The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-10-01

The cable report that the largest fee
ever paid to a Scott fish barrister Tor one ne
days services was that received the
other day BY Thomas Shaw. K. c., NJ
r.. OF Edinburgh Of y 500 guineas z. or:
s2625, for defending the two sons OF
Henry Plipps against the Shargc OF
shooting some OF Lord Lovats en-
ployees who were poaching on q. salmon
pool that Mr.. Phipps had leased OF Lord
Lovat, recalls the story OF Boswell, the
famous biographer Of DR.. Johnson.
Boswell once remarked that his income
as a Scottish barrister amounted 70
81 900 q year, and some moro or less
sarcastic friend, who heard the story
Of Boswell's income remarked that nc
wondered what all the other Scottish
lawyers lived on.
OF course, 1t Is scarcely probable that
the correspondent who made the asser-
ton that 500 guincas WAS the. 4 largest
fec ever paid to n Scottish barrister tor
one days reTyices could have accurate
information to absolutely support his
| statement.
1t IS an indication, however, that large
fees nrc not common In Scotland, and
| innsmuch as Boswclls friend suggested
| that II Boswell got $4,000 q year there
would be nothing left for any OF the
| other Scottish lawyers. 1t seems to indl-
| cate that the Same condition of affairs
! existed in Boswcll's time that exists
now.
In this country accounts are frequently
heard of big fees some OF them well
authenticated and others brought out
apparently by some Lewis jarvis, VINO
| took this method OF lmpresslng the pup
! lie with his Importance. There nave
been all kinds OF stories printed at va
| g<.tl1 "a
! by word OF mouth that never were put
! in type concerning the immense foe
| which n wel-known New York lawyer
| received for organizing the original
! standard Oh Trust. While the trust was
I declared Illegal by the courts az an at
| tempted evasion Of the corporation laws
, and az nm unlawful combination, IT un-
doubtcdly was the forerunner OF the DIE
corporations which followed and proha-
bly, gave the name trust" to all the Biz
corporations which have since been Or
gunI2cd
Another story Of n big fee received
by New York lawyer was that OF
James 3. Dill, now n judge In New Jcr-
sey, for bringing about peace between
/ Andrew Carnegie and Henry G. Frtck.
or at least compromising their diilcul-
ties II reports arc true. tho matters
were adjusted within a short period OF
| time and -innumcrable yarns nre ailoaI
concerning Mr., Dill's fee It being stated
on numerous occasions that he received
81 ono. 00O for his services In this case.
II this is true, the fec OF tho Scottish
| harristcr before referred to sinks into
insirnif,cance, as Judge Dill Is credited
| with having brought about the compro-
| misc after n few days work.
| A more recent case OF large Zee "
4 that said to have been received by Wil-
liam Nelson Cromwell for bringing alfu'
4 tho transfer OF tho Interests OF the
4 French Panama Canal Company to the
United States Government. Many nc
counts have been printed about the size
OF Mr. Cromwelrs fec In this matter
some OF them making II as high AS $40,
900 600 This fee WAS not earned In n
day however, but only after long and
tircsome negotiations.
Since lawyers fees hnve become the
subject of contract between the lnwyc
and the client, and arc no longer con
ssiered ms IL honorarinm as they Wer
originally, many stories are frepuentl!
heard about disputes between tho law
yers and clients concerning fees,
In certain class Of cases contingen
fees appear to be the rule, while amon
the better class Of attorneys case !
rarely ever taken on a contingent basis
With the advent Of the electric railroads
the numerous accidents due to IN
changed conditions OF public trhili
opened the door to q thriving bushes
! for thut class OF lawyers conlmonl
known ms Ambulance ,hasers.' As In
! clients In these cases are, IN ming case