New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-01-26

spPIrANr PARRY MAKES HIS OWN WAY AT THE
BAR AND BECOMES A FAMILIAR FIGURE IN
LoNDoN-AN rXCgILENT ACTOR but not 4
PRoFoUND LAwYER-HIs HLUNDER IN THE
WHISTLER SUIT.
rrnoM TIE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRrBUSEl
LONDON. Jan. H. There were once two Irishmen
who had n lawsuit. Said Tn to Pat; "Wh1syour
lawyerT "Mr. Mooaey" said Pat; who's
yoursT "Ir, Mr.. Maguire," responded Tim " and
he's much finer lawyer than Mr.. Moloncy."
That's true mayb be-" roioned Pat, but Mr.. Mo-
loney's a beautiful vocalist"
This apologize has nothing TO do with Mr.. Parnell
and his mission, but Pats culogy on Mr.. Moloney
will serve extremely we'll for tho late Ser
jcant Parry. who died on Saturday, and on
whom some Of this mornings papers beSow
panegyrics Of an extraordinary kind He was
highly prosperous and successful advocate, says one
of them quite truly. But to go on from that TO
praise him rs an orator, lawyer with a natural
love OF Justice a representative man at the bar,
leader in Westminster Hal whose place it will be
difficult to iill-tO say all this and much more in
even higher strains is not so much to deliver
eulogy on SERGEANT Parry to write an epitaph Oh
the English Bar. For certain il is that If SERGEANT
Parry must stand rs the best type of the English
barrister of to-day the profession which has
bOastcd OF an Erskine, a Scarlett and BrOugham
must Lc content TO look TO the past for it's fame.
OF Mr. Serjeant Parry rs a man have not u harsh
word to saw | don't doubt he deserves all that his
friends urge; that he was courteous, honorable.
kindly; that lie did his duty by his clients to the
utmost of his ability and that IN profession where
patronage Is very powerful he made ms way Dy
force of character and by some rare quallles
and without much patronage to very high posi-
ton indeed; at any rate to IL very largo practice.
Ii il not as n barrister that | have any crit-
cism TO offer on him. And It is only because his
career supplies a commentary on the present
condition of tho bar that | write about nm
at all. He was n familiar figure In London In
America ! fear you scarce ever heard OF hlni
But the relations between the English and Ameri-
can bars close, and some of your men must have
known Serieant Parry, or have seen him in court,
and listened with polite ncrcdulity to the assur-
ances of their friends that the ponderous old gen.
teman who was laying down bad law to the jury
and being pulled UP by the Judge was really a
leader in Westminster Hall.
In n certain class of cases SERGEANT Parry was q
most slulful advocate. He was employed very
largely in actions for breach Of promise OF marriage
in actions for compensation arising out OF
railway accidents; in any action where
the feelings of tho jury had to be ap-
pealed to or perhaps their preIudlces. lie
had Mt one time an extensive criminal practice but
of late years he was less frequently seen ut the Old
Bailey. More lucrative and more honorable en-
ployment in the civil courts filed his time and his
pocket. | have heard his income estimated at
500, 900 year. Some say IL was much more than
that but there is no doubt that his services were in
great request in cases where no great knowledge of
law was required. lie did not pretend to be
| learned in tho law His arguments on law
questions before a full bench were never
| strong He knew what was to be known
by assiduous practice. or as / once heard IT
| phrased, what he could not help knowing.
But if not great lawyer. Serieant Parry was an
excellent actor. Ho understood deportment. he
went TO the verge Of professional morality In idenu