The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-08-30
LINCOLN'S SMALL FEES.
MOST OF THEM WE'RE - or LESS.
ONLY 4 FEW A. HIGH As $50.

5000 From stephen A. DougIas-A
Lecture For Him From Judge Dnv-
il On the Ground That Lincoln
Was Running the business
From the New York sun.
The making and keeping Of money was
something which Abraham Lincoln's con
tcmporaries always declared he did nor
understand. His idea OF the value Of his
service in the law was so modest as some
times to be ridiculous. while his expendi-
lures were encompassod by the formula
spend no more than you earn.
In the day when he began the practice
OF law fees in Illinois were naturally much
smaller than now. nor did they always
come in cash. The Zee books OF Stuart
q Lincoln show more than one entry of
merchandise. Nor during the first four
teen years of Ldncoln's practice did his
fees materially increase. In 1917 he and
his partner had only about $500 entered
on their books. The largest fee they re-
ceived that year was one OF $l00, and SO
We're not rare but there were more Of
$50, more Of $lO most Of all Of s.. and a
few OFFS.
But Lincolns fees were as a rule small
Ter than. his clients expected or his fell
low lawyers approved OF. Abraham
BrolSaw of Bloomington, H., tells the
following story illustrating Llncoln's idea
OF a proper fee; one Of Mr.. Brokaw's
neighbors had borrowed about $500 from
HIM and given his note. when IL became
due the man refused to pay It. Action
was brought, and the sheriff levied on
the property of the debtor and finally
collected the entire debt. but at about
that time the sheriff was in need of funds
and used the money collected. When
Brokaw demanded 1t from him ne was
unable to pay 1t and was found to be in
solvent. Thereupon Brokaw employed
stephen A. Douglas to sue the sUreties on
the official bond of the sheriff. Douglas
brought suit ana collected the claim.
But Douglas was at that time In the
midst Of his campaign as a candidate for
congress. and the funds were used by
him with the expectation OF being able
to pay Brokaw later. However, he ne
elected the matter, and went to Washing
ton without making a settlement.
BroSaw. although a lifelong and ardent
democrat and "A great admirer of Doug
las, was a thrifty German and did not
propose to lose sight of his money. After
Douglas, BrOkaw went to David Davis,
then in general practice at Bloomington,
told him the circumstances, and asked
him to undertake the collection Oh tho
money from Douglas. Davis protested
that he could not do it, that Douglas was
a personal friend and a brother lawyer
and democrat, and "a would be very disa-
greeable for him to haveNanything to do
with the matter. He finally said to Bro
kaw, you wait until the next term of
court and Lincoln will be here. He would
like nothing better than to havc=his claim
for collection. I viii introduce you to
him, and / have no doubt he viii under
take it," Soon after Brokaw was pre-
scented to Lincoln, stated his case, and en-
gagged his services. Lincoln promptly
wrote Douglas. still at Washington, that
he had the claim for collection and that
he must insist upon prompt payment.
Douglas, very indignant. wrote directly
to Brokaw that he Thought the placing Of
the claim in Lincoln's hands a gross out
rage, that he and Brokaw were old friends
and democrats. and that Brokaw ought
not to place any such weapon in the
hands of such AN abolitionist opponent as
Lincoln, and If he could not wait until
Douglas returned he should at least have
placed the claim for collection in the
hands Of a democrat. Brokaws thrift
again controlled him, and he sent Doug
coin placed the claim in the hands Of
Long" John Wentworth, then demo-
cratic member of congress from Chicago.
wentworth called upon Douglas and in
sisted upon payment, which soon after
was made, and Brokaw at last received
his money. and what do you suppose
Lincoln charged me2" Brokaw says in
telling the story. After hearing a few
guesses he answers: He charged me ex-
actIy $3.5 for collecting nearly $500"
Such charges were felt by the lawyers of
the Eighth circuit, with some reason, to
be purely Quixotic. They protested and ar
gued, but Lincoln went on serenity charg-
ing what he thought his services worth.
Ward Lamon, who was one Of Lincoln's
numerous circuit partners, says that he
and Lincoln frequently fell out on the mat
ter Of fees. On one occasion Lamon was
particularly incensed. He had charged and
received a good-sized fee for case which
the two had tried together and won. When
I.amon offered Lincoln his share ne refused
it. The fee was too large, he said, part of
II must be refunded, and he would not ac-
cept a cent until part of It had been re-
funded. David Davis heard Of this trans
action He was himself a shrewd money
maker, never hesitating to take all he
could get legally, and he felt a natural
disgust at the disinterested attitude Of
Lincoln. Calling Lincoln to him, Mr.. Davis
ScOlded him rOundly. ! on are pdupcfllluB
this court, Mr.. Lincoln; you are running
your fellows. Unless you quit this ridicu-
lous policy, we shall all have to go TO
farming" But not even the ire of the
bench moved Lincoln. lie continued to try
cases and accept insignificant fees, even
frequently to refuse fees when his clients
were needy.
Although so constantly engaged In poll
tics. he used little money for campaign
purposes, and frequently after election re-
turned to the donors almost the fun
amount he had received. All of his ex-
penses had been provided for in other ways
he would say The heaviest draughts upon
him for politics came in the years between
1856 and 1860 when he was engaged in fight
ing Douglas and the repeal of the Missouri
compromise. He was so active in the cam
paigns, giving nearly all his time and force
to politics that he could not, of course,
attend closely to his profession. The result
was that he was seriously cramped most
of the time In November Of 1858, just af-
ter the close Of the senatorial
canvass against Douglas, he wrote the
chairman OF the state republican commit
tee. who wanted to be helped out:
i am willing to pay according tOiiny
ability. but am the poorest hand living