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Title: John James Murphy to Martin Murphy, 11 February 1872
ID4109
CollectionArgentina - Murphy
Filemurphy/84
Year1872
SenderMurphy, John James
Sender Gendermale
Sender Occupationcattle breeder
Sender Religionunknown
OriginUncalito, Argentina
DestinationHaysland, Co. Wexford, Ireland
RecipientMurphy, Martin
Recipient Gendermale
Relationshipbrothers
Source
Archive
Doc. No.
Date
Partial Date
Doc. Type
Logunknown
Word Count663
Genrebirth, attorneys, lawsuit, people returning home, money
Note
TranscriptFlor del Uncalito
My dear brother Martin,
On my arrival home from Buenos Aires (with an increase in the family on New Year’s Day of a young daughter named Elizabeth Agnes, all well), I received the document of transference all right, and may be that I will not send post it back till myself or someone of confidence are going to Buenos Aires for fear of its safety. It’s already signed by myself, and Derinzey J. Brett as a witness. With regards to Lar. Whitty, affair I can now tell you that either Flaherty or McVicary or both has made a cursed blunder in the power of attorney they sent me. In it, McVicary on oath has put down Lar Whitty at twenty one years of age, which fact left him one year short of being of age according to the law of this country. The fact of me knowing Lar to be an old man caused me to read over this particular with such confidence (that no mistake could exist in a document made out by such clever men), that the blunder escaped my notice. This unfair damnable mistake of their has caused me and those concerned an unaccountable amount of delay, trouble, and expense. Why did they not put the man down at something like his natural age, say 50, yet 40 or even at 30? But their ignorance of everything outside of matters exactly inside their own nose caused them to believe that the law existing in England should naturally be the same over the whole world. Your letter which accompanied that document prove the same, from the fact of Flaherty having said that the Argentine consul’s signature was unnecessary, which, had it arrived without it, left it completely useless. Give both of them my compliments, with lecture on these matters. The business after proceeding several months in this direction, as if none of the two errors were minor at last it reached the Cámaras, that is before the judges of the first state. They got the document translated again for their own satisfaction and as a guarantee to warrant their proceedings. And, lo, they found Lar Whitty a minor, at 21 years of age, this broke up all the business that had already being got through, and the course of proceeding had to be changed altogether. Trustees had to be named and the business had to go through different courts altogether. I [am] under the impression that no such blunder could have existed in the document that trickery was at work protested against the translation of not being correct. I solicited permission form the judges to hunt up the original document to satisfy myself as to the truth. This cost me thirteen days of diligent search through the different offices it had passed through. No one caring or desirous to gratify me without remuneration. At last I came foul with it, and I assure you I could scarcely believe my eyes when I read Lar Whitty put down at 21 years of age. I shut up and walked out as if I got a kick where you know. So the parties interested must have patience as well. I enclose you this in a letter to Father Reville. Joe Murphy, George Furlong, and Nick Pierce are going home I suppose about next April. They are selling off not expecting to return. I doubt very much if they be contented there no more than here. More particularly, George and Nick whose minds is a wear on their constitutions. We are all going on well. The season [is] splendid and all kind of stocks and produce rising in nature. Desiring kind love to all I sent a bill for 46 £ home by mail of 14th, also further with instructions about it. I hope you got the bill sent in November with the New Year’s gift. My love to all.
John J. Murphy