Bryan, Peter Gad (1825-1910)

BRYAN

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 12/4/2016 at 11:54:42

Col. Peter Gad Bryan

The Advocate-Tribune newspaper, Indianola, Iowa, Thursday, Feb 22, 1894, p.3

For many years Col. P. Gad Bryan was one of the characters of Indianola. His ability, amiability, droll humor, jovial, ready wit and rigid economy of physical efforts were all marked characteristics. Many anecdotes have been related of him and are treasured up by old settlers as relics of by-gone days. One of these now recurs to our mind that is not without a moral: A man living in the northwestern quarter of the county had been arrested on a charge of stealing a small quantity of bacon, and was to be tried before a justice of the peace for petit larceny. He came to secure the services of Col. Bryan for his defense against the charge. Being of a thrifty turn of mind he thought best to have a fair understanding of the cost of the Colonel’s services. The Colonel proposed to charge him $25. This he considered exorbitant, - entirely out of proportion to the value of the meat in question. He dickered and jewed till finally “Peter” agreed to defend him for $10. When “Peter” returned his brethren of the bar asked him as to the result of the trial. With a long face he admitted that his client had been convicted. Then he related the circumstances of his employment for $10, and added, “Of course I agreed to work for $10 and I did. I worked for him till I thought I had worked about ten dollars worth and then I quit, and my client of course was convicted. If I had worked twenty-five dollars’ worth I should have secured his acquittal without doubt.” The moral is that trying to hire a man’s services for less than they are really worth is of very doubtful economy. The portion of the proper compensation that is withheld may be just what would turn loss into profit or failure into success. Col. Bryan is not the only one who would save a man for $25 when he would let him go to the dogs for $10.
[This is not a biography, but a show of his character]