New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-07-06
FROM BENCH AND BAR.
CLEANED IN THE COURTS AND AMONG THE
IAWNERS.

LAWYERS.
trial which ended last week IN the United states
Circuit Court illustrates the expcnsvencss Of litiga-
ton. The amount involved in the suit was between
10000 and $4,000. and the plaintiff, the Union Fire
Insurance Company of Philadelphia. obtained
dict for over 81 900. The frauds Of Lorenzo Dim
mick the marine insurance agent Of Buffalo, out of
which the proceedings spring. were committed over
SIX years ago. and since that time attorneys OF high
reputc and consequently able TO command large fees.
have been busy on both sides. In one phase OF the
litigation an arbitrator at work for 100 days In
taking testimony. and Dimmick, who was one OF
the partners TO the proceedings. finally withdrew his
consent 10 the continuance Of the arbitration the cost
Of the proceeding was wasted The sum Of $4,000
has been deposited to pay the expenses of that part of
the legal fight and 1t Is safe to say that 1t VIII be
exhausted when the bills paid. Tie trial which
has just ended lasted ono month Tie counsel were
members OF the firms Of Evarts, Choatc BeamaD and
Butler, Stillman Hubbard, two OF the leading law
firms Of the city and each Of the principal counsel
lad his train of juniors and clerks The senographcr
minutes cost 800 a day, and many Of the witnesses
were brought from Bufalo and kept at hotels in
this city for month at large expense. The clerk
Of Buffalo receiver kept track Of hundreds OF books
and slips Of paper packed into twelve large trunks
which kept IN the courtroom. The exact
amount paid TO the lawyers Is secret between them
selves and their clients but the cost Of the trial Itself
10 the companies could hardly have been less than
$4,000, and may have reached $4,000 This is
exclusive Of the cost Of preparation for trial work
which extended over months and years and was much
more expensive than the trial. Before the United
supreme Court passes the questions involved
in the suit other heavy fees must be paid.
Trcadwell Cleveland Of the firm Of Evarts, Choatc
e Bcaman who has conducted successfully the liti-
CATION against the Continental Company. received
hearty praise for the manner in which he tried the
case. He master Of every detaA In the compli-
Gated sut and the beginning OF the trial won the
favor Of the Jurors by the cleamess and skill with
which he presented his case. His manner is cour-
col, and hi, speech attractive II he were not over
Swallowed By the fame and cOquence OF the leading
member, Of the firm he would have been better known
| than he is 10 the public lie has been connected
| WITH Evarts Choatc Heaman for seven
years, and before he Joined them was counsel for
| many marine insurance companies lie acted as
counsel for Mrs. Flack after her discovery Of the
| fraudulent divorce obtained by sheriff Flack.
Judge Wheeler, who presided at the insurance trial
! in the Circuit Court. Is a Vernontcr, with long I'M
| trimmed beard lie has the appearance Of farmer
b. when the city lawyers try 20 get the better OF
! him they find themselves unsuccessful. The usual
hour Of adjournment having arrived the court VIII
! now adjourn until to morrow morning. he will All
nouncc and some lawyer who i not acquainted with
the Judges pcouaritcs aud who il deeply engaged
in the cross examination Of witness, Will say, IL
Your Honor viii wait a few minutes. VIII end my
examination but he is interrupted by stern repet
| ton Of the announcement, made with little added
force and he understands that the judges direction is
IA he regarded Judge Wheeler IS liked by the law
yer, as being prompt, industrious and fair. He pre-
side, f.r part Of the year In the Circuit Court in
th, city, AID dcvotcs the rest Of his time 70 the Dis
| trct Court work in Vermont
| Italian testimony Of certain class is cheap. said
| the ppc-ding Judge Ia a lawyer who was acting as
| counsel for an Italian last week: Il want TO make
| some ARRANGEMENTS for the future. Have you much
more testimony To offer - could tell better the
n-vcr answered rather incautiou>y. if knew Just
how much would satisfy your Honor" Nevertheless
| he lost his
Charlie, VI Da Costa. by whose will Columbia College
receives a scncrou, beque :. was. although quiet and
| unobtru,iyc one Of the bc-ked among the members
Of the bar this city. He was courteous 10 every
one. gentle I'm his manner and well read III the lOc
# his profession samuel Hatchforl, the present AS
,ociac Justice from this district in the United states
-uure Court wa, for many years at the head Of the
| firm If which Mr.. ia Costa member. II was
| then known as Blachfot, seward Grs"oid "
! ia Costa Clarence a. seward now alone remains OF
| tho original firm.
