The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1907-05-29
STORY OF JOHN ". YERxEs.

John w. Yerkes of Kentucky, COM
missioner of internal revenue, one of
the most popular men in the Roose-
welt administration, popular for his
excellent qualities of human spirit as
we'll as his ability and integrity as a
public servant, loves story with a
point. and he can relate it himself with
the color and flavor of life. He has
just contributed something worth while
to the annals of two we'll known Amer
leans. He was in q group talking
about the big fees paid lawyers of
proved ability nowadays, and he mar
rated this:
"A few years after Benjamin Harri-
son quit the White House as his Off
cial domicile, the noted Widener-El-
kins syndicate bought up the traction
lines of his home town, Indianapolis.
A rancOrous local howl went up over
the deal, and those opposed determin-
ed to carry the quarrel into the courts.
They filed a double-barrel prayer.
They set forth that the lines as sought
to be controlled by the syndicate had
no rights the people were bound to re-
spect; ergo, the franchises were worth
less. II this plea should not be up
held, it was then ITO be insisted that
the lines should be required to charge
not more than three cents fare. Either
propositions, sustained at that time,
would have run the syndicate out of
business in Indianapolis.
Thus confronted, the syndicate,
whose headquarters were in Philadel-
phia, sent for Philander Chase Knox,
afterward attorney general and now
United States senator from PennSyl-
vania. Knox was retained as their at
tOrney in the case He went at once
to Indianapolis to investigate the stu
alton. When he returned, he reported
formidable general feeling against
the syndicate and advised that no bet
ter thing could be done than to retain
Mr.. Harrison, the former president, to
combat the opposition with his legal
acumen and his political prestige. 1t
was agreed that as Mr.. Knox had been
selected to manage the case, he would
better do as he pleased about it.
$50 Mr.. Harrison was taken into
counsel. The case was fought to
finish in the Indiana courts, and the
syndicate won complete victory. Aft
er 1t was all over, the late president
went to Mr.. Knox and told him that
under ordinary conditions he would
render his bill for professional serv-
ices to Mr. Knox for his Endorsement,
to be transmitted to the syndicate.
But, in this case said Mr.. Harrison,
I feel justified in a different course,
not through any disposition to be dis
courteous to you, but to relieve you
from possible embarrassment. This
has been very important case. We
have saved our clients great deal of
money. l am getting far along in
years, and l propose to render bill
commensurate with my services and
with the Importance of the case. The
bill will be very large. wish to re-
heve you from any necessity of con-
straint of sentiment that you should
fndorse an account which you might
cOnscientiously regard as extortionate,
and, on the other hand, would avert
from you any embarrassment that in
so doing you might humiliate' me in
the event that the account were not
allowed. Therefore, ask your per-
mission to present the bill direct
Such course, Mr.. Knox replied,
would be to him perfectly satisfactory.
Mr.. Knox thought no more of it for
the time being. Mr. Harrison made out
bill for $4,000 and sent In to the
Philadelphia syndicate. Promptly the
syndicate responded with check for
the amount of the bill and cordial
letter of thanks for the efficient serv-
ice rendered.
Sometime thereafter, Messrs. Knox
and Harrison met at Saratoga Springs,
N. Y. The former president of the
United States mentioned the fact that
he realized the bill for $4,000 he had
presented to the Philadelphia syndi-
cate In the case in which they were as
sociate counsel was unusually large,
but that it had been settled promptly
and without word of complaint.
Why spoke Mr.. Knox, Should
they complain? My bill was for $780,
900. thought yours would be no less.
There was no complaint of mine.'"