The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1871-11-23
Sharks.

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Sharks.
The following csustic sketch, in an
English magazine, describes II class OF
men that unfortunately are not con-
fined to that country:
"The shark has liking for the le-
gal profession. Very energetic is he
in heapiug the cost of what a client
innocently imagines will be the most
inexpensive of suits. Very kind is he
so long as he thinks his client has
money. Very crusty, very ferocious, is
lie when the supply OF that useful
commodity is exhausted He has
small qualms ofconscicnce then about
going over to the other side; that il a
smart stroke of business, of which he
feels very proud indeed. 1t IS really
instructive to watch how the legal
shark heaps up the expenses. 1t il
positively exhilerating to see the skill
ful manner in which he keeps people
lodging about after him. The NUM-
ber of points which he requires time
to consider is sstonishingly great; SO
great, indeed, that he might reasona-
bly, be suspected Of not knowing his
business. The groundlessness of his
suspicion, however, is at once evident
Wien it IS remembered that every
knotty point which necessitates an
additional consultation is, at least,
acknowledgement pence III his pocket.
Many legal sharks keep one particular
clerk, whose duty ii is, when his mas
ter is in conference with client, to
place himself where he can hear what
il going on, and then write down on
paper portions Of what lie heard. This
is to guard against the contingency Of
the client successfully disputing the
amount Of the bill sent in 20 him.
"How fond is the legal shark Of let
ter writing, and what costly things his
letters are. What on adept, also, is he
in getting adjourned time after time :
how carefully he viii work to bring
this end about, and how lie IL, acci.
dcntaliy, of course, Assisted by circum-
stances. How that important witness
will keep out OF the way just when
ne is wanted, and tie sharks learned
friend raisea legal point, netessi!ating
an adjournment, TO which the shark
feels compelled to bow.
at is very pleasant to see two
sharks playing into each others hands.
When the shark for the prosecution i5
ready to go on, the shark for the de
lense is not, and rice rsrSu. Clients
often wonder how it is that justice il
administered so tardily, but it rarely
strikes them what is the real
cause. 1t is, of course, u matter Of
the most supreme indifference to the
shark whether his client wins or loses,
so long as he pays the shark his costs.
"The law iuvors these sharks. Ii is
illegal to make an agreement with
u lawyer; he must he left to charge
just what he thinks proper for conduct
ing the case. You can never get a
statement from a sha"k while Your
memory is fresh; you receive the bill
when you have forgotten the minutis
of the case. You remember nothing
about those interviews and letters,
and the mysterious etcctera. You
recall all the times you have seen him
in fact, and yet fail to make your
number of meetings tally with his.
But you can not dispute him ; there is
the evidence OF his clerk! He will
not wait long for his money after he
fayors you with his bil!-especially if
you are hard up. He will, on small
prov0catiop, set all the engines of the
law in motion against you. He will
seize your effects even the bed upon
which you lie, and turn you pcnniless
into the street. He would also seize
your person if he thought you had
friends who would deem it worth ran.
soming.
ave would have it understood that
we have been speaking of legal sharks,
and not lawyers.
"Then there is the money lending
shark. He is very willing to lend
money to silly people who have good
friends or the handling Of other peo-
PIES cash. 1t Is remarkable that
those who place themselves i'm his
clutches often do some thing desperate
sooner or later; some times they forge
signature or help themselves out OF
cash box which is not theirs some
times they bolt--in rare instances out
OF the world, more frequently to
the Continent of America. The
law favors the usurious shark. 1t Is
not an indictable offence to charge u
usuriOus rate of interest.
"There IL the commercial shark;
he is fond Of startling limited liability
companies which he knows cannot be
successfully carried through. He
makes money thereby, and il matters
not to him from whom the money
Is wrung. And so we might go on
enumerating tn various types OF
sharks, but we refrain.
alt is perhaps the nature of some
men to be voracious, and, probably, we
shall always have u certain number Of
sharks moving about among us. We
will not advise people to avoid them,
for We imagine they will do so as
much as they possibly can,
without receiving counsel from any
body. IL is just a question, however,
whether some thing more than this is
now done should not be done to pro-
tcct the inoilensive aud dcfeuseiess.
We think 30. Ii would, ~ any rate,
hr worth while to make the attack
LiJCrdi RerjciO.
II j. said that the New Jersey water
in, places urp rapi,llv filling IIp with