The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-03-11
TOWNS USES LATIN
; TO ELUCIDATE FEE
Says lie Waited Too Long to
ASK PETERBOROUGH for More
Than 5000.
WAS AID TO EPICTETCS

Mirabeau L.. Towns regrets the phrase
secretary iunatico.' lie regrets having
cold the Thompson committee how he
And Mayor Gaynor Used TO sit up nights
enjoying and answering letters from
rat catchers. Flatbus., bakers, Italian
bsrbers and heavc knows hat other
1unatics." lie grieves that any one
should suppose he intended to convey
an impression that he inspired or wrote
the wise and witty letters signed by the
philosopher Of 81. James.
THAT part OF my testimony was I'M
fortunate,' Mr.. Towns said yesterday.
at was the only mistake ! made. I
knew Immediately that 1t was Il mistake.
because VIVA. I said was misunderstood.
Ear be II from me TO claim credit for the
sayings Of my old friend. the modern
3pictet,n.
you know. Judge Caynor and ] were
next door ne!shbors in Brooklyn. In the
days when our friendship was intimate
VA often Ia his hous-. He found
pleasure in the letters that flowed In
from citizens, and in answering them.
Some Of them he showed to me and We
talked about them together. Occasion
ally there was a letter In German. Hav-
ing been educated IN Germany. my Ia
mIliarity with that language Wa closer
than that OF the Mayor. and he used to
ask me TO write a reply in German. one
OS.ch case WAS that Of the German baker
IN F1atoush. ! wrote the reply In Ger
man rhyme. No. the letter was never
published ard ! haven't a cop at hand.
Gaynor Lacked u Boswell.
u answered some other foreign Ian
guage letters. bot ! can't say that any
Of my work added TO the Mayors fame.
lee a pity. by the way. tina. no Boswell
was present to record the Mayors con-
yersation a. he talked about his cor
respondents"
THE SrN reporter wondered how Il
happened that Sir. Towns in his Thomp-
son committee testimony did not mem
don George McAneny In relation to the
subway negotiations.
Nobody asked me about him.. tie
poet of the courts replied. sine You
abention Il. the most efficient goad TO use
- accelersting Mayor Gaynor's action
ga to remind him Of Mr.. Mc.Aneny's
Activity in advocacy o: the dual system.
4. yentured to tell the Mayor that II he
Aidn't look out Mr.. McAneny's industry
would pu, him 20 far in advance that
- Gaynor administration would sufer
~ prestige.
'sThe Mayor replied that Mr.. McAneny
Vas more a man OF the quill thar OF
Ohysicai force-that his spirit seemed 10
dwell in the inkwell and whenever II
Snerged Il dill so paroplied with head
unes and columns Of type. The Mayor
eaid 70 me-:
"'Let him null over the question.
When &c, ready I'll cut the Gordian
knot And he did"
How strange" unused Mr.. Towns.
that Mr.. Shonts should nave Thought
~ rode TO ~. James In a buggy Instead
Of in his own $4,000 automobile. Well
DO ! remember how Mr.. Shon's puned
chen he and the Mayor ended their
stalking conversation. n how the
Mayor said 10 me: Towns. ! felt OF h~
why. did they walk" THE suns
lDQuirer said.
Walked Jast Like E~pictetas.
Like Epictetus. who %discoursed along
the Appian Way. Mayor Gaynor was a
peripa;etic philosopher
And why. in the days OF $50 900
bonuses. did you get a fee OF only 3d.
O0o?'
Don't c~ross-examine me. yourG
man. said Mr.. Towns. But since you
ask. I'll tell you, and it may he a
Hight to guide the feet OF other lawyers.
Over the door Of the University Of b.
legna It Is written:
Dunn aeerotus v.sita.ur
3 processus vent!.a'ur
Cura te s~ccipere.
Nam asgroto rest!tuto
Et processu absolute
Memo curst solvero.
(which may be translated as fol-
lews:
While abed the sick mans lying
While your clients case you're trying
That's the time 10 get your fee.
9op when the sick man has recovered
. the lawsuits won or smothered
No one then Will car. for thee.
n" waited two years TO put In a bill.
Violation Of that venerable injunction
wa the cause OF my inadequate compen-
sation. I didn't collect until my sick
mai had recovered"
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