J. Morgan Wilcox, Esq.

WILCOX, BARKER

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 1/12/2010 at 21:26:10

Bellevue Leader, Bellevue, Iowa, October 13, 1875

J. Morgan Wilcox, an attorney who attained to some celebrity as an attorney in Maquoketa, by occupying a room in the Hotel de Kimball (jail) at Andrew and leaving his bail bond in the lurch, has been heard from once more relating his touching story of woe and want, to a Chicago brother attorney, who writes to an attorney in Maquoketa as follows. It will be seen that he does not hold Iowa lawyers in high repute:

Chicago, Sept. 20, 1875

My Dear Sir:-I desire to trouble you a little this morning in the way of claiming your attention for a few moments. I wish to make inquiry regarding a man claiming to bear the name of J. Morgan Wilcox, or Joseph M. Wilcox, of your town (Maquoketa). He came to me with a touching tale and distress, and wished me as a brother attorney, to let him have $5 to get to his home, and that he would certainly remit and repay it just as soon as he could get home-that week certain. I did so and have his due bill for the same. He left some old papers in a “limbertwig book”, including a license as an attorney from the Iowa Supreme Court. Will you please give me some points in regard to him or please ask some good reliable attorney there to do me a favor? I enclose a stamp and will feel much obliged. This is the second Iowa lawyer that has beaten me in the same manner. The other was a member of the Marshall County Bar.
Very truly,
John C. Barker