Here is the quote, in context, from Phillips:
"Next Mr. Borden left home to make his usual morning calls to his bank and to his real estate. He was a member of the investment committee of the Union Savings Bank, and a director in several other institutions. He was reputed to be a man of large wealth, in small part inherited from his father Abraham, but mostly accumulated through his own parsimonious thrift and
by means which fell within the letter of the law. He owned much valuable and centrally located real estate, loaned money to persons in need if they were financially sound, and had reputedly made investments with brother Morse. Morse had spent most of his life in Iowa, but shortly before he settled in Dartmouth and was owner of some recently imported horses which were kept at a camp of itinerant horse traders in Westport."
Your quote, in your context was
Any man who gets rich "by means that just fall within the letter of the law" is not one who I would respect.
Surely you would know that Phillips, as Lizzie's defense lawyer, would not denigrate her father in his book. He would not put the onus on the victim- that's only reasonable.