The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-03-17
Dr.. Browning Sought $780,
070 From Magss's Estate.
HE CHARGED $40 PER HOUR.
Claimed Late Pennsylvania State Senator Ac-
knuwIedgsd an Indebtedness Of $780,.
000-kspt Alive for a Year.

Plttsburg, March 1.-THE executors OF
the estate OF Senator Christopher l.. Ma
gee have rejected the claim for physl-
Clans fees, amounting 20 $4,000, filed
by Dr. Walter c. Browning. of Phila-
dephia.
Dr. Browning has directed his attorneys
TO begin suit against the executors, but
whether the action will De To recover
$l90070, or several times that amount,
cannot be stated. DIR. Browning refuses
10 discuss that feature of the case.
The specialist said that Mr.. Magee had
acknowledged an Indebtedness of more
than $S00,O0o
"Furthermore. he continued there are
several persons. friends OF the senator.
who are familiar with the circumstances
and wo will appear on the witness stand
| I'm support OF my claims"
DR. Browning said that he prolonged
Mr.. Magee's life for more than a year,
and that dring that period the senator
made more than s2,OOooo0.
"It is one of the ways OF executors To
| undervalue an estate" he continued,
| II presume there are reasons for doing
So Senator Magees estate has been reg
| istered at 80 per cent OF its value. He
was worth $1,000 900 or more at the time
| of his death. My services made IT possi-
! BILE for him 10 accumulate one-third of
| the property"
A copy OF the statement filed with the
| executors was shown by Dr. Browning.
who explained at length the various
| charges and told why they were made,
| why they were so large. and why the
| sum total due him is $4,000.
WORTH $50 AN HOUR
my time is worth $50 an hour he be-
| gan. by that l do not mean TO say that
| l charge every patient who comes into
my office $50 Tor consultation. My Nisi-
| tors do not ordinarily stay more than
| five or ten minutes, and under such cir
| cumstances L charge them only 50 AT
| these rates l make more than $50 an hour.
| But when j spend long periods or time
| with a patient my rates are fixed
| Moreover ! do a strictly cash business.
Since 1878 | have never had an account
uncolected for more than 30 days except
| ing the Magee account and there was a
! good reason for not collecting the money
| i'm that instance. Mr.. Magee promised
TO double or treble IL for me, and he did
| as he promised.
AT the end OF each month handed the
| senator a bill for the number OF hours
| / had spent with him. on every bill /
| charged $50 an hour for the time, and in
| each instance he took a pencil and doub-
led the charge and totals. He said that
| what ] was doing for him was worth
! twice as much as | asked him 10 pay.
| For instance, il / spent 800 hours with
| him I'm one month and charged 5000. he
| would change the $40 TO $40 and the 5000
| TO $4,000. Then he would O. *. the bin
as corrected and file 1t with his papers.
LET HIM USE CREDIT
| THESE bills the senator's executors
| have failed to produce II is very strange
| IL they cannot find them However. l
| have sufficient evidence to prove that
| they did exist just~as I state.
THE senator suggested that instead of
| turning the cash over to me IL would be
| good thing for him TO invest II. |
| knew how he stood in relation TO the
| stock market. and l willingly accepted
| his suggestion. | knew that he was In
with Peter Widener and Elkins and other
| fellows who help the lambs out OF Wall
| street l knew that Widener had turned
| his physicians fees into nearly a mil
| lion dollars and / was glad to let the
! senator take care of mine.
From time to time the senator told me
! how / stood in relation 10 his investment
account A short time before his death
| he said that more than $4,000 was due
| me- He also told me that he had person
| ally cleared more than $2.000.000 during
the time that l kept him alive