The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1905-12-23

ginning OF his study Of the law but he
continued TO borrow books and continued
10 study in season and out Wherever
he went. he carried his bookin the
field, IN the woods, splicing rails or
on a Journey his law book was his
constant compaiion.
store at New Salem was purchased
by Lincoln and another man, all on time
1t was frontier grocery store where
liquor was dispensed ard while Lincoln
studied law. his partner patronized the
buffet The result was speedy failure
The partner disappeared. and Lincoln
was left with eleven hundred dollars Of
partnership debit which he personally
assumed and began 40 pay,-but he
continued his studies. He was elected
to the legislature, and on his return
therefrom( in the spring Of 1887, was
admitted 20 tho bar at Springfield,
forming partnership with man by
the name OF Stuart The account Of
Lincolns entry to Springfield and his
sett ement there is told by his friend,
Joshua Speed, who was running a store.
Lincoln andeavored to buy enough sup
plies OF Speed for bed but the cost
OF the out1t-seventeen dollars-was so
great that it appalled, him. lie heG ap-
piled his legislative salary on what he
termed his national debt" left him as
legacy Of his merchandising expert
ence Speed, seeing his dismay. offered
to share the bed with him, which was
gladly accepted by Lincoln, who brought
into the room a pair Of saddle bags, con-
tanning n couple OF law books, a few
pieces OF clothing, and threw them on
the floor and said with a broad smile,
Gwen, Speed, I'm moved"
such wac his entrance into Spring
fed and the practice. His partnership
with Stuart continued until tSi1, when
Stuart was elected TO congress, and Linz
coin entered into n partnership with Lo-
gan, which continued until 1S43, when
they both became candidates for con-
gress. Two aspirations Of this size could
not exist In one small law office. and
the partnership was terminated An as
sociation was then formed with william
Herndon which lasted as long as he lived
Herndon says OF him. he never was
an office lawyer; he had no order nc
system; his papers We're scattered hither
and yon. on one occasion, ne gathered
"a great bundle OF them together, tied
a string around it, and labelled It, when
you can't iad It anywhere else. look In
here" lie paid but slight attention to
the correspondence Of the office. and
when he did was just as likely TO put
a witticism or a joke into "A said busi-
ness communications as he was into a
letter written for that purpose. For in
stanoe. The arm had closed up "a legal
matter involving some real estate, for
some clients in Louisville. who desired
I them 40 hnd a purchaser for IT, Linz
coin wrote their clients as follows; "As
I TO the real estate we can not attend
20 It, We are not real estate agents;
we are lawyers We recommend that
you give the charge TO MI Isaac S.
Brittor a trustworthy man. and one
whom the Lord made on purpose for
such business"
At another time, IN response to LETT
ter calling for a report on "a fellow law
year OF the town, he wrote: II khow
Mr.. Blank. lie Is lawyer with an
office on this street. He has a wife
worth million dollars, and two children
worth another million. In his office
there is a table and two chairs. and
there is a rat hole in the corner which
viii bear looking into" He preferred tc
try cases In court; to contest with hi.
fellow lawyers on principle and fact, be.
fore the court and jurics to meet the
clash OF minds, and 10 participate ir
forensic jousts. rather than 10 be the
dun plodder at the desk. II he had ans
quality in the preparation of Us ease.
superior to others, Il was the diligence
with which be studied The opposite SID,
Of every case; and it is said OF him thai
IN all Of his long career he was never
surprised by the testimony Of the oppo.
sition. When he once learned tie fact.
In his case, his clcnrness of statemen
was something remarked by an III
stated his opponents ease bettor thar
DE could do it himself and seemed q
be so fair with Il all that the jury wa,
always ready 20 listen with conddenc.
when he came 20 present his own III.
said "Herndon. II ] can free this cas-,
from tcchnicalitics and get Z. properly
swung TO the jury / can win IT," Tai.
constant admonition to Herndon was q,
use simple language plain propositions
and not 20 talk over the heads Of the
jurors. Ills remarkable ability for tell
ing anecdotes in his argument is wei
established by an with whom he came il
contact He used those stories par
ables, as Il were--t0 make plain soin'
proposition Involved, or 10 put the de-
PENDANT or his counsel IN ridiculous
light These things, coupled with hil
caudor fairness and honesty formed th'
basis upon which his success was bul.ded
His fees were usually less than hil
clients expected. From 1850 to 1850 hi.
income was less than three Thousand dol
lars per year, and while on the circuit
Judge Davis, on one occasion. called hin
10 his rCstrum. and, referring 20 hil
charges, said. "Air. Lincoln, you ar'
pauperizing the bar You wiz rula YOU
fellows. ana unless you Quit this pol
ICY We shan an have TO go 10 farming.
The largest Zee that he ever receive,
was from the Illinois Central Railwa!
company The company had been OK
empted from taxation by the state. Ne
Lean county assessed II. aud took IN
position that the legislature could no
relieve the railroad from Tire payment o
county taxes Lincoln and Hendon werl
employed 70 try the case They carriel
Il through the supreme court aud wer
successful. Lincoln presented his BIN D.
the sum OF two Thousand dollars. al thi
oiiee of the railway company ia Chi
oago and the same was rejected win
The statement that it WAS exorbitant
and that they couid have hired "a frs
class lawyer for that price, O1ende'
by This. LincoiH Withdrew his bin. apd
recounung the matter TO some Of hi
feiaow practitioners az Bloomington. Sd
Of them voluntarily signed statemen
that hve thousand d0ltrs would be
reasonable Zee Con the services rendered
IheFenpon Lincoln nled suH Tor thli