The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1912-05-21
ROBIN NOW ATTACKS
WELL KNOWN LAW FIRMS
From the TOmbs He AssailS Two
Firms Of AttOr-
ncyS.
NORTHERN BANK FEES
They Arc the Point Mt Issue in
the Action Which
He Brings.

OF the Supreme Court asking for an in
vest igation of the conduct of cert ain
lawyers who. individually or through
their firms. had to do with the affairs OF
the Northern Bank of which Robin was
the head.
The action is In the nature of dis
barment proceeding but is brought by
an individual instead of being brought
through the Bar Association. The matter
complained of already has been passed
upon by a referee. who decided that the
claim on which Robin bases his charges
was righlfully due and the referees re.
port was approved by Justice of the
Supreme Court.
Robin might have appealed from the
approval Of the report but did not do 80.
note of issu. was filed with the Appellate
Division yesterday and the matter has
been set down for May 81. The same
evidence has been presented to Attorny-
General Cermody by William Duncan
Cameron. attorney for the depositors
committee of the Northern Bank.
The attorneys named in the petition
are Orion ii. Cheney, the State Superin-
,rndent of Banks; James NJ. Clifford, John
ID. frarhake and Anson Beard, member,
of the firm of Clifford. Hobbs and Beard,
and Charles A. Noetsch. connected with
tn. firm aud Philip Asht on Rollins. Alfred
Adams Wheat and Roswell s. Nichols,
members of the firm of Rollins 4 Rollins.
and fulton j. Ked,nan. vino is connected
With thai firm
IN" action depends on an alleged diff
ference in the test iInony given in the pro-
A r.
Gin ord and by other witnesses, and has
10 do with "A bill for sl5.OOO rendered by
the firm Of Clifford. Hobbs 4 Beard. at
torneys for the Northern Bank. before il
was taken over bv the State Department
of Banks. An attorney may hold a Fen
upon papers in ms posses-.oii to enforce
the payment of bin for services Mr..
Clifford in his testimony before the ref
cree j. said to hay. testitied tnat n.s firm
had surrendered the papers # the North.
ern Bank. Will. Others ;.moug tie LAWYERS
named test fled tina. the Gifford firm =. il,
held he papers. Anson Beart "a partner
of MIR Gif, ,ord explained yesterday 'nat
Mr. CLIFFORD was in Europe at the time Of
the transactions related; that he had given
orders TO clerk before his departure for
wv ENh ~ VIC lNl'iS' pNt tutSe
orders had not been followed and the firm
still held the papers. Mr.. Clifford return
ing. went on the witness stand and told
of the surrender of the papers. presumng
that his orders had been complied with
Superintendent Of Banks Cheney took
over the affairs of the Northern Bank on
December ~, 1910 When Clifford. Hobbs
4 Beard presented the bin for services
Mr. Nichols of Rollins & Rollins. counsel
for the Banking Department. ascertained
,nat the Clifford firm had sufficient funds
Of the bank in their possession 10 cover
the amount of the bin. The claim was
submitted 10 the hoard of directors Of the
hank. which approved il and it then was
approved by Deputy Attorney General
Sickett Supt Cheney then presented an
ex partc petition To Justice Newburgcr in
Part II of the Supreme Court praying that
he might be permitted TO pay as pre-
ferred claim the amount named.
The petition related that tho slperin-
'nndent was informed by the department
attorneys that Clifford. Hobbs 4 Beard
had a lien upon all papers. records and
documents IN their possession relating
to the bank = affairs and TO tho affairs of
its predecessors. the Maclay Avenue
Realty Company and the Kingston So
curi'ies Company. rs we'll as lien upon
bank moneys in their possession as at
torncys for tho bank. The petition con-
tinues that the superintendent is informed
that Clifford. Hobbs 4 Beard were hand
ling upward Of 200 actions for the recov-
cry of money for the bank.
The superintendent. asked ,ha. he hc
allowed to pay the amount stated on con-
diton that all the papers of the bank in
possession Of the law firm be turned over
10 the department and that the Clifford
firm consent To the substitution of an
attorney designated 10y the superintend-
ent The petition was accompanied
by the consents Of member, Of the cx-c,,-
tive committee and directors of the North
ern Bank,
Justice NewburGer declined to sign
tho order on the ground according 10
Robin, that it appeared that some of the
services for which payment was demanded
were performed for predecessors of the
Northern Bank. He also said what
rights the directors at this time have in
the distribution of the funds Of the bank
! am at n loss to understand. The efiec,
of the granting Of such an order would
he To give preference to the attorneys
over the depositors and other creditors
Of the bank. ! have searched
in vain through the banking law of this
State for any authority for the granting
Of this order"
Action was then brought against the
state Superintendent of Banks to collect
the amount. The proceedings were con-
Quoted before cA-Judge Ernest Hall At
referee and resulted in a Judgment of
the full amount Of the claim with costs
but not AZ "a preferred claim. Robin says
in his petition that 5000 has been col
lectad on tho ella i'm
In commenting upon the matter vest er-
day Mr., Beard characterized IL az "too
ridiculous to discuss He said that il
seemed strange that this Confessed
crook" should have a large room and a
stenographer assigned to him in the
District Attorneys Office and that he
shoul be lett practically at liberty ito
blackglard honest men" He added that
he intended no criticism of the District
Attorney or his methods
MIR. Nichols, of tho Rollins firm
explained the case in some detail and gave
il as his opinion that the discrepancy in
he statements made by the LAWYERS was
due to mistake on the part of MIR. Gif-
ford owing to his absence in Europe and
consequent unfamiliarity with that mart
of the case. He said that the matter of
the bill had been gone over thoroughly