The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-09-01
BEN. HILL DYING POOR.
Making an Immense Fortuns and Losing it
Again.
IAtlanta Constitution

once heard d lawyer Of Judgment as
zserB that Mr.. Hill made more money by the
practice of his profession, considering the
years he was engaged in the practice, than
any other lawyer in America. He cited
the case of Judge Curtis, of the supreme
court, who was held to have the most lu
scrative practice and who made $409, 900
in ten years. Mr. Hill himself told me that
he made 800 900 year for the first fifteen
years of his practice Judge Sam Harris
says he has authority for saying that Mr.
Hill made $3.50, 600 at the law up to 1860.
AS this allowed him fourteen years of law
practice. the average was about $34, 600 a
year. During that time he made canvass
for congress. for governor, twice as elector.
and served two terms in the legislature
Treasurer Dan Spear new Mr.. Hill init
mately all his life There was no
bank in La Grange in the old
days, and Mr.. Hill used to
deposit his fees in the safe in Dr. More
lands Office, where Mr.. Speer was. He
says that his income from fees as shown
by his deposits were enormous, and that
the cash on hand was frequently large.
Mr.. Hill was in every important case in
western Georgia, and later in nearly every
big case in the state. He named his own
fees. He bought negroes and lands with
his surplus, and always had more than he
could possibly use. He lost his negroes
and much other property by the war. and
yet, was worth about 100000 when he
left LAGRANGE in 1869.
Since that time Mr.. Hill has never Civ
en- his whole time to the practice. but he
has made an enormous amount of money.
He made in 1853 one fee In case in East
Tennessee, of 100000 in Confederate
money, equal to about $50, 900 i'm gold. In
1865 he had a fee of $120, 900 in the fla
nous Metcalf case but only collected
about $60 600. The balance he faile i to
sue to Judgment Mr.. Metcalf dying. he
failed to get his balance, when other judg
ments against the estate were paid, being
barred by limitation. His fee in
the Western and Atlantic lease case was
share in the lease and lease bonds that
paid him about $1s5, 600. He received
one share of the lease as his originally. He
bought with Mr.. Mating one other share,
each taking half. He took one more share
from Mr.. kimball as a fee, paying off
small mortgage on it. This gave him two
and half shares. On these he drew $100,-
600 of income bonds, they being ISSUED at
the rate of 10000 to each share. Shortly
afterward he sold the shares for $50, 900 TO
Mr.. Walters. He, therefore, drew $150;000
from lease shares. The expenses on the
Kimbafl shares and the one he bought with
Nutting amounted to about $25. 600, leav-
ing him net $125, 900. His fee in the
Kimball House case was an interest in the
hotel, which he sold, after deriving consid
cradle rent for $25. 900, George Adair and
Mrs. Bimban buying it. He drew one fee
of $12, 500 from the lease company, and
another of $4,000 that know of. A case,
in New York paid him $4,000
and he made many 5000 fees.
1t is certainly sa to say that
he has made $l,Oeos00o by his tongue
and brain as fees by the time he was fifty
years old. The record is without parallel,
the nearest approach probably being
Henry Ward Beecher, who, as lecturer,
preacher and writer, is said to have made
81 900, 900 up to his sixty forth year, equal
to what Mr.. Hill made in one profession
up to his fiftieth year. When we consider
that Mr.. Hill spent ten of these years at
best principally in politics, while. Mr..
Beecher gave all of his to professional work,
the difference is more striking.
1t seems incredible that Mr.. Hill should
have spent all his princely income and
is easy. He never made ia good invest
ment in his life, and never cared to. HIS
first investment in LAGRANGE was $3.50
in patent washing niachifie. which he 4
lost He never invested IN property that
gave him an income. He spent lavishly,
bought lavishly, made easy and gave
freely. He never denied his family or any
member of it the slightest within or
caprice His some in .LaGrange was
I,rincel ONE. Il - s. - i