Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-01-11
DOdsOn and FOgg.

The practice of that celebrated firm OF
London attorneys which took the case OF
Mrs. Bardell VS.. Samuel Pickwick son
speculation has been regarded, ordi-
narily, as but an invention of great
novelist, Or an example Of what is oc-
casionally done by the lowest class OF
pettifoggers only. 1t appears, however,
from long report in the Albany
Journal that the capital of New York can
boast speculative legal house capable
of vast improvement upon the English
examplar. An Albanian's little child,
some three or four years old, having
been killed by the fall Of carelessly
balanced pile of boards in a lumber yard
of that city, the bereaved father brought
suit against the proprietors of the yard
for the sum of $1,000. Being in cob
dition Of bankruptcy himself, with sew
eral judgmentsimpendingf for the seizure
of any property which might at any
time come under his name, the litigatin9
parent was suddenly enioined from re.
ceiving the damages he was anticipating
in his own suit, and from thence ensued
n supplemental examination, revealing
that he had agreed to give his lawyers q
third OF whatever sum they might ex-
tract for him from the lumbermen. The
latter gentlemen, anticipating from this
partnership arrangement that the specu-
lative fight against them was likely to
partake much more of endless chicaner
les Of law than of definite spirit OF
equity, privately offered the father Il
certain sum i'll settlement of his claim,
to be given in such Il way that nc
Judgements could reach it. TO this
the sire of the crushed infant gladly
agreed but, upon motion of the attor'
ney of the lumbermen to have the case
dismissed from court on the strength OF
such private settlement, the plaintiff
lawyers utterly refused to recognize the
latter. Despite their clients direction
to the contrary they insisted upon NOV
ing the cause for trial at the next circuit
and have persisted in going on with til,
suit, although that client makes affidavit
that their proceedings are wholly unau
thorized by him and against his desire
and wish. Prior to the settlement will
the father the lawyer of the lumbermer
had waited upon these specializing, SHARP
practitioners with a liberal offer, bu
they were bent upon having their third
of the SIS, 900 without discount, and it il
expected that the court will be obliged
to concede their right to try the case
What was the professional ignobility o
Mrs. Bardell's legal advisers in taking
her suit on shares" to the much more
tremendous audacity of these American
attorneys, who not only find profitable
Judicial speculation in the crushing of
child, but wholly disregard the wishes o
that child's father for n settlement no
awarding full third of the damages t.
themselves Z? Granting" says tin
Journal, "that, by a decision of tn
Court Of Appeals, an attorney may talk
case on shares, is there not still a high
Ell law in virtue OF which honorable mel
are estopped from speculation in human
misery The attorneys for the plaintiff
in this case may claim that they are Of
legally justifable ground. 'One thir
interest is nominated in the bond, an,
they propose to use a mangled baby t
the best advantage. 1t certainly show
a fine eye for business, but hardly SO re
fined q perception fer decency and pre-
fessional etiquette. "