The record-union., 1892-12-21
THE BAR SCANDALS IN SAN
FRANCISCO.

The revelations that the Superior Court
Probate Department at San Francisco is
making regarding the absorption of es-
tates by INSCRIPTIONS attorneys, are cal
Sculated to bring shame upon an honora-
BILE profession, and possibly reform will
result. The bar of San Francisco owes it
to itself to stand forward and repudiate
the practices which Judge Coffey's in
vestigation shows have been in vogue
there.
The Judge has not hesitated to speak
from the bench in terms of deep indigna-
ton concerning the outrageous practices.
In at least three estates into which the
court is now examining, it has been
shown that lawyers have stripped estates
and stuffed their own purses, while heirs
needy and expectant have received
scarcely dollar. Money has been drawn
from estates without order of court,
and the attempt made to cover the act by
enormous charges for the services rem
dered, charges that Judge Cotfey pro-
nounces extortionate, out of all con-
science, and greatly in excess of what the
court would allow under any circum-
stances.
The same court the other day remarked
from the bench, in an apologize manner
to turn the edge of shame somewhat from
the profession of the law, that it was no
ticeable that the best lawyers, the men
whose services are of great worth, tile
men who are Of ripe age and long expert
ence at the bar, are not of those who have
been wreclling estates and making I'M
considerable charges and engaging in
illegal proceedings. 1t is, said the court,
in effect, some younger lawyers. the men
least known and of smallest caliber, who
make the heaviest charges, and who have
not hesitated to take the bread from the
mouths of widows and orphans AS
rule, he added, the older lawyers. the
men who honor the profession, are very
modest in their charges for settling es-
tates, which is seldom difficult task. He
cited several instances of such LAWYERS
having even declined to accept fee when
the estate was very limited and where
the heirs were worthy of sympathy and
aid. Others had again and again cut
down by half the allowance the court had
thought proper to make them from the
estate.
But the lesser lights, said Judge Cofey,
those whose services are worth least. the
inconspicuous and pushing fellows. and
who are, as all the bar know, least quail
flied to handle the business of an estate.
almost always make heavy and often
outrageous charges and do their best to
deceive the court and fleece the estate.
Even when the court has cut their bills
down to decent level these men frighten
widows, executors and administrators
into paying the fee and expense originally
charged by threatening them, or telling
them that the settlement of the estates
will be greatly delayed unless they ac-
cede.
Let the court by all means keep ham
mering away at the reform it has entered
upon. The cost of administering and
settling up estates is altogether too great
in California; it very much exceeds the
cost in any other State in the Union. yet
the labor involved is not greater, nor the
time consumed longer.
Since the above was written the news
is that the Bar Association will take the
matter up and make q searching investi-
CATION into it. The basis of its proceed |
ing will be statements made by Judge
Coffey from the bench, in which he de-
nounced as unworthy of the title certain
class of lawyers who manage to gain
admission to the profession and then use
it for sharp practices that result in bring
ing the entire profession into disrepute.
The court referred TO has said that there
are scoundrels practicing at the bar of
the court, men who are guilty of practices
that amount in morals to robbery; they
hold up the weak and the ignorant and
bleed them without conjunction; they
practice law upon the principle that if