The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1910-03-31
new NEWS OF YESTERDAY
The Man Who Sold His Brains
To Himself.
chauncey N. Depew's Story Of How
Judge Stevenson Burke of Ohio
Became a Railroad Capitalist
of Prominence,
BY e. j. EDWARDS.

of Prominence.
BY e. J.. EDWARDS. /,
When the late Judge Stevenson
Burke of Cleveland, O., died in 1904. f!
leaving behind a reputation as a rail-
road capitalist Of prominence in. the
middle west and a fortune of several
million dollars, many interesting
stories were told C him, for he was a
picturesque figure. But there was no
mention of the chance thought on
which he builded his reputation and
his fortune. That story was told to
me by Senator Chauncey M. Depew
several years before Judge Steven.
sons death and at a time when he
was at the height of his career az a
railroad capitalist. bats 8ee !!
THE judge and I both appeared as
counsel, representing some very i'm
portant railroad interests" said tho
senator. I'VE were receiving our fees
and salaries as regular counsel, but
the issue at stake at this particular
conference with the men employing us
involved a good many millions and
the making of large fortunes for some
of them. 43 la44s !.s.
"A day OF two after we had outlined
a plan of action to our clients, the
judge and I met again. il
"Depew,' he said, while we were
in that conference the other day, a
chance thought flashed into my mind,
In the midst of the business in hand,
that you and I are big fools. Here is
a group of railway men. who are pay
ing is a few thousand dollars for the
advantages that Jul experience, our
legal knowledge, gives them. They
rely almost wholly upon what we tell
them can be done, and how it can be
done, or what cannot be done. Then
what do they do? They go ahead and
do as we have advised them to do,
and they make millions out of it,
while you and I have to peg along az
before. w. . ~ a4G ri
CHOW, Pm tired of this sort Of
thing. l am satisfied that we lawyers
are not getting our fair share. l have
made up my mind that hereafter l am
not going to sell my brains and infor-
nation to anybody except Stevenson
Burke. For, if what l know and can
advise is good for these railroad fel,
lows to make millions on. it ought to
be good for Stevenson Burke also to
make some millions on!55a" A,.a
"tBut, judge I said, you must not
forget that it requires something be-
sides brains to carry through large
railroad enterprises
81 know that was the reply. But
l am certain that any man a get
capital who knows how to use his
credit, and one of the things you and
l have been advising men of capital
about Is the manner in which they
can use their credit. And I'll tell you
right here that I am going to see
whether or not I have got credit
enough to supplement my legal knowl.
edge and any other ability that l may
have, SO that / a make out of my
brains and my credit sufficient CAPT,
tai to start in making millions for my.
SELF
"At first" continued the senator, Il
thought that the sjudge was simply
talking to hear himself talk, and was
thinking about a larger fee for the
work he had just done or a greater
salary as general counsel. But / soon
saw that he was indeed earnest, and
not long thereafter l learned that he
had got enough credit and capital
together to enable him to buy his way
into authoritative relation with one OF
the Ohio railroads. From that step
he advanced into very profitable asso,
citation with those who were. engaged
in the reorganization of the Hooking
Valley Railroad, becoming it's presi
dentsand remaining in that Office for a
matter of six years. And from the
day that he started in to become a
railroad capitalist on the strength Of
that chance thought of his he has
stuck consistently to his purpose Of
selling Stevenson Burke's brains ia
no one except Stevenson Burke, and
1t has made him rich"
Copyright, 1909, by E., J. EdWards)