The Washington herald., 1914-05-06
HISTORY BUILDERS.
The Lawyer Who Wanted the Pay
ment of His Fee Postponed.
written expressly for The HeraId)
By DIR. L. J. EDwARDs.

| written expressly for The Herald.)
By DIR. 4. ,. EDWARDS.
"one Of the strangest things which .
banker Of long experience meets with ID
the curious, childlike simplicity which
characterizes so many men Of great in
tellectual power. especially lawyers, n
dealing with money matters" said Asa
Potter-who was formerly a banker OF
large experience IN Boston-to me re-
| Gently.
IT remember perfectly well when wa.
just beginning my career as a banker
hearing Boston men speak of the strange
incapacity OF both Rufus Choate and
Daniel Webster when IL came to han
ding their personal money affairs. Choate
never knew how he stood. He was per-
fectly content II his clerk told him he
had a balance in the bank. 81 he was
wonderfully skillfuI In analyzing the aC-
counts of his clients If those accounts
related to some law case.
I recall a very interesting Incident
, Of that kind associated with the late
waIbridge A. Field He was esteemed
as one OF the ablest members of the
Boston bar At a tme WHEN that bar
contained lawyers OF national reputation.
including. among others, Benjamin R
Of the United States Supreme Court
bench.
Mr.. Fields became a member ~ n.
Supreme Court bench of Massachusetts
in the late '7O's. and his appointment az
Judge Of that high court was spoken Of
by lawyers as in the highest degree salts
factory.
Yet. when il came to personal money
matters. Mr. Field was as Curfously iuef-
was, however. always careful not 10 in
cur any obligations, and he used to say
that he regarded with horror the idea OF
being in debt.
Il think it was about the time Mr..
Field was elected to Congress from one
Of the Boston districts that he was re-
tained as one OF the counsel in will
case involving A large sum- friendly
suit had been brought so that there could
be judicial Interpretation Of certain
clauses in the bill Judge Field was ore
Of several eminent lawyers who was re-
tanned in the case.
The late William A Richardson. who
had been Secretary Of the Treasury at
Washington in President Grants second
administration. and | were trustees OF the
estate. After the judicial interpretation
had been obtained We, as trustees, wrote
10 the LAWYERS. saying that as soon
be able to pay their fees. such al least
as were allowed by the court We s. =
however. that II the sale was made I---
mediately We thought We could not Ct
as good prices would be the case If ~
waited for more favorable moment
An OF the lawyers, excepting judge
Field wrote to - that they would Ika
their money as soon as possible Thvv
did not want To wait judge Field wrote
however. in different vein He told -
that he would Re glad TO wait. rot be
cause he thought tha- he could get
little more hy dJI2E so-his fee was ah5I:
SGo-but because he knew that Il r.
got the money right away he would spen1
IL for one thing or another and when Z
was all spent he would no; know wh@--
II had gone. Therefore. he would --
gard II as a great favor II We woulE k..-
the fee until he asked for il. adding ----
he should not ask for Il until h.. had q
definite and reasonable u.s. for the none.
He did not ask for his fee until
nearly two years had passed. and then
he made good use Of the money. He WIS
always very proUd Of his shrewduess n
asking US to hOld back his fee urtll -
made a request that We pay II over ~
him"
tCopyrSht. 1914. By Dr. z ]. Edwards. Al r.=l-s
raSe-edl