The L'Anse sentinel., 1908-02-15
FEES OF eminent LAWYERS
Largest on Record Was That Paid William
Nelson Cromwell for His Part in the
Purchase of the Panama Canal.

ance he might have been a brother of
George William Curtis. He Is John
e. Parsons, New Yorker born and
bred, legal adviser for big corpora
tions and estates, and as lawyer be-
lieved to have the finest practice in
the country.
Mr.. Parsons is reputed to have re-
ceived one of the largest fees ever
taken by lawyer when he drew up
the charter of the sugar trust. Ac-
cording to common report, he realized
100000 for this service. AS general
counsel for the trust he also defended
it during the attack upon the combi-
nation few years ago. That defense
is said to have added another 100000
to his fortune.
Contrasted with these types Of cor
poration lawyers Is the general prac-
titioner. Former Ambassador Joseph
H. Choate is typical example. John
@. Johnson of Philadelphia is another
Speaking facetiously of Mr.. Choate
at public dinner, Chauncey M. De-
pew Is said to have remarked that
"only unselfish millionaires could en-
ploy Mr.. Choate as their lawyer be-
cause they would have to give up
about all they had to pay his fees"
Yet lawyers said last week, indeed,
that Mr.. Choate's fees were not large
compared with the $1,000,000 Mr..
Cromwell received in the Panama ca
nal deal, the $750,00O paid Mr.. Guth-
rie in the Plant will contest. or the re-
puted 100000 fee to Mr.. Parsons for
forming the sugar trust.
choate In Many Great Cases.
Mr.. Choate was admitted to the New
York bar in 1856. AS protege and
partner of William M. Evarts he won
immediate success, and gained an
enormous practice and very large in
come. BY 1870 he was considered
leader of the New York bar. For
nearly 80 years there was hardly
great case in which he was not ono
of the counsel-the prosecution of the
Tweed ring, the famous investigation
of Gen. Fitz John Porter's conduct,
which ended in a reversal of the judg-
ment Of the original court martial;
the celebrated libel suit against Gen.
Di Cesnola, the Tilden will case, the
litigation over Commodore Wander
bilt's millions, and the suit of David
Stewart against Coils p. Huntington.
to mention only few Of them. Mr..
Choate is said to have received fees
of 100000 on a number of occasions.
When he was named as ambassador to
England by President Mckinley In
1898 he had earned a fortune in his AZ
years Of practice amounting to some
thing over $1,000,000. At that time
his income, chiefly from his law prac-
tice, was estimated at 100000 year.
1t Is said of Mr.. Choate that he would
probably be richer If he had devoted
himself to corporation rather than a
general practice. but that he would
only do so at the sacrifice of that
excitement and interest which he finds
as an advocate.
John G. Johnson of Philadelphia is
generally recognized as one of the
greatest lawyers In the country. He
once declined seat on the bench Of
the supreme court Of the United
States because, he said, with his
income Of 100000 year he would
be reduced to poverty II he agreed to
become a justice at $4,000 year.
Mr.. Johnson has since been paid
100000 for single case, like the
Northern Securities litigation. involv-