The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1914-04-10
C. p. SIMS DISBARRED
BY THE SUPREME COURT.
All Counts Not Passed Upon Specifi-
cally by Court-Decision Made
Unanimous One-Sims May
Apply for Readmission to
Bar ( Within Two
Years.

day disbafred by the supreme court.
The Suspension is indefinite but there
is qualifying clause that 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 a gen.
eral way, were the ones relating to So
Letting business, the Baxter Thomas
pardon case, and the general allega-
tion in the petition that Mr. Sims
character and reputation as an at
torney We're bad
The opinion disbarring Mr.. Sims is
by Chief Justice Gary and is made
the unanimous decision of the highest
court of this State by the concurrence
of the four associate justices, Hy-
drlck, Watts, Frazer and Gary.
The court did not pass specifically
upon all the fifteen counts or charges
contained in the petition of S. G.. Fin
ley, member of the Spartanburg bar,
disbar Mr.. Sims were brought, hold
ing that this would "subserve no USE
full purpose"
1t has been charged that Sims de-
ceived the supreme court in the John
Swelton case and Finley also asked
to have statements as to himself in
vestigated, but the court ruled that
the matter be confined to the charges
against Sims.
Guilty of Soliciting.
&c. p. Sims is unquestionabl,
guilty of the charges of soliciting bus
iness," writes Chief Justice Gary in
the opinion today, "as an attorney in
the manner in violation of the pro-
fessional ethics. 1t is only necessary
to refer to the testimony taken upon
will be filed with the clerk of the su.
preme court) to show that this fino
ing is fully sustained.
The court finds tha tthe charge
contained in Of" of the petition is
sustained. This is the charge relating
to the Baxter Thomas pardon case.
1t was charged that Mrs. M. E.
Thomas had employed Sims to secure
a pardon for her son and that he had
''double-crossed" her by telling Gov
Blease not to pardon her son. The
court says this charge is sustained by
the testimony of John F. Floyd, who
testified that he told Mrs. Thomas noe
to let Sims look after the case.
Mr.. Floyd testified he would call
on Governor Blease when he came to
SOlullDli, dIlu IildC Ilc ulu 81, dShlIlS
the governor what he was going to
do about the Baxter Thomas case?
The governor ran his hand through
his hair, Mr.. Floyd testified and said:
81 got a letter from Sims saying not
to pardon Baxter, as he is sort of
a bad case"
Floyd Saw Letter.
Mr.. Floyd further stated that he
saw letter from Sims to Governor
Blease advising the governor not to
pardon Baxter Thomas. Floyd said
he went back to Spartanburg ana
told Mrs. Thomas that Sims was
double crossing her, and, after ex-
planning the terms, he had stated:
81 am going to take a stick and
whale him out of his Office" refer
ring to Sims, and Floyd said: "That
would be pretty good way to treat
him." On question of Judge Hy-
drick, Floyd said he knew Sims hand
Gov. Blease not to pardon Thomas
was in Sims handwriting. Quoting
this testimony the court sustain,
the charge as to the pardon case.
"Section"- Of the petition which
had to do with the charge that Sims
character and reputation were bad
and that he was unworthy to be a
member of the bar, this allegation
being subscribed to by prominent
members of the bar of Spartanburg,
was sustained by the court with this
explanation: owe feel, however, that
the conduct of the respondent was
due in a large measure to his mis-
conception 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 7. Can't, Esq.,
CAN'T had testified that Sims was a
man of decided C racter that his
friends were very loyal and his en-
emies very bitter toward him; that
Sims had come to the Spartanburg
bar after attaining manhood and
didn't have the advantage of legal
education, and his ideas of judicial
ethics were crude, that he regarded,
it seemed, the practice of law, as a
trade rather than profession and
Athat this was Sims defect through the
Practice.
Unfit to Practice.
Y NConcluding the supreme court says:
Nhe foregoing findings of fact show
vt c. p. Sims, Esq, is unfit to prac-
law as an attorney. The court,
never, is of the opinion that the
Rndent should be allowed the op-
UNITY to reform and be reinstated
upproof that he has become duly
md in every respect to practice
an attorney.
u Finding of Court.
49,. therefore the judgment of
sas snS that C p. Sims, ESQ.,, be in
a;n suspended forbidden to ex-
Xri0hfc apl I,,fioo of ~, nj