LEGAL REMINISCENCES. By L. E. Chittenden. XI. T CANNOT comprehend why anybody case in equity which came before him. A
- • should care for a continuance of these corporation had for many years managed
"Reminiscences," but so long as, like the steamboats on Lake Champlain to the Oliver Twist, your readers are asking for entire satisfaction of the public. It was more, perhaps I shall run less risk in going their claim that they had never lost or in on with them than in inquiring too closely jured a passenger, and the cleanliness, disci why anybody calls for them. On one pline and comfort of their steamboats, point I wish to take the readers of the under Captain Dick Sherman and his asso Green Bag into confidence. I have no ciates, were known as widely as the natural imagination — I cannot invent, and when the | beauty of the route, and put much money springs of memory are dry my pen must be : into the treasury of the corporation. laid aside. I supposed they were exhausted One season, at the opening of navigation, long ago. But after a rest they again show it became known that this corporation had some activity, and here are some of the fallen under the control of Wall-street specu long-buried facts they have recently brought lators — that the old officers were to be dis to light. charged, and the steamboats were to be run Longer ago than I care to name, one of for the last dollar that could be squeezed our best Vermont judges was invited to one out of them. A lawless imitator of Com of our cities to become the counsel of a modore Vanderbilt, without his common large corporation. It was not the increased sense, was made president of the corpora compensation, but his increasing years, and tion. He did not care for contracts, courts, the difficulty of reaching his numerous posts or newspapers, and as for the public — " let the public be d—d." His exactions were of duty which led him to accept the invita tion and decline a re-election. We parted so great that after one season the money from him with regret, for he was a model was subscribed, a new and faster steamboat judge who would have honored the highest was built, her command was given to an old court in the Republic. There was great and favorite captain, and she was made difficulty too, in selecting his successor. ready to run in opposition to the old com We were agreed upon our brother who pany as soon as navigation opened. possessed the most legal learning. He was The president of the old company did not a fearful special pleader — the one who had propose to have his profitable monopoly made life a burden to his antagonist in Moss broken up by an opposition. Under some v. Hindes, mentioned in these reminiscences. pretense that he had bought some of the But he was the mildest-mannered man at new company stock, he sent a powerful the bar. Would he be able to maintain the steamer with a gang of ruffians, which made dignity of his court and enforce order and fast to the new one and in spite of the resist obedience upon brow-beating lawyers and ance made by her officers and crew, took their brass-fronted clients? This was a possession and towed her out of the juris serious question, but we took the risk and diction into another state. he was elected. It then transpired that the captain of the He relieved all our doubts in the first new steamer, anticipating this act of piracy,
