The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-02-20

the general account: I'll was assignee alta not
make any distinction; went right along and put
q what was the scale OF your fees or the rate at
which you charged ,ees as custodans A. II varied
dollars per day. Depending upon the estate
ATT, RNEy's FEES
you paid per Year, A. Some years very mucn
higher than Others; should think Stone got in the
way OF ices per year perhaps, $4,000 IN tue nfs'
Q. now many years did he server A. About two
9, How long has Mr. Hughes been acting ,an sa as
your attorney A. He has been acting the oa'-
Q. What do his lees amount to per Year, A.
suppose about $4,000 a year.
@. How much property were You possesseH Oh
when you came to louisiana suppose WAS
worth $4,000: l co not think brought mere more
than $4,000: l may have brought as mnch as
SIS. 900.
think that was worth, II was settled up.
$l25, 600; perhaps not as much.
CHARGES FOR SETTLEMENT WHEN THERE Ii NO
@. Tell MS the highest charge you made out
against q bankrupt where there was no estate
turned over A. can tell you what the usual
charge Is; | cannot tell the highest sum l may
have CHARGED nv usual charge has been 500 to
have gone through estates where there would De
confederate money, confederate bonds or similar
60 through with as it would to take up an Ordi.
nary bankrupt case, and have examined the
Of ~ ne
bankrupt to pay me any considerable fee Tor this
service, and whatever have received has been
matter entirely between me and the bankrupt, q
settlement with the bankrupt; have never forced
a bankrupt; If the bankrupt said he mad nothing
Q. was this slOO a sum IN ADDITION to the fees
provided Tor oy law A. No. sir ! think not.
charged A. sometimes charged 500 and some
Q. Did You charge that In addition to the fees
allowed by law A. IL agreement between
the bankrupt and myself
DISCHARGES OF THE BANKRUPT.
O. Did you collect that amount without report
ing It to the Court or keeping any account OF 1t on
had M that Se mad pases
his examination and did not know OF any objec-
And upon such report did the Court confirm
your aCtS2 A. Not alone.
O. Did the Court make an order based upon that
report OF yours A. Not on that one single thing.
O. What else A. In order to discharge man
the Assignee and Reg ster and Marshal make re-
that the nave been paid, and on that the Court
discharges the bankrupt.
NoRroNs PLAN OF PROCEDURE DISCLOSED By A
VICTIM.
The testimony OF John Fletcher wyche who
was party to proceedings in the Bankruptcy
Court. shows as clearly as any Of the numerous
examples given what was Norton's plan OF proce-
dure as universal assignee. In his testimony Mr..
Wyche sald:-
filed petition to be adjudged a bankrupt;
was member Of the firm Of John +. Wyche Co.,
and fled petition, both a member Of that
nrm and individually.
Q. How long ago A. I think in 1858; am not
positive az to the year; l think 1t was In that
Q. Who was your attorney A. think man.
aged my own case at nrst, but toward the last
had Mr.. Mckee; also consulted and employed
McGowen and Fenelon.
Q. What kind OF property did You surrender to
the assets OF the QTM Of JQhn +. Wyche and PLAN
tation with al the movable property attached to
Z n n m nnrf
Q. VINO was the assignee selected by The credit
ors' A. l DO not think there was any assignee
Q. VINO acted as assigneei A. Mr.. Norton.
Q. We're there any membranes upon this prop
erty you surrenderedS A. Yes, sir.
q. WHAT was the nature OF the membranes;
was 1t Judgment mortgage or whats A. Allow
Chased from Dr. Peoples a sugar plantation giving
my notes ior the payment OF 1t; he transferred
these notes 70 my ather-ln-law, Il. W. Peoples, to
whom he was Indebted; these notes were held by
my iather-in-law until his death. Ny mother-in-
law administered upon the estate. and, ae the
period went into bankruptcy, the accumulation
OF principal ana interest amounted to $50, 600; It
was therefore, in the shape OF vendors bail
chase money! A. 1t was . vendors lien Judgment
had been obtained IN the district Court OF my DIS
trict against lot the sum OF s58, 600; there
| also mortgage upon the slaves and upon all the
movable property belonging to the estatei the
$1,000; THINK the district court gave Judgment
! for the entire mortgage, amounting to $5s, 600.
vendors lien, together with the mortgage for the
siavess A. Yes, sir
Q. That was the situation Of the property a: the
time you were in bankruptcy A. Yes, sIr.
IN THE HANDS OF PHILIsrINES.
Whas n was maze t o. me seal estate
into bankruptcy A. MY mother-ln-law, executrix
OF the estate OF Fl. W. Peoples. having no ready
money, and the property consisting entirely OF
lands, IS ner son-ln-law, came mere to represent
her In order to purchase that property If possible
arrival here that property surrendered In bank |
ruptcy should be sold Tor cash and the proceeds
should 60 into the hands OF the assignee subject TO
these various claims; therefore saw IN instant
that the interests OF the estate were IN great eop
ardy; conferred with MIR. Norton and Mr. Stone
about the matter and ! soon found that was in
the hands OF the Phiistines, and therefore had
work the oest oouId 1t toox me one year OF the
z. WHAT did you do A. l saw there was but |
one point Tor me to make, one caro- Tor me to play.
and that was to pay; 1t was question oil dollars
aud cents; l would not accept the services oil an |
attorney; would not have given fg Tor the |
In my case At that time; L. OF course,
went to consult my attorney in order to
from Mr.. Stone and Mr.. Norton what amount |
OF money was necessary for Mrs. Peoples to pro-
fore could get them 10 name any definite amount;
therefore had al. to ode my time; finally .ney sent
that would pay; l proposed the sum OF $4,000 /
that would pay as the agent Of Mrs. Peoples In
order to have ner claim substantiated and the
property so and bought in Mr.. stone laughed at |
the proposition and said that it would ot pay the
costs OF the court: That 1t would not begin TO do
disposed TO aid and assist me. yet the
costs OF the court must be secured. l
think before the conference with Mr.. stone |
came TO an end he said that he would |
take S. $50 and grant clear title to the property.
said That 1t was impossible for me TO raise the
other $50, out that would try; went out and
spent about week trying to raise $3.50; then |
went to MT. stone after had succeeded In raising
this amount OF money, and asked him to tx up the
papers, and that then we would go and take q |
dinner when tue amount OF 81 $50 was mentioned,
he said that was not the amount he had asked, |
That was entirely mistaken; insisted that that
was his agreement but he would not take the
money; remained mere lew days and we met
again by accident, when the subject was talked
over and he finally said that II would raise "a, 600