When Won see a LAWYER reading yellOw-covercd liter
Azure Won need suppose that he Is fAvolous Inc
pamphlet which he has in his hands may be one oi the
! numrrou, advance reports which now convey 10 t'e
| busy lawyer the text OF decisions rendered by tHe
| court, soon after they delivered. The lawyer OF
day Ina, an advantage over the practitioner Oi le"
YEAR, ag, IN the quclncss with which lie learns the
exact language Of the appellate courts III Their 40
| ci,ons The latter had frequently To walt Se'erh
month. before seeing The opinion IN the au'hofiHcu "
pors and he could Only gather al ndStnct idea OF to
| nriuciple, laid down from the abstracts puoIshc III
| 10 "A cert
| dcci.on wolld affect IA which he was about I"
fry ne might secure a certified copy of the opinion D"'
unless he followed the cases of the appellate court
yi,h scrpulous care he would at times ma himself
| ,,tina from case, which had been modified OF over
,,l,d in opnions not yet printed The publication Oh
unauthorized but complete reports almost imhed'acH
"cr Inc decisions rendered mas mduc a S'eh'
chnngc i'm thi, respect and the ATTORNEY at siIst eM
phno atntc law of his state. The system Of report
n IN INV Journals has also greatly improved III ceeh'
| years.
, + the season Of vacations. and nowhere are they
mar, carefully observed than IN the courts Inc i've
id-c. who sailed for Europe yesterday ought 10 nave
-, ENJOYABLE trip Two or three OF ther huI'oc' ''o
Notably good companions, ana hNeN 'o'No' >''o''
| rcn,rtee and occasional practical JOKES may oe cN
,ed when Presiding Justice Van Brunt ana MS com
| i, ara far enough removed from their court
! - =, make judicial dignity II matter OF distant
rcc"cction Chief Justice -cdgwcn on ue oupv itt
/ Tnutf Will spend tho summer 20 no
I"mc In Conlccticut Chief Justice ialtehoie ~ NV, To
,o"n Pr,, will be at Clifton SPINS. 'unuoJ
rdumd Patterson of the supreme court VIII sPem IN"
nnr of the summer Long Island Jliuso ~ ,' n",
p''S viii go 10 the AdirondacKs, and judge t.eed,
ti e In The vicinity Of Lake George JuuSc IT,
line after holding court this mOnih, WI tHncrc air
Island Judge Fitzgerald viii try the N , ~ Ma, n
ana Judcc Cowng will pass month OF wv -. r,ago'
Hi Hi Recorder smyth Will enjoy Inc s"lh'er p''N"
| i'm his Nassau It. Office.
Indigo MARITIME acknowledged that lie nah ~ he
task few days ago 10 Ge' rrim in guilty OF par
iiarIv mean theft Letters were written 70 "' f
petitions handed him and persona, q,Id thai
Po'r'nnrv made without one WOru Delnt Saii had
hnwed that the crime less henons tnan II nao
drot been described to be- me o'i nT whim And
~ , INV consideration Of the puns hment que IN P Pc
ioU ,ir IN th. offence was 20 fix the sehehce. ~.
W mai are made lessen the punishment tol
Offenders would sometimes be ndGr0 r rsccny
had Am unusually largo family, and the mo,her HG
| ldu hvhn ~ IrlhOOd, VISITED