The Minneapolis journal., 1902-07-01
LAMB A 'DEFEAIER'
A Unique Position Occupied by the
Anti-Merger Attorney.
AFTER BoURKE COCHRAN NOW
Says the Politician Hired Him to
Block Consolidated
". @.s-E Gas Deal. &.4t @ -

George Alfred Lamb of New York, con-
spicuous for his attempts to prevent the
retirement of the Northern Pacific pre-
ferred stock In the Peter Power case, and
who held the boards in local courts early
in the year, says that Bourke Cochran.
the eloquent lawyer and democrat OF
New York. did not give him his Just pro
portion of fee recently contributed to
Cochran by the Consolidated Gas COM
pany Of New York. When Mr.. Lamb first
appeared in the northwest and incidental
ly said that he was a financial lawyer,
attorneys, railway officials and others
were inclined 10 push the inquiry farther
In order to determine definitely where
George Alfred Lamb got on" in the big
litigation His action against Cochran
may help to make clear certain questions
as to who Lamb is; it also indicates that
he has some reputation as a "defeater.'
Lamb makes an affidavit in which he
says Cochran told him that 1T was
largely to Cockran's interest as large
stockholder in the Consolidated Gas COM
pany and the interest Of a host of Cock
rams friends to block the proposed pur-
chase by the Consolidated of other light,
heat and power properties in New YORK
"either by influencing stockholders TO
vote against it or by legal proceedings.
To make the story short, Lamb swears
that Cocrkan told him to go ahead and
defeat the scheme and he would pay him
handsomely for it, proportioned to the
amount of benefits and compensation re-
ceived by Cochran.
Thereupon, Lamb alleges, he began pro-
ceedings to set aside the election OF off,
GERS Of the gas company on Jan. % 1890,
and afterward brought two suits against
the gas company, one for Jared D. Wolf,
Jr., and another for Frank Bulkley
Smith, stockholders, to restrain the pro-
u
for proxies from stockholders to be voted
at the meeting which was called to ratify
the purchase and got proxies on 5000
shares. The court refused to set aside
the election, and he appealed. While he
was waiting for his appeal to be heard,
Cochran so the affidavit alleges, on or
about Dec. /, 1901, instructed Lamb to
discontinue the action and also to obtain
a discontinuance Of the Injunction suit
in which other counsel had been employed
through Lamb. Cochran, the affidavit al
leges, gave as his reason for this re-
quest that he and his associates had made
a settlement with the gas company, and
that he was then receiving in considera-
ton Of such suits and proceedings large
sum Of money In cash, the amount OF
which deponent does not know, and IN
addition thereto other benefits of great
pecuniary value to said Cochran and his
associates
Lamb discontinued all the suits and
then sent letter to Cochran asking for
what amount he should render his bill for
his services. The afidavit says that
Lamb received no reply to this letter.
What he professe to sue for is his COM
pensation, which, he says, it was under
stood was to be more than fee for pro-
fessional services. He has not been able
to learn who Mr.. Cockran's associates are
and wishes to learn SO as to join them as
defendants.
In an interview Lamb said:
I suggested to Cochran that $4,000 would be
a fair fee. He said that was absurd and Of
fered to give me $4,000. This refused, be-
cause learned that he had received from at
torneys for the Consolidated Gas company
three checks aggregating 100000. 1 thought
If. he. got 100000 for quitting, he could af-
ford to pay me $4,000.
Cochran says he Is willing to fight 1t
out with Lamb.