledge. Mis-. q kcccs cause L., believe hll,
tnoToueny Ju,. one Wy '!'i|iltnT' ~ ~ 49,, "' w.
mere Is not spot upon her character. II tAc'e were
the detective, VINO have been her track or Two years
would have found II out They have been ape 80 lar IS
Know 10 ma morning "Eth7' hrr MVIeoNcI, "v. '"'o
viii not be abandoned Bui under all the circumstances
1 thought 1t pe,t TO w.thlraw.'
was evidently somewhat a-lidtcd over MI Porter
action. was taken by surprise, naturally. she sud
AID must confess thdt cannot uhiefs,!nI J"d-e
POrters position. mai forgotten all abont ihe paper
no reason " ny us tAiHttu't 't'i4A
affect my before referee more tuan before jury
wished "a reference because desired thtt the "noe
matter shOld be- kept quiet, ibut Mrs OhccHc addcl
a smile ami slsh blended, hud tuat TIE news
papers contain the whole so far ~ being advised.
by friends il CONCERNED acted of my Will. regret
exceedingly that did not call to mind the paper coped
for Slr. scDlry. to him. lac requested. un-
signed of course but simply he had been AL VS.
ing me and dld 10 10 accommodate him Mr.. Porter
states the facts correctly. shat 90 ou win my sun
Certainly. believe IA the justice case ami shall
cOutIn he It, have the least intention Of abandoning
it. regret judge POr,ers action, anI thnk he VIII
III time regret H..
AIRS. o Kecne was consulting with lawyers on Saturday
afternoon who VIII 20 With the litigation a. soon as
practicable.