The Portland daily press., 1901-01-24
GREEN BAG STORIES.

Country Produce, q Souvenir Spoon,
Service as a Washerwomnn and
other Things rendered as Payment
For Advice In Legal Matters.
Sometimes there are fabulously large
fees paid TO attorneys for services which
seem trifiing In comparison, but il Is only
sometimes, not always, that such fees are
paid. The boy who Is educated for the
law who thinks that within year after
he "hangs out his shingle' he win have
a practice which will insure him a compe-
tence will find that he Is cup against" an
entirely different proposition when he en-
tiers on his chosen career. Even the old
lawyers do not always get cash fees. and
the stories Of queer fees that have been
paid to Milwaukee lawyers alone would
fill a volume. Burglars loot, farm prod
uce. labor OF all descriptions, almost ev-
erything imaginable, would appear on the
list.
The story of fee told by one young
lawyer is one OF the kind where a lawyer
does not like to have his name mentioned,
but ii probably wasn't his fault. A visit
or was in the bachelors den OF the young
lawyer when he noticed an engraved
spoon hanging by a ribbon among some
photographs, as though II might be
relic Of some sentimental collegian's love
affair.
THAT spoon is my fee for clearing
client one time" said the owner of the
decoration. Il had that given TO me after
defended old Bill Bradley, the burglar"
"When / was practicing up north," said
Judge w. ii. Halsey. 81 had fee in kind
that l appreciated as much as l have
$500 fees at other times. ] had defended
an old farmer In a small suit, though
did not expect to get any pay from him.
The suit was decided in our favor, and
the old farmer and his wife went home.
Some months afterward the two came in
TO my Office with a package and bundle
tied up In handkerchief. The package
was q roll of butter, the handkerchief
bundle was hazelnuts, and from the old
farmers pockets came two big rosy
checked apples. That butter, apples and
nuts fee was as satisfactory to me as any
/ ever received"
"For ten years / have never paid to
have an umbrella mended," said one law
yer.
'The rich landlord OF the story book
style wanted the store the old crippled
umbrella man was using for q shop and
started to force the old fellow out.
fixed him so that he was allowed to stay, !
and ever since that have taken my rain |
shields to him for fee mending. That was
all the fee | received for that case too"
Il had the secrets Of my own lodge Of
fered TO me as payment for a service"
said one attorney who belongs to several /
secret orders. II was sitting In my office I
one day when q well dressed woman
came in and wanted advice. Her hus. :
band, to whom she was but recently mar
ried, was member of a secret society.
Il think it's perfectly horrid of him,
too she said. to have secrets and not to
tell them to me. When he married me,
he said he would share everything with /
me, and the first thing / ask almost he |
won't do. Can't you make himT
II asked her to what lodge he belonged, /
and she told me the name of an order of
which | myself was a member. Then
she went on:
"a tell you what IL you viii make him |
tell them to me ] win tell them 10 you to
pay you for making him do what want. /
That's fair isn't i'll l should think you
would like to know such things-need
them in your business, you know
IL didn't accept that fee.'
II had a good offer from one woman /
that | did accept" continued the attor-
ney. "for 1t was too good to refuse, al
though 1t was not In cash had repre-
sented her in an action for divorce, and
after the suit had been won she wanted I
me to accept part payment in handmade /
lace. The samples of lace she showed me
were exquisite. so told her it would be
all right. She gave me about 10 yards 4
of the lace. and ii was worth every cent
OF what was credited her for it,"
II was paid in washing for divorce l
secured" said j. II. Paul. "A woman
came to me one time with tale OF woe
about her husband and wanted me to get
divorce for her. She said that she
didn't want any work done for her for
nothing but that she was not able to pay
money. She would do my washing for %
weeks, though, IL | would free her from
her husband. She refused to let me act
in charity for her. and as she wanted a
divorce so she could marry another man
j accepted her offer. and she washed
away literally her marriage ties. Mil
Uaukaa Santinal