St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-04-02
LIVING BY THEIR WITS.
Holr attorneys Scheme to Vim u Lirin0 q
the Bar.

Hour attorneys scheme to Vim a Ltring at
the Bar.
From the Detroit Post.
Chow can all these lawyers earn their liv-
ing % asked a reporter of one of the oldest
members of the bar.
''The lawyers have no difficulty in making
enough to live on. There is a omparatively
small number of these amongst the 300 at
torneys here. or course it is simply impos-
sibe for 300 men in city of this size to exc
out subsistence by the use of their legal
lore. A great number are young men who
have not worked up practice and can not
be expected, however shrewd they NAV be, to
earn a living. Then, too, Detroit has its full
quota of shysters and pettifoggers, who re.
sort to all sorts of schemes to earn a dollar.
II you will take court docket and look it
through you find that about forty lawyers have
most Of the business. II the law business
were equally divided there would be enough
to support all of the profession in the city,
but there are several who make $40, 900 or
$50, 900 year"
GLOW do the rest live 2"
In various ways. 'oOUUc nave money 10
live on inherited from their fathers, soma
have rich wives, many combine their law
practice with real estate and insurance bust
ness, but there are more than people suppose
who are living from hand TO mouth, hardly
knowing where the bread for the next meal
is coming from. There is another class
which, am sorry to say, is not small one
and which is the disgrace Of the profession.
a. oIn IT. kaa h1 in, In
scrutabIe way gain the title of attorney of
law They make it a business to squeeze a
client as long AS anything can be gotten from
him on one pretcxt and another. At one
time they win want money for officers fees,
but the money never reaches the Off GERS.
At another time it is to pay for counsel or for
expenses There are thousands Of ways
that are used to get money from an unsuspect-
ing client Many Of this class have no Of
flee. They sponge their stationery off the
country. beat landlords out of board bills and
borrow money until their credit gone
$40 lawyers ever seek out business -
"Certainly they do. know If lawyers in
this city who make it practice to hunt up
persons In iured on the railroads and induce
them 10 begin suits for damages. In these
cases most Of the lawyers fees are often
made contingent on the success Of the suit.
A close watch is kept for every accident, foi
scandals. family disputes, or property litiga-
ton. Immediately any promising case Is
developed the lawyer approaches the victim
and generally succeeds in being retained"
GLOW Is this business looked upon BY the
profession -
.'My own opinion is that no first class law
yer would ever stoop to any such proceeding.
When one is in straitened circumstances,
though, can hardly wonder that such de-
vices are resorted 10.
SIS this system pursued successfully in
criminal cases ~
eyes, and much more easily than in civil
cases. don't know how it IS nov, hut few
years ago have positive knowledge that
there was combination Of certain lawyers
with detectives and other officers. The
detective used 10 get percentage Of the
fees in all the cases be would bring 10 the
LAWYER he had bargained with. II was very
easily managed Criminals very frequently
consult with the officers as 10 a suitable at
torney 10 employ. and the advice of the Of
fcer is usually followed"