Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-12-09
LAWYERS IN POLITICS
Prominent Public Men Who Began Life as
Members of the Bar


Members of the Bar.
Frank George Carpenter in Cleveland I,.adar
Alexander Stephens was admitted tn
the bar when he was twenty two, and his
first year netted him $500. He got sinole
fees of 100000 before he died and was
considered one of the greatest LAWYERS of
the south.
Thomas Jefferson was making $4,000
a year when he first began to dip into
politics, and had he stuck to it he would
probably have died a rich man. Politics
ruined him and when he died he was
bankrupt.
Alexander Hamilton was lawyer, and
law after he left the Treasury.
Aaron Burr was one of the most money,
making of the lawyers of his day, and he
made as high as $4,000 in single
case.
Hamilton made $4,000 year on an
average, it is said and William Writ
thought he was doing we'll when his yealy
fees ran up as high as $4,000.
There is hardly big lawyer of to-day
who is satisfied with less than SIS, 900 or
$4,000 year, and the fees of many law
yers amount to more than the presidents
salary.
saw Ben Butler in the streets of Wash
ington the other day in new Clothes, and
am told that his professional income
is not less than 100000 year.
Bob Toombs made $4,000 in the first
five gears of his practice.
John Sherman thought he was doing
we'll when he started out as young law
yer and saved $500 the first year.
WnhSt1r hi I'm bo
always spent more than he made, and he
was constantly in debt.
Abe Lincoln did we'll at the law, and
James Buchanan made 1898 the first year
of his practice and increased this amount
in the fifth year to over $4,000. In 1921
he made $1,000, but after he got into
politics his practice dropped OFF, and
during his later years he practically
ceased business.
Samuel Cox got $25 for his first law
case, ard Spooner of Wisconsin, was re-
ceiving salary of $4,000 year as
railroad lawyer before he went to Wash
ington.
Senator Payne of Ohio began life as
lawyer.
Teller and Bowen got their first start at
the bar.
Senator Eustis of louisiana, is law
professor, and Bayard studied law after
be found he was not cut out for a mer-
chant. Pig-iron Kelley has been law
yer and a judge.
Ingalls, studied law in Massachusetts
and went West to practice.
Senator Voorhees, Is one of the most
noted of our criminal lawyers, and Hen
bricks was very successful man at the
bar.
Judge Hoadly was making $4,000 a
year when he was elected Governor of
Ohio, and Thurman worked his way up
through the law and then into poll
tics.
Tom Reed is a lawyer; Mckinley of
Ohio, practices law, and all the dignitar-
les on the Supreme Bench have, of course
made big legal regulations before they
got their appointments.
Nearly all of our Presidents have been
lawyers, and ali of them except Washing |
ton, Harrison, Taylor and Grant were |
of the bar.
Martin Van Buren, was engaged to be
married before he began to practice,
and 1t was some years before his in
come was large enough for him to
wed.
Andy johnson studied law after he |
was married, and his wife taught him
the handwriting in which he prepared
his legal papers.
Both Willard Fillmore and Grover |
Cleveland were Buffalo lawyers, and they
both had good practices.
Frank Pierce used to make as much as
$4,000 and $4,000 year at the law, and |
he preferred the bar to politics.
At present it is not uncommon for |
half dozen Representatives to be away |
from Washington City at time trying
law cases.