The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-04-09
SOME BIG
LEGAL FEES
ARDMORE AND MUSKO-
GEE ATTORNEYS AMONG
TOP-NOTCHERS

Concerning Oklahoma fees f, If ser
vices rendered Ip,dans, and Of which
much has been written at Washington.
the attorneys for great corporations
in the East have, at various times
won fees sufficient to last the aver
age man lifetime.
The Ardmore and Muslogae aftor
neys who claimed million dollars
for services rendered. Indians rank
along with this list complied by Hoi-
land.
The state of Connecticut paid sam
ueel Fessenien some five years ago
a fee of a little more than $l5O,000,
he having earned that while prosecut-
ing a claim Of the state against the
United states Il was a contingent
fee and very likely the percentage al
lowed him by the state would not
have been so large as IS per cent
had Il been presumed that Mr.. Fes-
senden would have been able to col.
lect, as he did. little more than
100000.
When the fee paid by the state of
Connecticut to Mr.. Fessenden was
known to other lawyers. they discus
sed It in comparison with other fees,
there being no disagreement In the
opinion that it was one of the tradi.
tiOnally great fees. It Is recorded
fee II has not been stretched by
imagination or any exaggeration, as
was the reputed fee paid to James B.
Dill at the time he acted as the com
mon friend. serving IN that relation
both Andrew Carnegie and Henry c.
Frlsk.
Many of the great earnings Of law
yers have come, at least in the larger
sum, from business association, they
being permitted to take part In pro
motions or underwriting or other cor
porate undertakings So it Is assum.
ed that the richest Of the lawyers in
New York city, with perhaps four OF
Eve exceptions, have gained the great
er part OF their fortunes not by strict
! ~ professional work, but by associa
tions with business men and OF a bust
ness chara ter which of course, be
gan in professional way.
Presumably the largest fee game,
/ for strictly. and in fact technically
professional labor is that which vii
I liam d. Guthrie, of New York, il com
mon report of his professional friends
be correct, resolved for his service.
H. what is colloquially known as tn,
Plant viii case. The leading ques
tions involved were extremely tech
nical and cnpelled 8 profound know
ledge Of probate law almost hack q
black letter law, and as the common
law has written Il. and as the statute
OF NEW York and Come, ticut ha
modified t. The questions are to-
technical TO set forth here, althoug
IN a general way it may be said tina
they involved the determinatio
whether the estate bequeihed by Nh
Plant. one of the great fortunes Z
the Unitei States. was to be inte
preted and administered in accorI
ance with the laws of The State G
New York. or on the other hand, th
the laws of Come ticut.
MT Guthrie probably never did NOR
studying than he did IN this store a
though he Is though almost 10 haN
matched that work when prepparin
his argument in he income tax case
n some of his friends are correct
their statement he did receive fe
considerably in excess OF sl.00000
and there is no lawyer in the eli
who understands what his labo
we're ana what the magnitude Of n
J interests also were, who Is not
the opinion that this fee was fair
earned A Is thought TO make a ne
re ord for fee strictly Tor prcfe
; sional services.
On the day that Mr. Fsssenden di'
! there came a cable dispatch from Pa
Is stating that the fee claimed
eiyices In Negotiating tie sale Of y
pnama Canal to the United Stat
, ups nearly $S00.OO0, but that q
French arbitva'ors or councillors N
rciucer that fee 10 approximate
Si5afO0, aud were really 10 pay
oyer 10 Mr. Cromwell This fee W
laimost exactly he same as that 7
/ teiYed by Mr. Fessenden. But II do
rot match a fee granted to Mr.. Grol
tAel by the courts for his services
iiqn.dating aud restoring 10 financi
, sOundnass the affairs Of a firm
brokers who through no iNult OF thei
/, we're compelled TO 90 into liquidatil
few years ago
Ia a little less thAn two months "
Cromwell liqridated, and SO liquidat
that the creditors were sure II
paid Ia fuu. and the cnnrfs grant
, him Zee Of f250lNn. explaining q
. large recOmpense by saying ihot