The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-05-04
JOHN T. DUNCAN
Makes Reply to Rule Of Supreme
Court in Contempt Proceed
ings.

Eu1IOI Liz htl d1O cll'4 AWE"
Dear Sir: I write to ask Of you
that you publish in your next issue
my return in the recent case brought
against me by the attorney general.
The papers here have never published
the facts nor allowed the truth to
reach the public in all the many at
tacks on me, and they would not for
the world have it known what is back
Of it all.
Truth is stranger than fiction, and
pursued the even tenor Of my way,
deeming it imprudent and worse than
useless to seek the public ear, for
men would be incredulous Of the
facts; but an awakening may follow
the Seminole and Carolina agency
\ revelations, and the public may yet
give an attentive ear.
I have never gone out of my way
n looking for bad men, but have never
# #hesitated to give battle when one ran
counter to the rights of my clients.
have been loyal to the rights OF my
chents, be they white Of black, rich
or poor, and this know the people o.
y my nome county, Newberry, are ready
to believe from their knowledge OF
me. 1 car but express my apprecla-
p tion of them when [ am told Of an oc-
currence related thus to me, At once
I was told by a score Of men that they
would believe John Duncan before
\ thew would the whole crowd against
y HIM"
While I render unto Caesar that
which is Caesars, | have not yet
learned 10 bend the pregnant hinges
of the knee that thrift might follow
fawning.
There may be worse things in store
for me than ceasing to practice law.
IF not permitted to lead quiet Life
with my wife and children, to which
my every inclination turns, l may
find the lecture platform attractive.
"Aibaba and the Forty Thieves !"
and II Need the Money" are sub
jeets which might prove attractive It
properly handled.
I learned early in life that if "a
man could not stand lot OF punish
ment he could not be a good fighter.
Respectfully,
John T. Duncan.
SOUTH CAROLINA,
SUPREME COURT.
Original Jurisdiction.
John T. Duncan.
Your respondent, John T. Duncan,
respectfully shows that he has been
served with "a certified copy OF an
order of the supreme court, Of date
April 29th, 1909, along with the in
formation and two afidavits offered
by J. Fraser Lyon, attorney general,
! that this respondent is charged with
acting as attorney and counsellor at
law, in violation of a previous order
iof date September 1lth, 1908, where
in it was decreed that he be dlsbar-
red and not to be heard as an attorney
or counselor at law, nor otherwise
act as lawyer, that in obedience to
: your order that "John T. Duncan be
and appear in his own person before
: this court on the 26th day Of April,
at ten O'Clock in the forenoon, and
show cause, if any he can, why he
should not be ATTACHED for contempt !"
your respondent now appears and
makes this as his return:
/. That he has not since his dis
barment acted for any one as attor-
ney except himself and then only
when he was unable to pay an attor-
ney to represent him.
2. That in the case charged, where
the negro had been heard, tried, con-
victed, sentenced, released to procure
and pay his fine and, failing to get
the money, he was sent to the chain
Gang, his wife did not, nor did any
one else, ask me to act as his attor-
nev, nor did I know what was his Of
Tense or the justice of his sentence
or make any structures upon any one
concerning same, but l was only asked
to pay his fine and let him work for
me and repay me for my money and
trouble.
3. That respondent was wanting
some ditching done on his farm eight
miles out, but his experience has al
ways been that debt is hard to work
out and usually costs all 1T is worth
TO collect it Of "a convict.