Pennsylvania Station in New York, I [144] visited several good friends of mine and, somehow, I managed to collect the sum of three hundred dollars from them. This was truly quite an achievement, even if I say so myself, because money was really frightfully scarce at that time all over the United Sates. I did get to the station on time, caught the train, and upon arrival in Philadelphia Joe was there to meet me. I handed him the envelope with the money, and this was the first time I ever saw him actually accept cash - and when I saw it I knew how desperate he and the whole situation was. Of course, I had sensed the seriousness of his position before, especially when I got his telephone call but somehow I had been under the impression that Joe had some resources for immediate living expenses and the upkeep of his large family. Taking the three hundred dollars - which must have been a deep humiliation for the poor man - spoke clearer and louder than words could ever have done! So, here we were sitting in the bleak Philadelphia train station and we talked for a considerable length of time. Joe wanted me to go back to New York and asked me to go and see Sean T. O’Ceallaig - who was there at the time - and I was to suggest to Sean T. that he contact Martin Conboy, attorney, to handle his case. Joe had brought a court action against his partner, involving a large amount of money; in addition, Joe hoped that, through this court action, he would be completely exonerated and have his good name and former spotless reputation fully cleared and once again reinstated. We had been talking for a long time, weighing all the pros and cons it was getting late, and here was Joe lying back on a hard bench in the deserted railroad station - his face a mask of suffering and despair! [145] Looking at him I could only think that this was the most popular person I had ever met and I remembered what Major Kinkead had said of him once "There isn't a mean thought in all of Joe McGarrity." The Joe McGarrity I looked at that night was a beaten man. When I asked him quietly “Joe, how many of your friends have stayed with you now, when things look so black?" he said. "Believe me, Connie. you can count them all on one hand!" He then told me of several friends to whom he had written and that not one of them had even shown him the courtesy of a reply. To me it was almost impossible to understand that people would treat one of the kindest of all human beings in such a callous manner. Joe was generous to a fault and of a graciousness rarely found in fellow man. There and then I silently vowed that this would never happen to me! Finally, my train pulled in, it was then 4a.m., and I reached New York by 7 a.m. An hour later I phoned Sean T. O’Ceallaig at his hotel I was so eager to help Joe that it never occurred to me I might wake Sean up; but there was no need for worry. Sean was then as kind and considerate as ever. Immediately, he asked me to come over for breakfast. I told him Joe's desperate plight and barely an hour later, shortly after 9. a.m. Sean set out to see Martin Conboy. Six months passed and there was no evidence of any development in the case. Prior to this Joe had been sent to Ireland on a totally fruitless trip which did anything else but help his faith or bolster his morale and outlook. (It later came out that, seemingly, this trip was ordered to get him out of the way since Joe had a fool-proof case against certain people of political standing.) Finally I suggested to Joe that he force Conboy's hand, which he did, and as a result Joe took Conboy off his case. I then suggested that Joe should go and see Major Kinkead as the latter’s Brother-in-Law, Tom O'Neill. was a very famous attorney with a brilliant record. [146] Joe contacted Tom who took the case. and within a few hours Tom had the Defendant asking for permission to settle the matter. This was, indeed a complete victory for Joe and it also carried his complete exoneration to the Curb Exchange. Joe got a substantial settlement but to him the clearing of his good name was by far more important. Only those of us who were privileged to know Joe McGarrity personally were truly able to fathom and assess the extraordinary depth and gentleness of this great man's character. I will never forget that day in Court when, before the case opened and before Joe knew that he would win it, he immediately went over, shook hands with the defendant (his former partner) expressing sincere concern about the man's ill health, suggesting he should take good care of himself. Next, Joe went over to the defendant’s father expressing the same concern and offering his help as he was so sincerely interested in the man's good health and welfare -- all this, despite the terrible losses Joe had suffered at the hands of this man. Joe really had gone
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