The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1905-12-27

have accurate information to absolute
lily support his statement. 1t Is an
Indication. however, that large fees
are not common in Scotland, and mas
much as Bosweli's friend suggested
that If Boswell got $4,000 a year there
would be nothing left for any of the
other Scottish lawyers it seems to in
dictate that the same condition of af-
fairs existed in Boswell's time that
exists now,
In this country accounts are fire.
cuently heard Of big fees, some OF
them well authenticated and others
brought out apparently by some Lew
is Jarvis" who took this method OF
i~mpressing the public with his impor-
lance. There have been all kinds OF
stories printed at various times and
many Others circulated by word of
mouth that never were put in type con-
corning the immense fee which a we'll
known New York lawyer received for
organizing The original Standard Oil
trust. While the trust was declared
illegal by the courts as an attempted
evasion of the corporation laws and
AS an unlawful combination, it UNI
doubtedly was the f%orerunner of the
big corporations which followed, and
probably gave the name trust to all
IT, big corporations which have since
been organized.
another story is mentioned of a big
ice received by u New York lawyer
that of James b. Dill, now a judge in
New Jersey, FOR bringing about peace
between Andrew Carnegie and Henri
c Prick, oc at least compromising
their difficulties. II reports are true
the matters were adjusted within a
short perloI of time. and innumerahle
yarns are aHo:t concerning Mr.. DilPs
fee, it being reported on numerous oc-
caslons that he received 100000 for
lis services in this case. If this is
true the fec OF Tie Scottish barrister
before referred to sinks into insignia,
cmce.
y more recent case OF n large fee IS
that said to have been received by
William Nelson Gro well for bringing
about the trans ar of the interests of
the French Panama company to the
United States government. Many nc
counts have been printed about the
size OF Mr.. Crur1well's fee IT, tits mat,
ter, some of them making 1t as high
as s 100000. This fee was not earn
ell in a day, however, but only after
tiresome and long negotiations.
Since lawyers fees ave rncf me the
subject of contract between the lawyer
and the client, and are no longer cen,
sidered as a h%onorarium, as they were
originally, many stories are frequent,
Iy heard about disputes between law
ycrs and clients concerning fees. In
a certain ctuss OF cases continge II
fees appear to be the rule. while
among The better class of attorneys .
case is rarely taken on a contingent
basis.
1t is said that Gutteau, the assassin
of Garfield and who at one time was
u practlcing attorney in New York
City, once took a case on a contingent
} re. the agreement being that he
.honld have half OF what he collect
Ell. He collected one,half OF the orIsi
nal claim ami informed his client OF
the fact, telliu; his client that the hall
he had already collected was his 1.-THE
lawyers ha!f. and when he succeed.
ed in collecting the other half he
Aould turn it over To the client.
OF course, the vi.,ue of a lawyers
services frequently depends upon the
effectiveness of his work rather than
the time which he takes to do it, and
when he ~accomplishes important re.
suits for his client, and does it with.
in a day or two, It is hard to make the
client bellev., that the services arc
worth as much as the lawyer thinks
IL ought to be.
a story is told of a prominent Law.
''r who had an important litigation
pending. and it WINS agreed between
IFS client AMI himself that If he could
secure $4,000 the lawyer could have
half that amount. The attorney Gnal.
ly, after some negotiations. secured a
settlement by which his client was 10
receive S5O,oeo and called his client ii.
to carry through the adjustment.
The story goes shat when the client
d: covered tl.a- the money was in
sight he made a strenuous objection
to tie lawyer getting so large a fee,
! ereapon the attorney replied that
The papers were not yet signed and
could be Immediately relnrre cd to tie
ctLer party and the settlement could
declared on, The client then.
Thought bett Of the matter and 40;
cSpsd 5000
ase of ills dnd also happered