New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-07
SUING FOR SERVICES.
LAWYERS AND THE BROOKLYN HEIGHTS
TROLLEY PEOPLE AT ODDS.


s s Whitehouse. the lawyer. had some sharp
things 10 say about the Brooklyn Heights Railroad
Company yesterday. The law firm or MOTIFS "
Whitehouse OF which Mr.. Whitehouse Is the junior
member until a few months ago. was counsel ior
the railroad company. Last March. however, there
WAS disagreement. the relations between the hrfn
and the company ceased and Sheehan & Collin be-
CANA counsel for the railroad Now Morris &
Whitehouse have brought suit agains. the company
for g 74l H. which they claim 10 be due for services
performed and disbursements made. Yesterday
Mr. Whitehouse said regarding the actor;
I'VE disliked to bring the suit but We were CON-
PEELED to do so. Until the new element came to
RrooIvn TO take charge OF the affairs OF the Long
Island Traction Company the lawyers who repre-
scented our local railroad companies were adequately
paid for the hard and generally unpleasant services
they were compelled to give in the defence OF rail-
road suits Mer like Seymour l.. Hustled. Daniel l..
Lewis General II. w. Slocum, William RI :hardson.
General James Jourdan. Colonel John \. Par
fridge BENJAMIN Norton and II. NJ. Littell were
wise enough to know that the employment of com
petent lawyers fair fees was distinctly in the In
;erest of those whose money was Invested In the
roads Consequently the companies were repre-
sented by such lawyers Granville jerks, Henry
G Murphy Jasper W Gilbert, Joshua Van Colt.
Winchester Br!tton BENJAMIN +. Tracy. and later
by Jesse Johnson. Albert E. Lamb, William y.
Dykman, James Bergen, Thomas 5. Moore and our
selves. The relations between the companies ana
their lawyers always pleasant, ana the latter
were promptly and cheerfuly paid for what they
did am Of course referring more particularly 10
the DAYS when railroad earnings went to pay
legitimate operating expenses and dividends or
honest capital before the atmosphere of Brooklyn
became heavy with the nauseatins odor Of traction
stock jobbng and fictitious capitalization, before
waste paper came to be marketed stock. TO the
great sorrow OF many Of our fellow citizens and be-
fore the New Workers got their hands on roads
for the purposes with which we are all familiar
When President Rossiter and Secretary Williams
came TO town there was change.
They tackled the lawyers and decided to hang
up our bills for services rendered last fall and
winter unless would consent to conform to the
custom Of Baxter-st. merchants. and throw off %
per cent for cash. We concluded that we would
do that when icebergs found among the fur
naces Of the Internal regions. but not before Be
sides we were confident that when they came
to understand the fact that Brooklyn lawyers were
not engaged in the bargain -counter business they
would pay up There some amusing child's
play for "A time and then the gentlemen capituiated
and handed US check for the full amount. as We
I'VE concluded to retire from the defence OF rail
road cases. and gave notice to this effect 10 MI
Rossiter put matters into shape for our successors
and did what could to familiarize them with the
details OF the m altitude OF cases we had on hand;
There were talks. and there were conferences and
then there was settlement on or about April
Mr. Rossiter sent US a check for go i5s 80 which
was for all unpaid for services given by us prior
To- the lrst OF that month"
Mr. Whltehouse said that he thought mat al las.
he was entirely through with trolley business. but
nj the request OF the company his hrm undertook
to straighten out the legal complications In which
The railroad was before the firm took charge
Of the business They were In the middle OF this
work when on May II they got word from Mr..
Rossiter that he was prepared to relieve them.
Then they sent in their bill which was held up.
Colonel Williams the secretary OF the company.
sent them a letter, in which he said:
we do not feel that the hill you present Is an
emilia be one or one In accordance with under
Standing al the time OF what supposed was a
final settlement. For that reason We must decline
ke
There was considerable negotiation backward
and forward and finally Colonel Williams offered
20 nav the hin II charge OF 1910 for settling cases
was stricken out The law firm refused to do that
a nd the suit resulted.