Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-09-15
FxOrbitant Fees.

and distribution Of the estates OF decedents
and insolvent debtors. The waste to which es'
tates are subjected while 10 the jurisdiction OF
Cbancery Courts is simply enormous. The
law, under the preface of taking care OF The
Interests Of heirs, legsteeS and creditors. per
mits large percentage of the property to
which they arc entitled to b, divided among
receivers, referees. trustees aud counsel The
fees which the Court allows to those who handle
trust estates are more than liberal, and would
OF themselves be heavy tax upon those who
arc obliged to pay them. but when these
ale supplemented by the special allowances
which Courts in their discretion are accustomed
to grant, the effect is not much short ot down
right robbery.
Although the practice OF depicting estates
while they are lied up IN Chancery bad lis or,
iein 10 the rapaciiy of lawyers, the principal
blame must be put Oh the easy good nature Of
the Judges, who like to obliee counsel, and pre-
fer not to ipcur their i'll will We are glad TO
notice that there is one judge 10 New ork who
has had the courage to set his face against this
| localized robbery. 10 order to show that be
| gas in earnest be began the "retOrm 10
| case 10 which large amount vas Involved and
| the counsel we're OF the elite Of the bar. When
the great banking firm Of Kenyon Cox 4 Co.
made an assignment some two years ago tor the
benefit Of their creditors large portion OF
their assets consisted OF railroad securities
| of various kinds. Mr.. W. l.. Scott. OF Erie,
prominent railroad man, was made assignee.
| a few days since be gave an account or his
Stewardship and among other charges against
| the iosolVent estate was one OF $4,000 tor bis
own compensation. 1'his sum had been fixed
| by the referee, and Mr.. Scott Was satisfied With
! his Judgment 10 the matter. When the &C.
count came before Judge Robinson he refused
to allow this item, and referred the account
| back to the auditor with Instructions TO report
| the sum to which the assigoeo would be entl-
tied under the law.
Mr.. Scott has published long statement, 10
which he claims that his services were OF very
great value to the creditors OF Kenyon Cox J.
| Co., aud that through his skill and his conuec.
ton with the interests represented in the Sc.
curities which formed large portion of the
assets of the insoveDt firm, be saved 40
ton allowed him. All Of this may be true,
but Judge Robinson has very properly decided
| that an assignee trustee or receiver IS entitled
to no more than the statute allows The law
recognizes 20 such thing as extra atteu.
| ton" for which extra charge is made. The
person who accepts trust under the direction
of Court of ChaDcery is bound to give the
matter his best attention all the time, and TO
bring all his skill and experience to bear in the
manageme cot of the estate con6dsd TO his care
without expecting to receive any compensation
except that fixed By law. Judge Robinsoo
also commented upon The excessive sums al
lowed to counsel. and laid down the wholesome
rule that the pay of lawyer is not to be regu
lated by the amount Of the fund involved. or
by bis standing 10 the profession, but by the
value of the services actually rendered.
The New York Tribune gives list OF few
estates distributed BY The New York Courts
that have been robbed by lawyers, receivers,
tate Is fair specimen. Jas. 2. Taylor died 10
1870 leaving property estimated 10 b. worth
So, 100000. No will was fouol unll about six
months after the death of Mr.. Taylor. 10 the
meantime tho Court appointed two sdminstra-
tors, who managed to expend $40, 900 10 fees
paid to themselves aud others before their per
formances were cut short by tho discovery of
the fact that Mr.. Taylor did not die iutestate
The estate then passed into the haDd5 Of the ex-
ccuors PANIED 10 the will. One Of the executors
died, and then began q contest over certain
property Of which he had obtained possession,
aud which other parties sought 10 attach
as part of his Own estate. a grand.
daughter who was dissatisfied with her legacy
also contested the will, and this still further
complicated matters When the day Of settle
meot came 0. g. MatisoD claimed 500, 900 fJr
services as agent 10 the sale Of certain real es-
tate; party wac had been made receiver 10
the course of certain proceedings concerning a
portion Of the estate presented bill tor $l6,.
POS; Senator Kernan wanted $1,000 as counsel
fee, and advisory counsel were paid $4,000;
MIR. ConkIiog was asked to appear 10 one branch
! of the case, but although he rendered no SER
vice whatever be brought in bill Of S., 1000 be-
cause be had been spoken to about it, The
estate is still 10 chancery, and there will prob
lawyers get through with it,
The whole system of settling estates is too
expensive and too complicated. A man who
spends lifetime 10 earning something to leave
his children can die 10 the comfortable expeo.
tation that not less than ten per cent. of the
estate will be required to meet the expenses Of
distribution. Even our Orphans Courts, which
arc intended to be tribunals 10 which sylnen
can act as their own counsel, have become ex-
caedingly expensive and technical 10 their forms
of procedure. - Baltimore american.
The INTERNATIONAL SHOOTING MATCH
The contest between the British and American
riff. teams for the Centennial trophy and
championship Of the world closed yesterday,
Starting with lead of &c points, gain.
ed The day before, the Americans added IL
points in the 500 yards range, IS points 10 the
900 range and 80 points 10 the 1000 range,
making total of 90 points in excess OF the
British score. Bruce and Weber in the 800
Yards range missed the bulls eye but once each.
10 the 900 yards range Allen missed the bulls
eye but twice. and 10 the 1000 yards range
Bruce and Jewell each did the same The
British team failed to outscore their opponents
at any range during the Two days. 10 the
shooting yesterday. the highest score made by
member of the American team was 2l3 and
the lowest 202; the highest score made by a
member Of the British team was 209 and tho
lowest 1913. The aggregate score of the FORM
er was 1855, and Of the latter, 1929. being
only difference of twenty. six points, and ten
of these we're lost by the British by mere acct
| dent: one man forgot to nut bullet In his gun