New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-06
|COURT S|DESTEPS TANGLE
OF MRS. DEW|NE'S COUNSEL
ErIanger Asks Referee to Solve
$1,000 Bond Ownership and
Other Problems.
FIRST LAWYER HAS PAPERS
Won't Relinquish Them Until He
Gets His Fee, Which Plaintiff
Says Is Already More
than Paid.

Justice Erlanger has decided to send to
referee the conflicting statements MADE
In the proceeding that Mrs. Leila NJ. De-
vine has instituted to have James A. Alien
substituted as her attorney, In place OK
Holmes Jones. The latter has an unpaid
bill for services against Mrs. Devinc, which
is the principal reason why he THINKS ne
should not he compelled 10 relinquish the
papers belonging 10 his former client mat
bin for services Is protested by Mrs. De-
vine. who does not think Jones ga SUI
fcient work TO earn the money.
Mrs Devine was Mrs. Baldwin in 1910
,rhcr sha began suit for $4,000 against the
American Finance and Securities COM
many oyer some Improbable investments
she had made. She retained Jones ds Hel
counsel Mrs Devine became dlssausheu
with the alleged inactivity OF Jones VINO
ssvs that lust at the time his client de-
cided TO engage another lawyer the oe-
fondant cornpanv was ready To settle the
case for $4,000 Devine, the SECOND nus
hand Of the plaintiff. is young artlst.
They live at the Hotel Empire. He 100 Is
brought into the controversy between 'I'en'
and counsel because Of his erort 10 ala
his wife IN hurrying action on her sui
Nrs DevIrc's mother is another figure IN
the involved controversy. According I"
Jones. Mrs Devines mother. in his once
unbraidcd her daughter for talking ABOUT
the affairs OF the Baldwin family IN the
presencc OF pevine. Jones quoted h'r d.
saving that Mrs. Devine got no OF one
worthless husband at the cost OF Slp'cp aho
then had married "a worthless artist VINO
had not bought his wife dinner since
they were married The lawyer quoteu
Mrs DevInrs mother further as saying
that all Devine wanted was money, ana
tho honeymoon would not wane until All
ho ,,onev was spent. And then the
Iavvor adds that IL Is poor type OF
LAWYER who stands by and watches nus
hand break into his wife's pocketbook ana
kick the vife's mother out into the cola.
So far as the statements attributed 10
Mrs. Dcvine's mother 20, they are Nlsor-
ouslv deried by her.
Mrs Devine says that In October. lsIl
ZONES told her that he had got INTO Some
trouble over the case OF woman chent
and had TO settle fine OF $40 ana costs
sIan He asked Mrs. Dcvine To Iend MN
o q 90 bond TO settle this matter. She
turned over 10 Jones one S.en oond OF 'h'
New York. New Haven HARTFORD ran
road In the bill which the lawyer mas
submitted TO his client he has deducted inc
value Of this bond. hut Mrs. Devine insists
che only ,ont il 10 Jones He asked for II
with tears in his eyes. she ADDS.
NJ. Dov,,a said that when she suggest
Cd IA ZONES TO press the action against tn"
defendant company. he told nor the '"''''
WAS anxious TO settle for $1,000. 80 n" pN'
1, off. hopinr to settle the case out on court
On Aprn y last Mrs. Devin" sugs's''o W
Jones that he explain TO her husoahn WI!
,bo case had not been prosecuted Jones
ebe saws. explained that he did n"' nave
a., ,f,,c However. an appointment was
made for the next day at the lawyer
oe3ce He was not thor" at IN" honr az
ro,ntcd. Mrs Deviuc alleges. she Go' MN
an the telephone. Dcviu" was WIN "'N
wife and when ne went 10 IN" ti'P"on'
tones rang OF. Finally tn" attorney to,'
de client n she Was dissatisfied WIN ny
eoryices 10 send him check TOT the WI
\. had done and engage another Ih"!'''
within a week Mrs. Dcyin" retained HH'h
:, get her papers and large nuihDeF u
a.c,ri,iee which she had turned over ~
Zones for his inspection.
Mrs Devine mad paid Jones <."o' ana NV
,,u che received from him for services f'o''
August. 1910 to April 1912, amounted ~
% 20 From this was deducted S.3'4 Tor 'h'
9, 90 bond Mrs Dcvine said sh" Only l'h'
IT., and other advances. The woman 'H"h'
Saws IN her statement to the Supreme 'our'
that the bill is thoroughly unjust ana al
loxtravagant and dishonest charge.
Jones says. In reply TO all TINS that th'
ls,stemeuts against him contain many AND
notify falselSods" lie says that his mrs.
work for Nr.rsDevine was 20 recover withir
four DAYS Hs.Ws worth OF bonds which had
hoen stolen frotH her. for which he got 81
no Then his client engaged him 10 recover
= diamond horseshoe pin. He said he was
on the point Of settling the suit against th'
American Finance and Securities Company
for $500 and Mrs. Dcvine authorized him
| TO settle.
In view OF all tho conflicting statements
Justice Erlangcr said lie would have a ref
cree hear the matter Of the impoundcc
papers