The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-04-21
WHEN LAWYERSCLASH
 ATBAR HEARING

lnSlnuaC1On DV Attorney
 Fallon During Session
 of the Grievance
 | Committee.
 Fallon, After Testimony of
 Patrick McGrath, Tells
 Committee He Was Prac-
 tically a Victim of Black
 mail-Why He Made Sec
 ond Payment to McGrath.
 While Attorney Frederick B. Fallon
 was testifying before the Grievance
 committee of the Fairfield county bar this morning in answer, to a charge preferred by Patrick McGrath of 1517 Main street, with no inconsiderable dis | play of spirit by indirection, at least, he accused Attorney Charles s. Can field one of the two members of the committee the other being Gen. Rus | sell Frost of Norwalk, of being only | too willing to drag him before the com mittee whether or not there was | ground for such action.
 1 The accused attorney had just told | the committee that he had given to | McGrath money on a second payment | which was nothing less than blackmail | and that he did it because he knew from the threats of McGrath that had he not done so the latter would have gone to Attorney Garfield and had him | haled before the committee.
 T would have given McGrath s90, | instead of $9 if he demanded it'' said MT. Fallon for I knew because of a happening between MT. Garfield and myself the latter would have dragged me before this committee
 | He said that MT. Garfield knew to what hen referred and continuing said: CT complained to Garfield some time 1 ago about a lawyer who tried to bribe me to betray a client and Garfield re- | fused to bring that lawyer before the | committee
 | Mir Garfield remarked that that kind of talk was pretty cheap and intimat- ed it was no argument whatsoever and that Fallon referred to.
 Attorney Fallon spoke with much spirit and there is no telling just how l the incident would have ended hadsDot Attorney ZAP Merritt, MT. Fallon's l law associate advised his partner to re- frain from personalities. MT. Fallon | did subside but it was evident that he was hot under the collar. MT. Fallon was asked after the hear 1 ing if he cared to say who the lawyer was that he had in mind that tried to ! bribe him and he replied that he did not care to discuss the matter in any way.
 Patrick McGrath is a 1aborer who formerly worked for the city. He was struck by an automobile driven by George P. Gabriel, a son of the late Peter Babrfel for many years mem Der of the educational board. His in juries were not very serious and a few days after the accident he called upon Attorney Fallon and announced that !, aI fn h fn hr-iT1 against the owner of the auto. He said that MT. FTallon agreed to take the case on a contingent fee of 25 per cent. of whatever amount he would be able to secure. Some days later he, said he was called into MT. Fallon's office and told that settlement had been eff fected and that he had S66 coming to him. He accepted the check which MT. Fal1on rendered him. Later he said his attention was attracted to his own case by an article he read in certain local newspapers telling of MT. Fal- Ions dealings with other clients. Then that tine latter had paid MT. Fallon s1Oo He then determined to demand the difference between, the amount he received and what would have constl- tuted 75 per cent of the amount paid to the attorney. He went to MT. Fall Ions office accompanied by his wife where he said Attorney Fallon gave him a check for the difference amount
 
 amount. There were some words be- tween himself and the lawyer he said. This was the substance Of McGrath's statement.
 about being called to Mir Eallon's of flee and settling for s100 and subse- ouent visit to him by McGrath who ina uired how much money he had paid to Fallon. McGrath, he said. told him he could not read very well, but he made out the figures on the receipt given Gabriel by the lawyer to be S1OO and appeared to desire no further ln- formation. Subsequently the witness said he talked with Mr. Fallon over the phone about the visit he received from McGrath but the talk was Of no particular moment.
 Attorney FalIon said he knew Nc Grath because of the, Keegan case, case that found its way to the Grley- ance committee some weeks ago III which Attorney Fallon was blamed TOT charging excessively. Attorney Fal- Ions testimony to-day is substantially as follows: "McGrath came to my of flee about March 1. said he was struck bv an auto and that he wanted to bring suit. He had an injured foot ana limped I talked to him and ask ed him if in event of suit Icing in stituted he had money to put up for the suit He said he did not After some further talk I agreed to take the case upon a contingent fee of one-th1rd of whatever amount l was aple to get
 :'This was satisfactory to him. Un- fortunately I neglected to have a writ len agreement to that effect but the terms were well understood and he said that he was satisfied. I effected set clement for $1OO having failed m my CT fort to secure $50. | nouhed Mc- Grath and when he came I told him I had some money for him. He asked me how much and I told him. the amount. two-thirds of S100. He express ed himself in fulsome praise, of my eff fort and assured me that he would go out and get me more business on the strength of what I had accomplished. He receipted for the amount and con- tinued to thank me as he left the of 1 flee. The next I knew he came to my