The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1908-02-13

~ valuations--is a conserv-
alive estimate of the
money that goes every year into the
pockets of New York lawyers. 1t is
based on the opinion of a noted at
torney, who is pessimistic rather than
given to exaggeration. On one side
were fees of $750,000 and S1,000,000
earned in single cases. Among the
great lawyers 100000 fees are not UNI
, usual
The fees of the great attorneys in
the past seem pitifully small. Rufus
I Cboate, even when recognized as one
/, of the greatest of American lawyers,
took cases for $50 again and again. 1t
| was only toward the close of his career
/ that he thought that sum too small
Aaron Burr, a successful practitioner
in his day, accepted cases for much
I less. Daniel Webster, in the height of
\ his legal career in Boston-in the days
n of the Dartmouth college case-earned
=. $4,000 year. Before his life ended
4 he accepted contributions of money
fran his friends. The same was true
\ Of Henry Clay.
Lincon's Small Fees.
= Like Lincoln, both of these famous
q men sacrificed much to public life. One
: of Lincoln's largest fees while law
yer In Illinois was land warrant
VI FOR his services in the Black Hawk
war. He took tract of land in Iowa,
opposite Omaha. His fellow-lawyers
took him to task for accepting small
fees, or none at all, saying it demora-
y HEED the profession. "Old Abe" as he
was then called, defended two boys on
murder charges and would take moth
N ing for it. When he came to New
Nv York in 1860 to deliver his famous ad-
dress at the Cooper institute, an old
friend asked him how he Jared in the
world
"Oh, very WELL" Lincoln is said to
M have replied. 81 have cottage at
VI Springfield and about $4,000 in money.
If they make me vice-president with
AWSeward. as some say they will, shall
be able to increase it to $4,000, and
ythat Is as much as any man ought to
-.rwant."
hr Lincolns fortunes were about in
d this condition when he went to the
!e@White House as president.
nv When New York lawyers talk of at
torneys who have earned big fees they
usually mention William Nelson Crom-
y well among the first. He is "a physi-
X clan of Wall street." the new type of
\ lawyer bred by the growth of great
!, corporations, the most skillful reor-
ganizer of wrecked business enter
. prises In the legal profession. But
nd among laymen he is better known as
itidthe man who earned $1,000,000 when
dlhe bought the Panama canal.
Jus Mr.. Cromwell, small, secretive and
rather nervous man, has been COM
IMPAIRED to mole for the way he bur-
rows Into intricate business prob
lens. He combines legal judgment
wAh brilliant financial skill.
I0'
!. Fortune in Single Case.
~ man with such a unique genius
Wright be expected to make exception
ally large fees. His first big case for
instance, brought 100000 This was
osdin November, 1890. The brokerage
VefirM Of Decker, Howell & Co. was
: forced to suspend with liabilities of
m 80. 100000. Mr.. Cromwell was made
assignee. He managed the affairs of
the concern SO skillfully that he de-
clared dividend of 100 per cent. He
was paid $7,222.16 for this work.
The many great cases that have
since added to Mr.. Cromwell's fame
were overshadowed by his fee for the
Panama canal deal. Busy as he was
here. Mr.. Cromwell found time to look
into the higher politics of Central and
.bSouth america. How he got track of
"the situation in Panama is a mystery
When he became general counsel for
tthe new Panama Canal Company IN
.--S1896 the sthmian route hardly had a
friend In this country. He quietly
started the campaign to have the
United States buy the property, won
over the French bondholders, gained
supporters for the scheme in this
country and finally offered the United
States the option of the canal for
$40.000,000 What came after-the
failure of the Hay-Herran treaty, the
Panama revolution, said to have been
" planned in New York, and the hasten
Ing OF the negotiations-is familiar
history But as monument to the
genius of Mr. Cromwell was a fee the
like OF which can hardly be paral
~ leled In the history of the legal profes
sion. II was not a fee, properly speak
ing, but commission. The largest
estimate of It is 100000. In reality
Mr.. Cromwell's profits have been esti
mated as nearer $2.OO0,00O
euthrie's Big Victory.
Equally remarkable in its way was
1.-THE fee William d. Guthrie received in
the Plant will contest. He was Of
counsel for Mrs. Margaret j. Plant
tha widow of Henry RradIev plant