Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1884-06-21
A STAT EMENT BY MR.. OHlLEs.

A STAT EMENT BY MR.. OHlLEs.
A great deal having been said as to Messrs.
Wallace i Chiles' connection with Messrs.
Abendroth and Jones when they were here.
last Monday, the Intelligencer in order to
arrive at a fair understanding of the matter
asked Mr.. Chiles to explain It, which he did,
as follows:
MIR. Chiles-OR last Monday Mr.. Abendroth
OF the Abendroth & Root Manufacturing Co.,
iron manufacturers of New York, came to
US CWallace & Chiles) to obtain our legal
services, being recommended to our firm by
lawyers of both New York and St. LOUIS. His
company proposed to furnish to Mr.. Jones.
the water-wolks contractor, cash and iron to
the amount of $4,000 or S ,OO0, to go into
the construction of the w~aterworks. and Mr..
Abendroth wished our services as attorneys
1or ms company, to prepare q form of bond
and contract with Mr.. Jones, so as to secure
the payment Of the cash and material to be
furnished. Mr.. Abendroth was first in our
Office in the forenoon, and returned by appoint.
ment at 2 p. M, bringing with him Mr.. Jones,
to hear what we had to say. We were not
employed by Mr. Jones nor by any one ex-
cept Mr.. Abendroth whose company alone
we represented as attorneys in the transac-
ton. Mr.. Abendroth had brought up ia the
morning q New Jersey water bond, which
was prepared with evident care and legal
skill, and which we as lawyers, thought bet
ter calculated to give greater security to our
clients than o Kansas water bond which was
brought up by Mr.. Jones, and were disposed
to take as a form the New Jersey water bond.
Among other provisions in this bond, was
one officiating the water company to devote
the city water-tax, which was to be levied, |
exclusively to the payment of the coupons
upon the water bond. We asked Mr.. Aben-
droth If he regarded this as a material mat
ter in his contract. and he said emphatically |
that without this tax, he would not enter in
to the contract, nor would invest u dollar in |
the works. Mr.. Jones said nor would he put
a dollar into the concern without this tax. |
We then told Mr.. Abendroth that there were
some legal questions involving the validity of
our city water-tax. to which 1t was our duty
to call his attention as it affected the nature |
Of his security. Mr.. Abendroth said he ex-
pected us as his attorneys to tell him every
thing that bore on the matter and affected it, |
that he had had an experienc (which cost |
him q good deal of money, of unintentional |
Noncompliance with law. We then read to him
the waterworks statute of 1879, discussed its |
legal effect at length, and called his attention
to the questions that arose under this statute.
we then read him sections IL and IL of ar
ticle K, OF our state constitution, and stated
to him the legal difficulties that grew out of
those constitutional provisions. We gave him
our opinion upon these questions, but told
him they were simply our opinion, that the
supreme court had settled none of them as
far as knew, and told him that we thought it
to be but right and just to Mr.. Jones that he
should go to st. Louis and hear what Mr..
Jones' lawyer had to say upon the subject
that he might be able to satisfy him, and
finally to submit the whole matter to his
company's counsel, Mr.. Parsons of New York
city. Mr.. Adendroth agreed to do this and
took memorandum of the law which we had
read to him, for reference.
When Mr.. Abendroth left us, it was with
the distinct understanding that he was to see
Mi. Wood Clones attorney in st. Louis and
then his company's home counsel, Mr.. Par
sons before anything else was done. Mr..
w "AuSh SuoS llhcu Nv lucSe 1
difhculties and stoppsge in proceedings, and
saiu ne mated to have his name associated
With any enterprise which would fail to go
We told him the matter was not
finally settled, aud would not be until Mr..
Abendroth had looked further into the law
rs he proposed, and that he need not and
ought not to cay anything about these legal
at present and until he heard
further from Mr.. Abendroth. The wisdom
and policy of such a course We think is ap-
parent to ever business man, and was agreed |
to seemingly by both Mr.. Jones and Mr.. :
The next day the whole city 7
full of the widest rumors and state !
ments about our connection ith-.hA affair. :
which we will not repeat. We regret the me-
cessity of talking about and making public
he business Of any of our clients, they are
which are professional secrets, but f,
we feel we are doing our clients no injury
and are but doing ourselves Justice by telling
hose things and putting ourselves right in the
ayes OF our neighbors and friend who NAV
have heard and been Influenced by these fool
|sh rumors. What we did in the matter was
IS the paid attorneys Of MIR. Abendroth's COM 1
pany, and We can't see how as honorable men
and honest lawyers we could do less. In q
matter OF small investment a lawyer can't be
100 particular in making his client aware of =
any legal difficulties that may impair his il
and In an investment of this magnt- l
-ude how much more important is the law O
Ter's duty. b
lseporter-One matter more. Did Mr.. g
know your personal views about :
he watefWorks which you entertained dur-
ng the election?
MIR. Chiles-Certainly, and in the usual I
way. When a client first approaches a law :
yer be generally inquiries whether the LAWYER h
already been retained by the opposite
party. In this way one of the first questions
Abendroth asked was whether we were
with or interested in the water-
Works in any way. To which we replied no.. I
'ut that on the contrary l had been opposed :
o the project for certain reasons, and thai
Wallace lived in the country aud had mol
tote, but we might both be considered as
'salnst the recent proposition. Mr.. Aben. !,
replied Then l have struckthe yery .
nen l want" q
Reporter-Did you advise Mr.. Jones to .
cave the town or abandon the project.
Mr.. Chiles-Emphatically no. Mr.. Jones
VAS not our client In any sense, nor had we
my control over his movements; all the sd \
ice we gave him was the suggestion 1 have c
tated that the matter be kept quiet until MIR. e;
had time to consult the LAWYERS as :"
lie proposed. e
For Rent.
Three rooms and q kitchen on Franklin
treet opposite court house. Inquire al c..
1. Krone barber shop. 1uue2ltl :,
What the People Want, I