The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1885-01-18
FACTS AMOUR BIG E'EES.
Fortunes Paid O." LAvy-s~-A Few Instance,
Of Ha~s-sa~ned Retainer.

Foriuncs Pnid Z" LA,Sy-,~-A Few Instances
Of Ha~d-ss~~ed Retainer.
Zig fees" said veteran lawyer, "are
generally the private concern OF tho client who
pays them and tho lawyer who receives them.
II Dorsey saw 1T to pay Col. Ingersoil slOO 900
for his services in the Star route cases. Dorsey
probably got the worth OF his money. have
observed that lawyers do not caro- to meas ure
the value Of their services by the amount OF the
verdict. except when they win. 1t is not an
unfair rule that lawyers fees should DO gov
erned by the importance OF the Interests in
volved. Mr. Ttden received q fortune for his
services in railroad litigation and negot lat on :
but as long MS those who paid the money were
but that Of the parties interested. Henry L.
Gin IL reported 10 have charged William II.
Vanderbilt II over 5000. 900 in the Vanderbilt Will
case. and to have actually received s75. 900. But
there we're millions involved In that case 1t
. y common Non thing for big LAWYERS to charge
TONERS Of the rank OF Joseph, II. Chonte. +. y.
RRApTS ssis 5"hp + F ssr5 Hh William FsHss'Sn
and many. others find nc d fiiculty In collecting
such fees for actual attendance In court.
By cours out of T .ssss Gs1 M
limited to 81. 900 IA side. Those were hacyon
days for lawyers. when tho Surrogate could d.
vide tho estate among the gentlemen OF the bar
leaving tho litigants in debt. In the Taylor
will ease a few years ago the LAWYERS got not
In dcbt after selling her clorhes.
In tho Parish will case Charles 0Conor re-.
Porter sH S. asy h a5ou . S
widow, Henry Nlc1l las charged as high as
$500 day. George TIcknor Curtis had such u
big bill in one Of the celebrated india rubber
cases that be charged 81 900 for making it out.
lawyers Prof.. Morse spent ' fortune Gs in in ihe
courts defending his fret patents. but he got it
all back In the value OF tho patents Every in
n 81 ltS N a. N tore
stances Of this TACT have been seen in The vii
canit- rubber. barbed iron fence, nickel plating.
burglar alarm sewing machine. and other pat
emit eases. in all Of which fortunes were paid 10
enormous. tho responsibility great. and the
pay of course appropriately large. Good patent
lawyers ret rich but their brows are generally
Mr.. Evar's has had some very big fees from
corporations. from Will cases. and long con-
great many $4,000 fees. When Il sultor has n
hard cas-, ne does not hesitate ut pairing Il few
lawyer is very exrensve luxa ry When npo a
suitor with good case has been two or three
times 70 the Court Of Appeals in consequences
pays to get good one.
Not long ago it was unlawful and unprofes.
in tho case OF his client This was obviously
unjust TO poor litigants. II man got injured
on railroad he was absolutely unable 70 yet
damages because OF his poverty Ii got to DO
proverbiai that thsye was no use suing q cor
poration. The noor. sqitor was at q disadvan-
yer to become Interested in the case of his eli
ent, and To make his Tees cont ingent upon sue
a%yer thus w 1l nrSe Of San be
otherwise would. Many poor iitgants have in
this way recovered vsrdicts who would other
ornble case where John Il. Haskn took up tho
case OF u poor woman with tlvo children who
had over and over again acknowlsdged hor as
his wife. although she and her children were nm
k Ky ';' to the first family Mr. HHskin support
while he fought the case to the Court Of APP
peal; ea.ls against John u; Anthem. backed by the
kin WAS paid handsomely out OF tho estate
which he recovered for the widow.
Many large corporations have saiqried law
left tho bench of tina United states Court TO
take a salary Of s2ooo1 from the Union Pacific
enormous fees out OF, tho Erie Hallway Com
pany, and the elevated railways; The lawyers
and quarter Of dollars in the tax suits with
the city. as tho Courts cut down the bills about
-" The counsel for large corporations like
Trinity Church, the Equitable and Mutual Life:
The The STANDARD on Company. and institutions Of
devote themselves largely to the business Of
LAWYERS like Ben Butler. Roscoe Conklng,
All Volumes OF records Of bic fees. There is. in
5 x ss as9s a.. s wG ss1
tho law. so many expsdients and devices to
suit new circImstances. that men OF penetra:
ton and OF skill In devious expedients can find
plenty OF scope.
Al. Indiana railroad company once en-
ployod Gen. Foster to draw w u contract for
them. He drew II on one sheet OF paper and
charged 300. Tho company pail and growled.
ne told them to try SSrsain high priced law
lawyer sent around and borrowed the copy Of
the old contract from George. turned in a neat
Y engrossed sheet and charged 81 500. But
the company isit satisfied that they had con-
In tho old days OF allowances out Of estates
by the Surrogate lot OF lawyers who had been
retained inRwil case but had nothing to do
litlgants. met In tho Surrogate's office to have
their allowances settled. The Surrogate per-
mIttad the lawyers to settle 1t among them
selves. The gentlemen OF the bar agreed to
ono being most liberal to his learned brother.
While this was going on tho stenoRrapher OF
the court. who was great wag. handed up .
Why. YOU have not written word In this
case, said the Surrogate.
-. know it, was the bland reply.
Then how do you claim this $1,000 p in
I've as much righ. to 1t as the lawyers
would not allow the estate to BE- OlucEedi"
In the ltollwagsn will case Henry L. Clinton
10000: Malcolm Camp eli. 81 500: Gsorge and
j. q. Langbein. $3.50 each. In the Vanderbilt
will oaae Judge Jere miah Black had one check
from Mrs.. La Bau for $4,000. and other fees
fees. Mr.. Joseph y. Choate came in for q big
fee on the other side.
The big fees Of receivers and their lawyers
have attracted much recent, legislation. and
not hereafter Ia repeated. Thsrs are several
$3.50 on record who're receivers have received