The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-06-08
SEVERAL LAWYERS
TO Be PROSECUTED
Central Council OF Bar AssoCia-
ton Takes Action
PROF ESSIONAL MISCONDUCT
Charge for Which Solicitors VIII Pros
ecute-No lntImatlon as to Those
Against Whom Charges
Are Preferred.
PROF ESSI0NAL MISCONDUCT

After the adjournment of the meeting
of the central council of the Alabama
Bar association yesterday representa-
tive of the AgerHerald sought Alexander
Troy. the secretary of the association,
and requested information as to what the
council had done at is meeting held at
70 o'clock at the office of the Hon Thorn
as R. Roulhac chairman of the council
II am not member of the committee"
said Mr.. Troy land therefore cannot tell
you the particular matters or cases in
vestigated by the council, but I am glad
to say that complaints against several
lawyers were investigated and prosecu-
tions authorized that is the chairman
of the council was directed to turn over
to the solicitor for prosecution the COM
eral different attorneys
Solicitors Duty.
Since the passage of the act OF the
legislature making it the duty of solic-
itor to prosecute on the complaint of the
Alabama State Bar association. or its
central council, much new life and vital
ity has been injected into the association.
1.-The central council, composed Of the
Hon. Thomas r. Roulhac chairman; e.
K. Campbell, Charles P. Jones, A. s. Van
de Graaff and W. w. Callahan, is an as
surance to the profession In this state
that no prosecution will be undertaken
where the acts against the at
torney charged have not been
thoroughly investigated. and a fur
Their assurance to the bar of Ala
bama that there is no member of the
bar whose. standing is so prominent or
whose influence is so great, that, If
charge of professional misconduct is
brought against kim, it will not receive
the thoughtful consideration of the coun-
ell, and If the facts set forth in the
complaint justify it. prosecution of such
attorney.
A Misdemeanor.
II do not believe it is generally I'M
derstood that the legislature of Alabama,
at the session preceding the last, passed
an act which had the approval of the
governor making 1t a misaemeanor for
an attorney-at-law by his emissaries to
solicit practice. An attorney guilty of
this professional misconduct could now be
disbarred; but the bar association has
no authority to prosecute unless com
plant in writing is made charging the
attorney complained of with this unpro-
fessional conduct. which complaint must
be verified by affidavit. Neither the OF
flcers nor the members of the central
council will make themselves public in
formers, especially as the council is the
duly authorized body to consider the COM
plant. They do not propose to be wit
nesses and judges in the same case, but
the public should know that, on q prop
er complaint, stating facts verified by af-
fidavit. the council will duly consider the
charge.
Surrendered License.
Although I cannot give you the names
of the different attorneys proceeded
against. I will state that one attorney in
the northern part of this state has sur
rendered his License, which will be pre-
scented to the supreme court on Thurs
day, and which will effectually deprive
him of the right to practice law in this
state as has already occurred In other
instances under the same statute.
''All of the members of the council ex-
cept the Hon. w. w. Callahan of Deca-
tur were present. Mr.. Edward deGraffen-
reid president, and / as secretary of the
association, on the invitation of the chair
man of the central council, were present
at the meeting"