The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-25
COL. JOHN OBYRNE BACK.
FAssETT COMMITTEE EXILE RE
TURNS AFTER SEVEN YEARS.

Expects to Resume His LAW Business In New
York Although He II "a Year, or Age
LEFT Hero AFTER RerusinE 20 Tell what tho
Oystern,cn Dld with Their sac. o Fund.
After an absence OF seven years Col. John
O'Byrno. an exile OF tho Fassett Committed In
yestigation Of 1890, has returned TO this city
from California, where no has been living since
his departure. lie arrived early yesterday morn
ing. accompanied by his wife, and almost immc'
diately went on TO Philadelphia, where he has
business. It. was this business which brought
him East, but 1t is probable that no will settle
here and spend the rest of his life in this city.
Ho is "a years old, but purposes, nevertheless,
20 resume his law practice, which was so sud
denly broken of seven years ago. On his pres.
emit trip no is visiting his son, Lawyer Robert
O'Byrne. of $50 broadway, who lives Mt Bay
Tenth street and Cropsey avenue, Bath Beach.
At tho timo OF tho Fassett Committee invos-
~tigation Col. O'Byrnc was counsel for tho
Oystermen's Association, which was alleged to
be concerned in corrupt transactions with tho
Dock Board. Tim Shea, who has since
achieved some political prominence as a cart
tail speaker under the sobriquet Of the Ora
torical Oysterman, was-at that time not q
member OF the Oystermen's Association, and
when tho Dock Board had its turn at being in.
vcstigated he called the attention of the com.
mittee to tho fact that the oystermen were pay.
III " Wal'l- Iltitt u " "llth lhVN hhNA
no right. Col. O'Byrne was called rs a witness
and requested TO tell what disposition was
made Of 10000 raised by the association rs "a
fund" He declined to answer on tho ground
that his affairs as counsel were privileged and
that he had the right TO refuse to divulgo them.
He was adjudged guilty of contempt and Cor.
poration Counsel Clark got nm attachment
against him. but before it could BIO served no
had disappeared.
Soon he was heard Of in San Francisco,
where he took UP tho practice OF law and be-
came prominent rs n Democratic politician.
OF three OF his sons who went with him, two
also entered politics. and now hold office. Last
Gratis for District Attorney, but n recently
passed act was so construed that tho incum-
bent hold over, and 30 the Colonel's chances
were not tested. As the commit lnent for con-
tempt did not hold outside the limits of this
State, he was safe from arrest in San Francisco.
He had n laundering to finish his life in the
place where he grew to manhood. In January,
selves in his behalf with the result that Cor
poration Counsel Clark signed Il consent that
the attachment and order of arrest against Col.
O'Byrne be vacated. justice Patterson de-
clined to sign tho consent, however, and tho
papers, returned to the Corporation Counsel's
office, were afterward lost. 1t was not until
business required his presence in philadelphia
that Col. O'Byrne again considered the idea OF
coming back to this city. Should he return
here no will not again enter politics. Formerly
he was a prominent County Democrat, and has
been Assistant District Attorney of this county.
Most men at his age would hesitate to resume
a practice broken Off for seven years. but Col.
for a scptuagenarinn. He says that no in
California agreed with him. but that business
IS slow there. Besides, when his time comes,
he wants to die in New York.