The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-09-19
THE COUNTRY LAWYER.
A Story of the Enlightenment OF
Boston's Legal Circles.

A Jealous New Yorker-and the peo-
pie OF this city are the most jealous
minded and jealous Of any have ever
known except those of Boston and
few towns in New Hampshire-said at
the Union League Club the other night,
with a slight sneer, that the President
was intrusting the negotiation OF the
peace treaty to "a lot of country law
yers." meaning Secretary Day. Sena-
tor Davis, Senator Frye and Associate
Justice White of the Supreme Court.
II reminded me OF story which Sen
ator Fairbanks OF Indiana is fond OF
telling about an invasion of the Bos-
ton courts by country lawyer two or
three years ago. A big litigation was
on, involving the control OF an Ohio
railway, and seven or eight legal lumi-
naries of the largest magnitude from
Boston were there TO represent the
bondholders and the reorganization"
The local stockholders and the man.
agement OF the road. who were fighting
for their own preservation. were rep
resented by an unassuming attorney
from small town in Ohio. who ap-
peared In delicate health and was an
entire stranger In Boston. AS he came
into court he modestly took a back seat
without any other demonstration than
"A polite bow to the judge and a pleas
ant good morning to his formidable
army Of opponents. During the morn
ing proceedings he did not open his lips
and showed no particular interest, and
when the Boston lawyers went to
lunch at Young's Hotel during the
noon hour they were chuckling to
themselves about the easy manner In
which they were going to dispose of
what they had feared might be a very
tedious and troublesome litigation.
Senator Fairbanks was present az a
spectator, to watch the collateral in
terest OF the Vandalia line, OF which
he was general solicitor. and was
looked upon as a neutral party. So
they invited him to lunch with them.
and he heard their humorous illusions
to the country lawyer who had ap-
peared to represent the other side.
Gentlemen" said the Senator after
n while, 'T have a good deal OF expe-
rience with country lawyers, and have
learned not TO despise them. Your
conduct OF this case is, Of course. not
my affair, but advise you TO be on
your guard. for IL that country lawyer
over there I'm the corner OF the court
room wakes up he is likely TO give you
trouble. kept my eye on him this
morning. and I have come To the con-
clusion that he knows his business"
The ornaments OF the New England
bar laughed i'm derision. and when the
court adjourned that afternoon they
taunted Senator Fairbanks with his
warning. for the country LAWYER had
not opened his lips during the day.
And so the case went on. the Boston
attorneys occupying all the time. sub
hitting motions. suggestions and plans
for the consideration Of the Court.
which were entirely I'm the interest OF
their clients and having everything
their own way. About the fourth day.
however after the 'reorganizers" had
disclosed their whole scheme end COM
mitted themselves to a line of proceed
ure which left the legitimate owners
of the road ir the cold. tho country
lawyer came forward and modestiy In
terposed few objections In the inter-
est of his clients. The Roston crowd
ATTEMPTED TO throw him down with n
rush.. but he quietly plunged his spear
into the weak spots of the armor of
every one of them and drew blood nj
every thrust. pefore the dav was over
he had them oil thoroughly demoral-
izes ard aua uarrelinu among themselves
while nc submitted few motions 20
the Court. which We're Immediately
sustained Tho result as Senator
Fairbanks tells ~. was that when the
case wes conoiudes the country law
yer walled ofs with the whole thing.
leaving the liohts 81 tho Boston bar In
n semi -comatose condition and won-
Serin~ what had happened % them
The Senator eaid " wns no keen and
complete cnse ~ ie~oi strategy as no
has over known Nv h's lone practice M
the he~ md 'ha' the corntrv LAWYER
was william Y. Dav. NJ Canton. Ohio.
POW Secretary ~ state and n member
~ tho peace commission. Chica 60
Record