The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1905-04-01
SINISTER D|IIIIRs ARE:
HANDED SEVERE BLOW
One Who Has Been Bit Writes
Strongly for Law Against
Shysters.
Tells Labor World Readers
That Client Has No Re-
dress When Robbed.

AA@So ~AV4AV 4400 NV 4S0"
dress When Robbed.
A short time ago Representative An
drew Miller introduced a bill in the
State Legislature for the purpose Of
getting after so-called shyster lawyers
The measure died in the committee
ROOM Its fate has stirred a Labor
World correspondent to anger, and he
has contributed the following as a re-
suit Of his personal experience:
Editor Labor World
Has it ever occurred to the majority
CT the voters Of this state that while
we pride ourselves upon our just laws
and upon the supposed equalized free
dom given to the community at large,
through them, that there are q proper
ton Of our citizens who enjoy much
more freedom than others? Have you
ever stopped to consider that among
the first candidates for the Legislature
and other high offices which We select,
are generally found representatives
from one profession which we consider
the best adapted for the framing and
making OF our laws, to-wit: the lawy-
er? Has 1t ever occurred to you that
when lawyer frames and makes a
law that he has always been particular
to evade framing and having an act
passed, that would in any way bind
himself? If this has never occurred to
you, stop and think; go further-in-
vestigate, and you will find the fol-
lowing to be the condition. of affairs
at rho nro0onf f1r1oo CT v,n
laws which are supposed to warrant
equal justice to all citizens.
Too Many Lawyers.
In almost every city and town in this
state are a large number of lawyers
d1sproportionate in number to the re-
qutrements Of a community for re-
personalities Of that profession. No
doubt in all communities there are
many honest and able practitioners
who conduct their business with a view
to doing justice and without them
rogues certainly would flourish. But
nevertheless there are a great many
so-called lawyers who are a menace to
the public. A great many OF them
know just how far to go In certain
cases SO as to be able to avoid GRIM
1nal prosecution, and great many Of
them do not even stop there, and in
fact will stop at very few crimes where
they can see a. dollar to be obtained
dishonesty through malpractice.
Many Clients F'esoed.
Are there two business men out Of
every ten in the state OF Minnesota
who have not suffered through this
class Of pirates who have been guilty
Of illegal practice :. and malpractice,
from the retaining of moneys collected
from clients, in small amounts too in
significant for clients to cause trouble
about, up to large sums where through
some technical point they have been
able to keep out Of court and still con-
tinue their piratical practice on the
unguarded public? How many Of such
pirates have gone beyond that sneak
ing practice to point OF creating lit
igation without cause thereby causing
trouble and expense that was absolute
ly unnecessary, and then like a pack
of wolves, when they had downed their
prey, have torn him to pieces and
drew the last drop Of blood he had, and
to gain their point would commit
felonies that, were it any other person
outside Of a lawyer. would be lodged
in prison inside Of twenty-bour hours
after the commission Of the crime Is
there a term Of court passes that such
work is not carried ON by this class
Of highway robbers who may not be
honored In the community but are
tolerated for the simple reason that
they are immune from prosecution, and
who every week are securing new
victims because their practices are un-
known to the unwary? Why are they
unknown? Principally because the
newspapers as a general rule will not
take up matters OF this kind 50 that
it will become public, and as one lawyer
will not prosecute another, 1t is impos-
sible for the poor victims even to OBJ
tain justice or to show up to the public
the cunning, fraudulent and malicious
practice of these so-called attorneys
holding public Offices members Of
churches, ETC., like any other honest
man?
Shysters Escape Courts.
A great many will no doubt, think
this is overdrawn; II VOW 80 think. try
to have an attorney arrested for re-
tanning funds belonging to his clients
and using the same for his own use,
or try to have an attorney brought
before the rGand Jury for idictment
for malicious conspiracy, blacknail,
perjury or any other offenae that is in
dictable. Have you ever tried to have
an attorney disbarred from practice 30
as to protect other innocent victims?
IF mt inst frv II saA how haf11v Won
will be left. Is there q law today on
the statute books for the protection
Of clients who have been wrecked by
dishonest attorneys? If an attorney
has the confidence Of client, know
ing all Of his private business and in
tereets, and then works the confidence
game upon him to get all private In
formation In regard to his interests
and his business, and IL that attorney
turns against his client and uses the
knowledge which he has professionally
gained and wrecks his client (Which
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