Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 07.pdf/25

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The Green Bag.

was in 1852. What said Mr. O'Conor in reply? Did he undeceive the thirty confiding ladies? Oh, no. He took the vase, and wrote a letter. In the letter he modestly insisted that any of his ' peers at the Bar would have assumed the office and deemed it, as I did, a boon rather than a burthen.' Of the result he says, it ' was ample reward for whatever of labor devolved upon me, yet I most gratefully accept the unhoped for addition now so delicately tendered.' In the presentation address accompanying the silver pitcher, Mr. Lord said Mr. O'Conor had ' ful filled with success that office of the profession which allies it to chivalry,' and alluded to his ' disinterestedness.' What did Mr. O'Conor say to this? Did this Bayard confess that he was a mere mercenary, and protest that he expected to be paid for tilting his chivalric lance at the vociferous Mr. Forrest? Oh, no. He took the pitcher, also, bearing the arms of his royal Irish ancestors, and inscribed with their motto, ' From God cometh the succoring cham pion,' and bearing a further inscription attesting his 'zeal, disinterestedness, etc' And then he beautifully* observed : ' The Bar has ever de voted itself with courage and disinterestedness to the defense of the feeble and oppressed. It was my good fortune to be selected on an exciting occasion to exemplify the fact, and my whole merit consists in this : that I did not fail in a duty ivhich the first rule of our profession rigidly exacts from all its members' Will this exact, severe, and rigid gentleman, this royal Milesian Cato, who has arraigned the Court of Appeals of this State for corruption, now proffer some parol evidence in explanation of these writings? We would suggest a letter to Judge Davis, or an extra edition of ' Harper's Weekly ' prepared by Mr. Albert G. Browne, Jr. We await the ex planation in breathless suspense." — Vol. 13, 279.

and impartiality shall be above suspicion, and whose judgment, whatever it may be, can be accepted as final.' The members of the tribu nal have accepted the duties imposed upon them, and a preliminary meeting has been held." — Vol. 13, p. 299. "The tribunal appointed to consider the charges against Charles O'Conor's professional conduct while acting as counsel for Mrs. Forrest, had a hearing of the case on Saturday last, and no one appeared to substantiate the charges against Mr. O'Conor. Mr. Sedley, the near relative of Mrs. Forrest, said he would not present his version of the affair to a tribunal chosen entirely by Mr. O'Conor's friends. Mrs. Forrest had written a letter to Mr. O'Conor, which was read. This letter expressed regrets that her statements had been printed in the newspapers, and reiterated the fact that she was grateful to Mr. O'Conor, although she was disappointed at the size of his bill. Chief Justice Daly, who made the pre sentation of the silver vase in behalf of the ladies, testified that during the whole trial he had the impression that Mr. O'Conor was to receive a fee. This is the main point in the case, and if it is established that no deception was practiced upon the public by Mr. O'Conor, then he will, of course, be honorably acquitted." — Vol. 13,/. 319.

"The exoneration of Charles O'Conor by the tribunal appointed to consider the charges against him in the Forrest divorce case was foreshadowed by the reports which reached us last week. On Wednesday evening the Bar Association of New York city accepted the report of the special committee in the O'Conor case, and of the tribunal. The tribunal finds : 1 . That there is no evidence that Mr. O'Conor became counsel of Mrs. Forrest with an under "The Committee appointed by the New York standing that his services were to be gratuitous. Bar Association to arrange a tribunal to hear and 2. That the testimony of Judge Charles P. determine the charges against Charles O'Conor Daly, who presented the silver vase for the have succeeded in getting a number of excellent ladies, shows that the presentation was not made men to serve upon the tribunal. The tribunal with the impression that Mr. O'Conor's services will consist of John A. Dix, Wilson G. Hunt, were gratuitous. 3. That Mr. O'Conor did not William Adams, D.D., Howard Potter, and John make exorbitant charges for his services. The K. Porter. There is an admirable combination committee who arranged the tribunal of in vestigation close their report with the following of characteristics in this tribunal. The com mittee of selection say that they have been eulogium : ' Through many years the name of solicitous ' to provide a court, whose intelligence I Charles O'Conor has been known to our com