1927 Two Typed Letters Signed By Frank P. Walsh (1864 - 1939) American Lawyer and Social Justice Activist, Written to Austin J. Ford, Editor of the NY Irish World Newspaper, Regarding the Tom Mooney Case.

Frank P. Walsh (1864 - 1939) American lawyer, "…Influenced by his early poverty, Walsh became a lifelong labor advocate and progressive democrat. With a successful law practice representing labor interests, and with increasing political involvement in progressive, reform politics at the state and local level, Walsh emerged as a national figure by 1910…In 1919 Walsh became chairman of the American Commission on Irish Independence, a group of three private citizens who went to the Paris Peace Conference with the hope of obtaining Irish independence by bringing an Irish delegation to the conference. The commission conferred with Wilson and his key adviser, Colonel Edward M. House, and also visited Ireland, where the members traveled widely and met with leaders of the revolutionary government…As chairman of the commission, Walsh gave advice to Eamon DeValera, the head of the Irish revolutionary government, during his trip to the United States in 1919. Walsh took the lead in organizing the sale of bond-certificates to raise over $5 million for the Irish government. When the Civil War erupted in Ireland in 1922, Walsh successfully represented a committee of bond holders who demanded the return of their money. Walsh continued to counsel the bond holders and to advise DeValera during the 1920s.Walsh moved to New York City in 1919 and opened law partnerships in New York and Washington, D.C., where he specialized in representing labor unions…." (Francis M. Carroll in the ANB) Dated January 2, 1926, 1 page and accomplished on Walsh's letterhead. Walsh writing to tell Ford "…I am not prepared to say you are not entirely right in your attitude towards the John DeVoy case. My advice was given at a time when I thought, and hoped, that you might get rid of this perpetual annoyance. Also, I was moved quite a bit by your suggestion, made immediately prior to the trial of the case of DeVoy against the Irish World and Mr. Ford, to the effect that the whole matter might be cleared off…" and sincerely thanking Ford for kindnesses of the past year. The case was established, and eventually won, by DeVoy against Patrick Ford of the Irish World: ".The Irish World was a formidable political force for Ireland in the US. Ford and Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa used it to launch a 'skirmishing fund' in 1876 to finance the activities of militant Fenians to carry on a campaign of terror in Britain, and a large amount of money was raised. The management of the fund became a divisive issue among Irish-American nationalists, with Ford and Devoy quarrelling bitterly about its use. The feud with Devoy lasted beyond Ford's lifetime and culminated in Devoy's libel suit against the Irish World which he won in 1923." (Maureen Murphy on Patrick Ford, in the DIB) Signed in black ink; in very good condition.