The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1908-03-05

40 q SOA6Ok v =
alive estimate of the
money that goes every year into the
pockets of New York lawyers. It As
based on the opinion of a noted at
torney, who is pessimistic rather than
given to exaggeration. On one side
were fees of $75O,0OO and $4,000, 900
earned in single cases. Among the
great lawyers 100000 fees are mot un-
usual.
The fees of the great attorneys in
the past seem pitifully small. Rufus
Choate, even when recognized as n
OF the greatest OF American lawyers,
took cases for $50 again and again. It
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
less. Daniel Webster, in the height Of
hts legal career In Boston-in the days
OF the Dartmouth college case-earned
$4,000 a year. Before his life ended
ne accepted contributions of money
from his friends. The same was true;
of Henry Clay. F..
LlncoIn's smaIi&Fees.
Like Lincoln. both of these famous
men sacrificed much to public life. One
OF Lincolns largest fees while, a. law
yer in Illinois was a land warrant
for his services in the Black; Hawk
war; He took a 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-
lized the profession. "Old Abe." as he
was then called defended two bows on
murder charges and would take moth.
Ing for it. When he came to New
York in 1860 to deliver his famous adj
dress at the Cooper institute. an old
friend asked him how be. Jared in the
world.
"oh. very WELL" Lincoln is said to
have replied. g" have a cottage at
Springfield an1 abopt s.. 900 in,money.
II they make me vice-president with
Seward, as some. say, they WILL shall
be able to increase 1t to $40, 900, and
that is as much as any man ought to
want"
LincolnHs fortunes were about in
this condition when he went to the
White House as president.
When New York lawyers talk of at
torneys who have earned big fees they
usually mention William4Nelson Crom-
well among the first. He is "a physd-
clan of Wall street" the new type off
lawyer, bred by the growth of great
corporations, the most skillful reor-
gantzer of wrecked business enter
prises in the legal profession But
among laymen he is better known as
the man who earned s1,OOO,OO0 when
he bought the Panama canal.
Mr.. Cromwell, a small. s~ecretiwe and
rather nervous man, mas been con-
pared to a mole for the way he bar
rows into intricate business prob
lens. He combines a legal Judgment
with brilliant financial skill.
Fortune in Single Case.
A a with such a UNIQUE genius
might be expected to make execution
ally large fees. His first big cas;s. for
instance, brought 5000, 900. THIS was
IN November, 1890. The brokerage
arm of Decker, Howell & Co. was
forced to suspend with, liahnties of
$1O,OO0,0OO. Mr.. Cromwell wa made
assignee. He managed the affairs of
the concern so skillfully that; he de-
clared a dividend of 100 per cent. He
was paid $7,222.16 for this work.
The many great cases, that have
since added to Mr.. CromwelTs fame
were o~vershadowed 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
South America. How he got track OF
the situation in Panama,is a. mystery
When he became generW counsel for
the new Panama Canal Company ia
1895 the fsthmian route hardly had q
friend tn 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, 100000 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 a monument to the
genius Of MI. Cromwell was a fee the
like of which can hardly be paral.
leled in the history Of the legal profes.
sion. 1t was not a fee, properly speak.
ing, but a commission. The largest
estimate of it is 100000 In reality
Mr.. Cromwell's profits have been esti.
mated az ear $4,000 0O.
Guthrie's Big Victory.
Equally remarkable in it's way was
the fee William D. Guthrie received In
the Plant will contest. He was OF
counsel for Mrs. Margaret J.. Plant,
the widow Of Henry Bradley Plant.