Rensselaer Republican, Volume 23, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 November 1890 — A TRAMP CLIENT'S FEE. [ARTICLE]

A TRAMP CLIENT'S FEE.

A Barrel of Whisky, Developed Into $1,000,000 Cash. “Undoubtedly the most- valuable barrel of whisky ever distilled.” said a well-known Steuben county lawyer to a New York Sun man, “was owned some years ago in Steuben county. If there was ever a barrel of whisky more valuable I would like to hear of it, for two gallons of this particular barrel brought to its owner over SSOO.QMLA gallon. There is a story connected with that whisky that is worth telling, and worth placing on the record, too. “Some years before the war a young man named Henry M. Sherwood was admitted to the bar of Steuben county. He was a bright young fellow and belonged in the town of Woodhull. Soon after he was admitted to the bar, and before he had had his first client, a tramp was arrested and put in jail at Corning. He had been guilty of soma serious breach of the peace and his general appearancewlts that of agenujjne tough. He tried to engage a lawyer to defend him when his case cam* up for a hearing but as he had no money no one cared to take his case in hand. At last he inquired whether there wasn’t gome young lawyer in the place who hadn't had much of an opportunity to distinguish himself as yet, and who would likely be willing to undertake the managementof the prisoner’s case for the chance of getting some glory out of it. He was told that young Hank Sherwood might consent under these conditions, and the stranger sent for the briefless lawyer. Sherwood went to the jail and saw the prisoner.

“ ‘lt looks is if I was in a pretty bad scrape,’ said the tramp to Hank, ‘but I believe that a lawyer can get me through all right. Now, I’m from Kentucky, and I haven’t got a cent. I’m going back to Kentucky if I get cut of this scrape, but I’ll have to beg or beat my way till I get there. My father is a big distiller, but I’ve been a trifle wild and he and I are not on the best of terms. He wouldn’t send me a cent even if I should send word of the fix lam in here. But I’ll tell you what Til do. If you will take charge of my case and work it for all it’s worth and get me clear I’ll sneak out of the old man’s stock when I get home a barrel of the best old Kentucky whisky there is in the Bourbon country and have it shipped to you. I can do it easy. What do you s lyP’ “Young Sherwood didn’t take a bit of stock in the man’s story, but he made up his mirtd tp see what he could do in the management of the case, just to begin getting his hand in, and he accepted the tramp as his client. I don’t remember the details of the ease, hut. Hank succeeded in clearing the tramp and the latter went away, feeling good. Time passed along and Sherwood had forgotten all about his tramp client and the promised fee when one day the station agent at Addison, where the young lawyer lived, met him and said:

’Say, Hank, there’s a. barrel in the freight-house for you. It’s been there a clay or two and came from Kentucky. More than that, its marking* declare that it contains Kentucky bourbon.’ ‘‘The tramp paid his lawyer’s fee, sure enough. Sherwood had the barrel taken home and placed in his cellar. He wasn’t much of a tdmperer with whisky, and the barrel lay in the cellar five years without "being disturbed. The late Constant Cook was then judge of Steuben, county. He was holding court at Corning one term, and, as was the custom in those days, a number oj lawyers and others gathered in the judge’s room at the hotel in the evening and passed an hour or two in a social game of euchre.. The judge enjoyed an occasional glass of whisky, and he was a thorough judge of whisky. too. On the occasion I speak ol II;;nk Sherwood was one of the judge’s party. The judge was very bitter in his denunciation of the whisky they sold in Corning, and: said ho would ba grateful for a glass of whisky that was fit to drink. That reminded Sherwood of his old Kentucky bourbon that had been lying so long in his cellar. H« told judge Cook that he had soms whisky at home that he believed was good, and that he would fetch soma down next day. He had his barrel tapped that night, and filling a twogallon jug from it brought it. to Corning and presented it to Judge Cook. The judge tasted the whisky, aud iu all his experience he had never met its equal. " ‘Young man,’ said he to Sherwood, ‘I won’t forget you for fetching me this stuff. If ever I see a chance to give you a lift I’ll do it.’ "Time passed. Sherwood skinned along after the manner of the average country lawyer. The war broke out. Judge Cook was one of the solid men of-western New York;' He. in company with the late John Arnot, J. S. T. Stranahan of Buffalo, Charles Cook ol Havana, :ind John H. Chedell of Auburn had built the New York & Erie railroad from Binghamton to Corning and was largely interested in othei great improvements in this part of the state and, Pennsylvania. Sopn aftei the war began ho obtained a big government contract and at once sent for Hank Sherwood.

“ T’m going to give you that lift now. Henry,’ said he. “He let Sherwood in on the contract, avi the country lawyer’s share of the proceeds was slso,ooo—cold, cash dollars. After this was done Judge Cook ; said to j’jherwood! %. * .‘“There’s some land „ fcfrv sale ip Tioga county, Pa. It is coal land and is bound to be very valuable. You can buy some of it cheap. Put a|l the money you’ve got in that land.’ “Sherwood did so. - Every dollar he made in the big contact he put into Tioga county land. He hadn’t a great while to wait before the prophecy o! Judge Cook came true. Henry if. Sherwood’s first fee resulted in being the biggest ever received by any law-, yer on earth, for he cleared over sl,. 000,000 from his investment' in the Tioga county lands and the barrel ol Kentucky whisky his tramp client had paid for nis services was the basis of it aIL A bootless attempt-;To get upstairs with, out being heard by your wife—PhiladelJ ,pUia News,