The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1914-04-09
SIMS DISBARRED By COURT.
Former Spartanburg Lawyer lnde-
finitely Suspended.

S-e~NS> e-I>>>
Mr.. Sims may come before the court
in two years, and if he has reformed
and can furnish satisfactory proof
he will be readmitted to practice
in the courts of this State.
The charges sustained in general
way we're the one relating to solicit
ing business. the Baxter Thomas par
don case and the general allegation
in the petition that Mr.. Sims's char
acter and reputation as an attorney
were bad.
Opinion by Gary.
The opinion disbarring Mr. Sims
is by Chief Justice Gary, and is made
a unanimous decision of the highest
court of this State by the concur
renee of the four Associate Justices,
Hydrick, Watts, Fraser and Gage.
The court did not pass specifically
upon all the fifteen counts, or
charges, contained in the petition of
s. G.. Finley, member of the Spar
tanburg bar, in whose name proceed
ings to disbar Mr.. Sims were
brought, holding that this would
"subserve no useful purpose.
It has been charged that Mr.. Sims
deceived the Supreme Court in the
John Shelton case, and Finley also,
asked to have statements as to HIM
self investigated, but the court ruled
that the matter be confined to the
charges against Sims.
Solicited Business.
&C. P. Sims is unquestionably
guilty of the charge of soliciting
business writes Chief Justice Gary
in the opinion to-day, las an attorney
in a manner in violation of the pro-
fessional ethics 1t is only necessary
to refer to the testimony taken upon
the trial of this case (Which, OF
course, will be filed with the clerk
of the Supreme Court to show that
this finding is fully sustained
The court finds that the charge
contained in "f" of the petition is
sustained. This is the charge relat-
ing to the Baxter Thomas pardon
case. 1t was charged that Mrs. -.
E. Thomas had employed Sims to Sc
cure a pardon for her son, and that
he had "doublecrossed" her by tell
ing the governor not to pardon
her son.
Sustained by Testimony.
The court says this charge is sus-
tanned by the testimony of John +.
Floyd, who testified that he told Mrs,
Thomas not to let Sims look after
the case Mr.. Floyd testified he
would cal Ion the governor when
he came to Columbia, and that he did
so. asking the governor what he was
going to do about the Baxter Thomas
case. The governor ran his hand
through his hair, Mr.. Floyd test.-
fed, and said: II got letter from,
Sims saying not to pardon Baxter,
and he is sort of bad case. Mr..
Floyd further stated that he saw a
letter to the governor advising
the governor not to pardon Baxter
Thomas. Floyd said he wen: back
to Spartanburg and told Mrs. Thomas
that Sims was doublecrossing her,
and after explaining the term she
had stated: Il am going to take a
stick and whale him out of his OF
fice," referring to Sims, and Floyd
said: THAT would be pretty good
way to treat him."
On question OF, Justice Hydrick,
Floyd said he knew Sims's handwrit-
ing, and that the latter telling the
governor not to pardon Thomas
was in Sims's own handwriting.
Quoting this testimony, the court
sustains the charge as to the pardon
case.
Sims's Character.
Section m" of the petition, had
to do with the charge that Sims's
character and reputation were bad
and that he was unworthy to be
member of the bar. This allesa-
ton, subscribed by pprominent men,
bers of the bar at Spartanburs, was
sustained by the court with this ex-
PLANTATION:
1--WE feel, however, that the coll
duet of the respondent was due in d
large measure to his misconception as
to the nature of the legal profession
and of his duties to the court, to his
brother lawyers and to his clients,
as will be seen from the testimony
of Robert T. CAN'T, Esq
CAN'T had testified that Sims was
a man of decided character, that his
friends were very loyal and his enc
mics very bitter toward him: that