The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-09-20
a TRAMP CLIENTS FEE.
Originally a Barrel of Bourbon Whisky
1t Developed Into 100000 Cash.

Originally Barrel of Bourbon Whisky,
1t Developed Into 81 100000 Cash.
From. the NetC York Sun.
"Cndoubtedly the most valuable barrel
of whisky ever distilled" said well-Snown
Steuben county lawyer, twas owned some
years ago in Steuben county. If there was
ever tarrel of whisky more valuable
would like to hear of it, for two gallons of
this PARTICULAR barrel brought its owner
over 100000 gallon. There is story
connected with tnat whisky that Is worth
telling, and worth placing on the record,
too.
"Some years before the war young man
named Henry NJ Sherwood was admitted TO
to the bar of St uOen county. he was
bright young fellow, and belonged t. the
to n of Woodruff. SO on after hewas ad-
mitted to the bar, and before he had had his
first client, a tramp was arrested and put In
j Ill at Corning. He had been guilty of some
serious breach OF the peace, and MS general
appearance was that of a genuine tough.
He tried TO engage a lawyer to defend hlm
when his case came up for hear
ing, but as he had no money no one
cared TO take his case in hand. At last he
inquired whether tIere wasn't some young
lawyer in the place who hadn't had much
of an opportunity to distinguish himself as
vet and who would be willing to undertake
the management of the prisoners case for
the chance of getting some glory out of 1t.
He was told that young Hank Sherwood
might consent to appear under those co di-
tions, aud the stranger sent for the brletless
lawyer. Sherwood went to the Jail tad saw
the prisoner.
"'It looks as if / was in a pretty bad
scrape," said the tramp to Hank, but be-
lieve that a lawyer can get me through all
right. Now, I'm from Kentucky, aud
| haven't got cent. Pm going back to Ken
lucky if | get out of this scrape, but pll
have to beg or beat my way till get there.
| My father Is big distiler, but I've been
| trifie wild, and he and are not on the best
| of terms. He wouldn't send me a cent even if
| should send word to him of the fix am in
here. But I'll tell you what I'll do. If you
| will take charge of my case and work it for
all it's worth, and get me clear, I'll sneak
| out of the old mans stock when l get home
| a barrel of the best old kentucky whisky
| there is in the Bourbon country, and have
it shipped to you. l can do it easy. What
do you say
"YoIng Sherwood didn't take bit of
stock in the mans story, but he made up
| his mind to see what he could do in the
management Of the case, just to begin get
ting his hand in, and he accepted the tramp
as his client. don't remen or the details
of the case, but Hank succeeded in clearing
|
| ing good. Time passed along, and Sherwood
had forgotten all about his tramp client
and the promised fee. when one day the
station agent at Addison, where the young
lawyer lived, met him and said:
''Say, Hank, there's a barrel in the
| freight house for you. It's been there a
| day or two and came from Kentucky.
More than that, its markings declare that
it contains fine old Kentucky bourbon
| tCHbp tra,nn hoH YaiA hiS la yvariS faa
| sure en- ugh. Sherwood had the barrel
taken home and placed in his cellar. He
wasn't much of tamperer with whisky
and the barrel lay in the cellar five years
without beng disturbed. The late Constant
Cook was then judge of Steuben county.
| He was holding court at Corning one term,
and, as was the custom in those days, 6
number of lawyers and Others gathered in
| the judges room at the hotel in the evening
and passed an hour or SO in a social game
If euchre The judge enjoyed an occa
sio2al glass of good whisky, and he was a
| thorough judge of G )od whisky, too. On
| the occasion l speak of, Hank Sherwood
was one of the judges euchre party.
The judge was very bitter of his
denuncia ion of the whisky they
sold in Corning, and said he would be CRATE
full for glass of whisky that was fit tc
drink. That reminded Sherwood of his
| barrel of old Kentucky bourb IN that I'D
been lying so long in his cellar He tolc
| Judge Cook that he had some whisky at
nome that he believed was good, and that
he would fetch some down next day. He
had his barrel tapped that night, and filling
| a two-gallon jug from IL brought it to
Corning and presented it to Judge Cook
The judge tasted thu whisky, aud in all his
| experie CO he had never met with its equal
"'Y 0ung man. said he TO Sherwood, 8
won't forget you for fetching me this rare
stuff. If ever | see chance to give you q
lift I'll do it,
Time passed. Sherwood skinned oloug
after the manner of the average country
lawyer. The war broke out. Judge Cool
was one of the solid men of Western New
York. He, in company with the late john
Arnot j. S. T. Stranahan of Buffalo
| Charles Cook of Havana and John II
Cnedell of Auburn, had built the New Yorl
and Erie railroad from Bighampton t.
Corning, and WAS largely interested in Other
Improvements in this part of the state anC
| Pennsylva ia. Soon after the war begai
| he obtained big government contract, anC
at once sent tor Hank Sherwood
Ppm going to give you that lift now
Henry" said he.
He let Sherwood in on the contract, anC
the country lawyers share of the proceeds
was $3.50, 000-cold, cash dollars. After this
was done Judge Cook said to Sherwood:
| "Ihere'S some land Tor sale In 1logt
county, Pa. 1t is coal land, and is bounc
to be very valuable. You can buy some OF
it cheap. Put all&he money you've got il
that land"
Sherwood did so. Every dollar he made
in the big contnact he put into Tiogs
county land. He hand't a great while IL
wait before the prophecy of Judge Cool
came true. Henry M. Sherwood's first fe'
resulted in being the biggest fee ever re
| ~ lax rel 1,
cleared over 81 100000 from his investment
in the Tioga county la IDS, and the barre
of Kentucky whisky his tramp client has
paid for his services was the basis of it all
Was there ever a more valuable barrel OF
whisky distilled, do you thinkw
HARD ON BALD HEADS.