The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-02-12

| ciple IA every important case III Which ne
has appeared-and the list includes al
most every trial OF national interest that
| has come M since 1870.
"Never Neglect Case"
Mr.. Choate threw an interesting light
on one cause of his success as a lawyer
| when he sad:
Il have made it my rule never 10 neg
/ loct a case, no matter how unlmportant It
may seem. a doctor owes 1t 10 the dig
| nifty of mis- profession 20 treat a cut finger
| successfully, just as he would a fractured
| skull. The same thing is true Of the law
| yer although, unfortunately, not all at
! torneys appreciate the fact. II is due TO
this devotion TO the interests of even the
| humblest clients that Mr.. ChOate has won
| probably a greater percentage Of the cases
| he has appeared in than any other lawyer
| in the country
In spite Of his love of fun and his free
/ and easy manner Mr.. Choate is stickler
for the dignity of his profession. and he
has the courage 10 defend its rights, no
matter by whom they are ignored.
Rebuking a Judge.
on one occasion, when Choate was all
| dressing a bench on which Judge Van
Brunt was sitting, the latter turned his
chair around and began talking to one of
his associates. This habit, which other
judges have been known to indulge in,
is annoying to lawyers, but they think II
the part Of wisdom not to notice IT, Choate.
however, ms ganty paused in his address
and stood gazing at the bench. with his
arms folded. When Judge Van Brunt sur
prised by the hush in the court room,
looked around, Mr. Choate said
Your honor, l just have forty minutes
in which to make my argument / shall
need every second of the time, and also
the undivided attention of the court"
"And you shall have it," replied the
Judge, instantly, acknowledging the justice
of the appeal
These Incidents give fairly accurate
view of the qualifications with which
Choate started out on his career as a Jaw
vera profound belief in his profession, a
reliance on broad principles rather than
fine technicalities a keen judgment ready
wit and genial manner. To these must be
added unlimited ambition and a studious
nature. These advantages soon outweigh
ed the objections of a wealthy FANNY a
distinguished cousin and a partner famous
as lawyer and public man.
There was no nonsense about Choate.
He wanted to be a successful lawyer, and
he was never led away from that aim.
He said to one of his youthful friends;
Il would rather be the leader of the
New York bar than the President of the
United States"
TOO Busy Tor society
He kept his ideal before him. When
1t was suggested that he should enter
politics, he said: NO" When opportun-
tiles to go into society presented them
selves. he answered, Il am too busy" He
studied harder-not only law books, but
the masters of English writing and speech.
Studying the books and lighting in the
courts soon began to tell for Choate. BY
1870 they had made him one of the fore
most lawyers of the country. Since then
every year has made his position as leader
of the bar more unquestioned.
Yet Choate is not a well known man in
the sense that Depew or a dozen others
who have been no more constantly before
the public, are. To the citizens of the
country at large his name signifies a man
who makes occasional brilliant speeches
and who receives large fees for his services
to wealthy clients This is a singularly
erroneous view. During the recent cam
paign in New York. Richard Croker made
the charge against Choate that he had
never taken up the case of a poor man.
Choate retorted that on one occasion he
had appeared for man, who, by his own
sworn testimony, was poor. He alluded
to his appearing for Croker himself, after
that gentleman had declared before an in
vestigadng committee that he was poor
This may be hardly a convincing instance,
and was inspired doubtless, by a desire to
get the better of Mr.. Croker. But il is a
fact that Mr.. Choate's charges are very
moderate, considering his eminence in the
legal profession. 1t is said that he has re-
ceived fees amounting as high as 100000
but he probably has not made as much
money from his practice as have a num-
Der of other men OF less eminence in the
profession. The reason is that Mr.. Choate
has devoted himself to general practice.
l..
poration lawyer, but he has preferred the
keen intellectual enjoyment derived from
the more diversified work of a general adj
vocate.
Choate Defines Success.
Choate is a man of sane ideals His head
has never been turned by anything he has
accomplished. 1t was suggested TO him
that his new honors formed an appropriate
rounding out to a successful career.
Success" said he keenly. catching at
the word. ''any man is successful who has
plenty TO do-as long as one can honestly
perform his fair share of the worlds work
he enjoys the only success 1t is possible
for anybody to achieve"
Advice TO Young Men.
His advice to young men intending to
enter the law is characteristic of mis- own
| career.
In the first place" says Mr. Choate,
mo young man should go into law I'M
| less he is irresistaby attracted by it, I'M
less he is prepared to make of it a pro-
fession instead of a trade. Next, he should
convince himself that law is not thing of
! bubbles and crotchets but body of truth
as broad and well defined as human right.
! Next, he should study hard; it is impos-
sible 10 get too much knowledge of the
subject at the beginning of his career.
And finally. he should be always good-na-
! tured. honest and persevering, and he
should get all the practice he can"
How ChOate Makes "a Speech.
Choate's usual manner in addressing
! jury is to stand with one hand in his trous-
ers pocket, his foot on the back of a chair.
Leaning forward. he talks easily. conf
! denually, and with telling clearness and
force. Occasionally he warns up. how
ever, and then there is a burst of elo-
! quence that would do credit to the immor-