The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1871-12-22
HOW TWEED BECAME A LAWYER.

The false diploma business, SO far as
the legal fraternity is concerned, is par
TALLY exposed in q recent article in the
Tribute, this extract from which Is
very assuming as well as suggestive:
George" said VIM. N Tweed, sew
eral years ago, when first attempting
to recover from financial bankruptcy
through political intrigue; George"
addressing the Hon. George B. Barnard,
then, as now, Judge of the Supreme
Court, 81 hear these referee cases are
very profitable, and I'd like to have
share in EN-"
"You can't, Tweed" was the answer
of the honorable Judge; "you amt
lawyer"
"Well, can't you make me lawyer 2"
eyes, after two or three years study"
''But amt there some quicker meth
cd 2" asked Tweed.
"Oh, yes" said the complacent Judge;
"certainly there is. Go to Professor
-; tell him you are a friend of
mine, and he'll give you q diploma in
the shortest way possible"
Accordingly Mr.. Tweed repaired to
the professor, when the following con-
versation is said to have occurred:
Mr.. Tweed. Professor, my name is
Tweed. am a friend of Judge Bar
nard's, and want to be q lawyer. How
long is it going to take?
Professor. Well, about two years.
Mr.. Tweed. Two years, Professor !?
Why, George told me you could fix it
for me right away. AT the same time
opening q well-filled purse.
Professor. You are a friend of
George Barnard's, you say2
Mr.. Tweed. Now, couldn't you let
me have the diploma at once?
Professor (smilingly). Have you ev-
er studied law, Mr.. Tweed!
Mr.. Tweed. Yes sir-that is / have
had considerable practice in it for a
number of years.
Professor. Well, if you have studied
law, and are a friend of George Bar
nardis think we can preDare your di-
ploma and send it to you.
And thus Mr.. Tweed, with q capacity
which must have astonished as much as
his liberality delighted the Professor,
prepared himself in five minutes for the
of which the ordinary intellect requires
years to attain.
At this time Judge Clerke was senior
Professor Of the University, and all
diplomas were required to be signed by
him. The Judge, in q conversation
lately held with the writer, stated that
he was much surprised when he heard
of Mr.. Tweed's admission to the bar,
as he was not aware that the latter had
ever devoted himself to the study of
the law in any Office, nor had ever at
tended the course of the university,
and had never signed any diploma for
Mr.. Tweed. The Judge is positive
that he never signed Tweed's diploma,
unless the same was presented to him
for signature with number of others
and he signed it unwittingly. But this,
he thinks, was highly improbable, as he
was in the habit Of examining person
ally every Certificate brought to him be-
fore signing.
By an act passed April 6, 1860, any
person on whom the university had
conferred the degree of Bachelor of
Laws was entitled to admission to prac-
tice as attorney and counsellor in all
the courts of the State but an attend
ance of not less than three terms Of
twelve weeks each, and one years study
of law elsewhere, was required before
such degree could be conferred. Judge
Clerke was, in common with all MEM
bers of the-bar who respect their pro-
fession, indignant at the abuse prac-
ticed by the admission of persons ut
terly unqualified, and, in order to check
the same, recommended and obtained
an amendment to Rule of the Supreme
Court, which prevented the private ex-
animation of applicants thereafter.