The Washington herald., 1909-04-04

Ny father. the Confederate colonel.
who was a Union man. nevertheless. and
myself left Matamoras for New York on
a small sailing ship. We were al sea for
twenty-one days. on the way the colonel
spoke favorably Of St Louis We parted
with him I'm New York. where nc was
met by friends. Our Journey 20 the West
was made in an immigrant train We
arrived IN ST Louis on February 3, 1854.
with a carpet bag and S4 During our
wanderings we had received two letters
from my mother. In one letter we
learned that my little brother was dead
The other letter told Of the death OF my
sister.
Ny father began 10 practice his pro-
fessiOn IN a poor quarter OF thu city in
habIted by Germans. Jews. Irish. and
Bohemians. He had all he could do. but
HIS fees were small and IN very many
instances he received no fees AT all Ny
mother soon came 10 US At first I at
tended a cheap private school Ny edu-
cation was ragged, and I did not speak
English very well. Ultimately. my father
took me 70 the principal Of the high
school ! was admitted simply because
/ was a refugee. but my teachers helped
me at their homes at night. and I was
graduated when I was eighteen years old.
In the meantime I collected my father
accounts. visiting alleys. cellars. and gar
retss and learning much about the poor.
whom found. on the whole. TO be honest,
punctual. and generous.
DID you begin 70 study law immedi-
ately after your graduation?
mo; / and young friend. now a physi-
-fa
on foot Nv father desired me 20 visit
his old home and set acquainted with my
relatives. On my return TO ST. Louis I
read and studied IN a haphazard way for
almost year. Ny father. OF Nurse.
wanted me 70 be a physician. but I had
no taste for medicine. I had seen picture
galleries In Germany, and really felt
called to be an artist. Indeed, had
tried 10 draw pictures in Texas. II was
understood finally that was 10 be q clerk
in a commercial establishment
"a young lawyer. whom knew. talked
10 me OF Dickens. Thackeray. and Scott
bought a book for 81 cents entitled
British ElOquence' and on reading the
speeches OF Pitt. Burke, Erski9.. Ma
caulay, and others began 10 look for a
place in some law ofice. Ny lawyer
friend and said was a dreamer. but he
Offices The son Of my first preceptor
was afterward my partner. Mrs. Nagel
IS the daughter Of my second preceptor.
was graduated from the ST. Louis Law
School AT the sge OF twenty-three
I was ready for the bar. but ny
father and mother returned &c Germany.
and I accompanied them. Ny father took
lectures In medicine for a year at his old
university. and I took lectures in law. I
slept IN an abandoned kitchen on an iron
bed, heard concerts by military bands.
visited art galleries every day, and lis
tened TO Mommsen, who lecVu-ed on an
ctent history. and 20 Gneist. the great
German authority on the COMMON law.
When hung out my shingls in St Louis
was $50 in debt
What were your experiences the hrs,
year,"
"A man dislikes to talk ebout the days
when he rarely had 3 cents in his pocket
with which TO pay for his luncheon.
Sun, got along Ny frie,.ds thought I
was visionary and were lacking IN conf
dence- The thought OF NaEeI being a
lawyer made them laugh. However. I
wasn't personally known to every one IN
ST. Louis. and IN a short time I had a
good business. My firm has always been
successful, but not in the way I have
recently read about il in the newspapers.
We never accepted employment from a
large corporation when II prevented Us
from engaging in general practice or de-
prived US OF the liberty Of conducting our
own affairs"
rs IL true that you have been the at
torney OF the Standard Oil Company"
We were aske,. by the Waters-Piercs
OIL Company TO ascertain IN what was-.
l. any. that concerns was not complying
with the~iaws OF Missouri We did some
business IN that connection. and were
given 20 understand we should be
in control OF the litigation growing out
of the suit brought against the company
by Herbert s. Hadiey, attorney general
Of the State. When we learned that we
were not 20 be in control. we attempted
TO withdraw from the case. I was inter
ested. as lawyer, in the questions in
volved. and should have liked 10 manage
the case for the defendants. However.
other and perhaps better counsel was
followed In the end We were asked 70
send bin for our services. We made
no bill, and We received no money. Our
fees from FIRST 10 last in work for v-hfcs
we charged amounted. possibly. 10 $500 81
The practice Of lawyers has changed
In many ways. I said. "since Won first
came to the bar?'
4 used 10 be in court nearly all the
time. Recently I have not gone there
more than twice a year. Lawyers now
adjust disputes whenever thev can bu.
OF course, they must be ready and willing
TO fight when Il Is necessary The men
OF my profession are doing more for the
commercial peace and the ethical educs-
ton Of the country than viii ever be
known. Like physicians, their mouths are
closed. They dare not tell how many
cases they decline to accept on anv
terms: nor can they complain when their
advice is disregarded. An important client
Of my Own-he employed several thousand
men-once impatiently turned to me and
said: To hear YOU talk. we are in danger
OF a rope and lamp-post.
" Figuratively. you are I replied. You
are in no danger personally, but YOU and
others like you are seriously jeopardizinE
the property interests OF the country
Business men" Mr.. NageI went on 10
say. have done many Unwise things be-
cause OF their inability 70 see or To- m
derstand the citizen in the street. They
once seemed to be running the govern
ment; IL now looks as II they were run
ming away from the government. The
real leaders OF the bar in the United
States, cOmprehending the trend OF public
opinion. as safeguarding the legitimate
rights OF property and are promoting
justice. morality, and patriotism. They
are lawyers, bat they never forget that
they are Americans. nor are they ever
unmindful Of their obligations as sworn
officers OF the courts"
You were elected to the legislature
Of Missouri seven years after beginning