Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-01-16
LAWYERS.
Their Responsibility ExpOunded
20 ihe Linae-lkiln Club.


"Esoh day as l lock ober my paper"
said the old man, as the lights were
turned up, Il see q case Of embczzle-
nent, wholesale robbery, breach Of
trust OF misuse OF oddef peoples
money. One day 1t am de cashier of
4 bank; de next day it am a city erl
country treasurer; de nextit am a con.
fdential clerk, or a baHk president, Cfl
de treasurer OF some corporation. IL
is an era Of stealth an embezzlin' an
fraud. No man who has money in de
hands Of e friend or employe feels safe.
No man knows what 3 day may bring
forth.
"Wha brung bout dis state Of
affairs9 Who profits By III Who aids
de offenders to escapeP
There was a silence throughout the
hall as the president paused and
looked up aud down. Samuel Shin
was about to rise up and explain that
he hadn't made a dollar out Of it yet,
aud didn't expect to, when Pickles
Smith hit him with the big end
of a potato, aud Brother Gardner
continued: :,
II arraim de bar OBJ de kentry, an
charge de lawyers, big an little. wild
bein' de direct cause Of dis reign OF
knavery. Three men outer five am
honest only until dere am a chance to
make a maui by bein' dishonest One
man outer three will be dishonest on
all occasions whar dar am q chance to
escape cons, quences. II dar was no
law to punish dishonesty we wouldn't
find one man in twenty doin' de honest
think for principles sake IL am de
fear of consequences which keeps
thoueands OF clerks an cashiers an
~troasarers honest.
An what do de lawyers say cherry
man whose fingers itch TO make a haul2
Dey might as well advertise at regular
rates dat dey will guarantee to clear
dem of de law for a sartin sum. Let
me steal SIS 600 in cash, and nine
tenths Of de llwyers will be eager tC
defend me, to clear me of punishment,
About d. best letal talent 10 America
makes q specially ofdelendin' criminals
Any lawyer am looked upon as goOd
huff tor prosecuting attorney; whil'
de VERY keenest talent am reserved
fur defense of thieves, burglars anC
odder law breakers.
Time after time men have stoleI
or embezzled, an delawyers have takeI
o sheer of de plumber to clear EN-
We've had hall a dozen cases RICH
yere widin two We rs, an we am sartiI
to have mo-. Let me steal a ton o
coal, and up | go. Let me get m.
claws on $4,000, an l doan't go VI
wort shucks. | may be rested an
toated off to Jail, but inside a week d
case am settled up. an | walk d
streets a hero De lawyers return
$40 QUO of de money, pocket $997t
an han me $50 Is a. reward for bring
in 'em a tat case.
Suppose il war known dat cher
burglar fairly convicted would receiv
twenty years 10 prison wild no posi-
bility OF pardon, would We have on
burglary whar we now have two2 VIII
makes bur lary a payin' periessiou
De lawyer
"Ifa clerk who eIlbezzled was saFti
to receive a five or ten var sentence
how many cases of embezzlemen
would you bar of in ay'ar2 An VIII,
makes emb zzlement a paying bust
ness2 De lawyer.
"If dat Rochester bank presiden
am sent to State prison for twent
years, what will be de effeck on odde
Rochester bank presidents? But L
won't be. De lawyers have gathered
TO his aid, and will defeat justice.
| am sDokin' whatI believe to be d
solemn truf, when | say to you dat la
has become a farce an lawyers de mid
dlemen between robbers an de robbed
De question am now to break de la
NOT how to enforce it. 1t sm no
how to put a thiefin prison, but no
to keep him out. L. is not how t
punish de honest officials. bat how |
gently squeeze out as much as dey XII
restore. aud forgive de remainder LC
us purceed to business. feelin' da
whatever crimes We commit we star
two chances of goin' clear to Que
punishment