El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1901-02-15
Those Disbarment Proceedings.

Some weeks ago The Herald con-
tanned an account of the disbarment
proceedings instituted before Judge
Walthall against III. p Brelsford of
Eastland.
AT called meeting of the Eastland
bar it was unanimously decided to take
action with reference to the allegations
made concerning Attorney Brelsford.
The proceedings in part were as fol-
lows:
A full and complete consideration
and investigation of the matter was
had, and while the said bar hardly con-
slider the charges referred to worthy of
notice, the members beg to submit
through their committee report the
following brief statement of the facts
as found by said meeting:
To the Hon. j. r. Frost. Chairman:
Your committee reports as follows
On about the 25th of November 1900
H. P. Brelsford, of the law firm of
Scott & Brelsford, in response to a let
ter and telegram went to Pecos City to
consult certain parties there who de-
sired to contest the recent election of
county officers in Reeves county.
He there met his client and friend
Mr.. E. Clements, reliable citizen of
Reeves county. and who was one of the
contesting candidates, who informed
him that in election of November 6
the party known as the ''old party had
defeated the candidates of the new
party" and that the success of the can
didates on the "old party ticket was
due to fraudulent votes cast for the
''old party by Mexicans who were not
legal voters in Reeves county. Mr..
Clements informed Mr.. Brelsford that
-, the defeated candidates. except a
few precinct officers. desired and in
tended to contest the election and that
several informal meetings had been
held to that end, with the idea of all
the cOnteSting candidates Joining in
one suit
Mr. Brelsford informed Mr.. Glenn
entS that separate suits and notices of
contest would have to be filed and
served by each contestant. and that I'M
der our statute the notices Of contest
must be filed within twenty days from
the declaration of the result of the cleo
tiol,. and that only few days re-
manned.
Mr.. Clements then stated to Mr..
Brelsford that as the parties at inter-
est were widely scattered, and could
not be gotten together for a meeting
and conference before Mr.. Brelsford
was compelled by other professional
engagements to leave Pecos, that he,
Brelsford's firm to prepare the neces-
sary papers for instituting the suits so
that the same could be served within
the twenty days and furnished him
with the names of the contestants and
with the data on which the contests
were to be based, the understanding
being that these papers were to be pre-
pared at Eastland and at once for |
warded to II. c. thinner. of Pecos City. |
t,,a of
of county judge, who was to serve and
file the papers only in behalf of those
who arranged to prosecute the con-
tests, Mr.. Clements undertaking,
meanwhile. to see and make final ar
rangements with the parties interested
in the contests before the receipt of
the papers by Mr.. thinner, and to give
instructions to Mr.. thinner as to the
papers to be filed and notices to be
served, before the time expired.
Pursuant to said employment the
papers were prepared by Scott & BTels-
ford at their Office at Eastland and for
warded by mail to Mr.. thinner at Pc
cos City. having no doubt but such was
the desire of each party named by Mr.
Clements, with all of whom, except Ma.
thinner, said firm was unacqua1nted.
1t was also understood that meet
ing of the contestants was to be held at
of permanently employing Scott &
Brelsford to conduct the cases to final
trial was to be determined upon.
The preparing and forwarding the
Dapers to Mr.. thinner as above stated
was the extent to which Scott & Brels-
ford had been employed and as far as
they acted in the matter
That there might be no misunder-
standing about the matter, particularly
in the matter of prorating the neces-
sary expense among the various con-
Mr.. Brelsford advised Mr..
Clements at Pecos not to take any
steps in the matter until each contest
ing candidate had obligated himself In
writing or satisfactorily arranged to
bear his portion of the cost of the pro-
ceedingS-
Mr.. Brelsford then dismissed the
matter from his mind to take up his
professional duties in the December
.erm of our district court, not KNOW
ng what had been done in Reeves
county until served with notice that
lis professional acts were questioned
We are not advised as to why Mr.
thinner filed all of the contest papers
md included the four who now declare
heir unwillingness to contest. with
he FIVE who approved same (there be-
NO nine contestants, four only or ,
vhom questioned the authority OF the
ontest notices. but it was evidently .
through some misunderstanding on his
art
We state it as our deliberate Judg-
,ent that the actions of Mr.. Brelsford
n the election contest cases in Reeves D.,
oupty Texas, were entirely proper {
nd the filings made and notices serV- I