Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-07-14
"BEHoLD MY TEAcAER!"
County Attorney Esermayer Think
Instructor Ignores Preeepts.

In reply to T F Bradford attorney
for the saloonists of the city, who adj
dressed by registered mail letter 20
the county attorney. criricizing him for
being unethical in the handling of no.
tees 10 Bradtords clients, the county
attorney today contributed to the reg
istry service of Uncle Sam by replying
Mr. Egermayer thinks that Bradford,
in posing as the county attorneys
teacher. ignores his own precepts. Mr.
Egermayer's letter to Mr.. Bradford
follows:
"Marshalltown, Iowa, July AT F.
Bradford, Esq, City-Dear Sir: Your
letter 10 me at hand see you also
at the same time you mailed my let
special delivery to the -Republi-
! can to insure its publication in that
daily.
4 am surprised that so great and
/ learned a lawyer as You assume to be
and a would-he exponent of profess
Sional ethics as your letter implies
that YOU should condemn me for the
] publication of my official notice to sup
posed violators of the law, and at the
same time so griveously offend in a
much more fragrant manner by sending
a copy of Your personal letter TO me to
the press for publication.
You assume to be my teacher oil
professional ethics When I sit at your
feet to learn Of its niceties and intr-
cacies how am ! to know what course
to pursue when my instructor ignores
his precepts by his conduct?
In all fairness 10 me should you moi
teach by example as we'll as by pre-
cept? Much that you say abou
guesses' seems to me to be good, blu
don't you think you overstepped tn
bonds of propriety, Off not modesty)
when you guess that the attorney gen
eral Of Iowa is all wrong and that
will be led astray when 1 follow hi
Interpretation of the law?
81 will not presume to defend hin
and his opinions in this letter, at al
proper times and places he is abund
antly able to take care of himself bu
county attorney 1 am bound to folio,
< his opinions until the supreme cour
or erthrows them.
! Now, word as to why gave no
t tice to the saloonkeepers who were tn
e tranferees of your clients l believ
that under the opinion of the attorne
! general they We're violating the law
: thought it fair to them to call their al
e tention to that fact and give ther
n notice of what the law now require
a of me as county attorney. I was undo
s the impression that you believed thu
:. all of your saloon clients had dispose
y of their interests in good faith to the
r bartenders, sons-in-laW, fathers la
t. and nephews, and that your clients fa
s. no further interests in these saloon
IL 1t did not occur to me that l shou
10 inquire as to whether or not Mr.. Brad
J. ford was the attorney for any and a
n parties TO whom I might desire to al
n, dress a letter regarding the duties
IS my office of county attorney, and tn
J. I ought not to assume that all person
II who may be violators of the law a
Of your clients for that would be a r
Election upon you.
Until you show that you are o
serving the canons which were pass
at the late State Bar Association, W
=. should not use them in an effort to di
credit or condemn me. When you ha
-, brought yourself by your conduct al
q example within the teachings of the
=. canons then I should be glad to ha
: the benefit Of your Interpretation
~ these canons, and until you do plea
10 excuse me If they do not have We
u. much influence with me when e
le' pounded by one Yho entirely ignol
Is them in his own conduct
ne Every truly yours,
eli JOSEPH H. EGERMAYER. >