, 1879-01-05

Judge Lawrence, who is the senior member Of
The Eell-knoWn Law firm OF Lawrence, Campbell
e. Lawrence, was visited at his residence, No.
319 Superior street, last evening, by a TRB-
usE reporter, and gave some information about
the valuable library OF law books that his firm
lost In the fire. he said the collection embraced
many volumes Of English and American reports
Ind textbooks, and estimated their value at
l2,50 The library was only partially insured
be could not give the amount nor the COM
panfes; Mr. Campbell had them. The only
sasity IN the collection was complete set of all
the public and private laws of Illinois, dating as
far back as 1919. and the books composing
1t we're In large vault, which
mar protect them from burning. He. could
not gise the number Of books in the library, but
1hey filed the new cases that had been lately
put IN the rooms. The firm had two vaults, in
one Of which valuable papers had been placed,
and II the staucture stands they may be saved.
In answer to other questions Judge Lawrence
stated that his firm had fine, large rooms on the
1iourthaoor OF the buiIding-on the Adams street
Side, and they had been fitted up nicely just
previous to the removal OF the firm from the
Ashland Block about three months ago. The
Judge aud his nephew, C. H. Lawrence, who is
the junior member Of the firm, and MIR. Camp
bell, were in their Offices at the time the fire
BROKE ou1- The smoke entered the rooms, and
theT went to the window looking out on the
foart at the north end OF the hall,
and saw a great volume OF smoke
rushing Us from below, and pour through
the e1evator-way on The Dearborn street side.
II lew minutes the rooms became SO filed
E1fh smoke as to render them untenable, and
toe Judge beat a retreat down the stairway
1eadlng out on to Adams street, his partners
Angef1ug behind a moment more. and taking
Inc hre-escape as the safest means Of reaching
terra frma~ They had no time to save anything
Hs'm their Offices and, unless the vaults remain
nreprooi, everything in the rooms will be de-
stroyed,
The insurance on the library, furniture, Ste,
Is understood to be $1,000.
reporter interviewed several OF the law.
!ess who had Offices in the building, and theY all
saaa they had no time to do more after they
learned of the fire, SO rapid was its progress,
'uao 70 hastily pnt some Of their papers in the
vaults and make their way out.
among the valnables in the vaults OF Law.
fencc. Campbell g. Lawrence is the
e.4eual indictment in the Custom
noase cases, the indictment against
naeiles' Hill, Burling, Potter, and the
o.nefs of the Custom-House ring. The files Of
1oe United States District Court were ex.
.tulned' and it was found that 1T was the fact
~" Inc Indictment had been borrowed some
1'e ~. ago by Judge Lawrence, probably to enable
~" 10 get ready for the coming trial in these
eses' IN which it will be remembered he was
4s,nneo as special counsel. It is said that
Vt vuuet equally valuable papers from
washington, belonging to the same cases,
an the same vaults, and il
.ue indicted do not pray that these vaults shall
uestroyed, it will only be because they have
~ ao'olns 1aith that they can prove their limo
oe'ee OF the charges made in the indictment. Il
sne a,eo said that Judge Blodgett had been inthe
ua4.oiag during the afternoon in consultation
, "4u certain lawyers. ana just left as the fire