The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-04-08
SUPREME COURT DISBARS AT.
TORNEY FROM PRACTICE OF
LAW.
Found Guilty ON Soliciting Business.
Dcfrauding Client and Having Rcpu.
t"tion Unworthy OF Attorncy-May
Seek Reinstatement after Two
Years.

III ls therefore the Judgment OF
this court" says the decision. that
- T.. Sims. Esq, be indefinitely sus-
pended and forbidden to exercise the
rights and duties of an attorney in
the courts of this state. with the priv
iiege, however. to move before this
court for reinstatement after the ex-
piration of two years. upon satisfac-
tory proof that he has reformed and
at that time Is duly qualified in ev-
cry respect to practice as an attorney
at law"
Chief Justice Gary wrote the opin-
Ion. which is concurred in by Associa-
te Justices Hydrick, Watts, Fraser
and Gage.
The disbarment proceedings were
instituted by s. G.. Finley and other
members OF the Spartanburg bar. The
case was heard several weeks ago
before the supreme court a mass
OF testimony was introduced.
Attorneys representing the petit
TONERS were: Ralph X. Carson. L.
X. Jennings, l.. w. Perrin, j. H..
Browne. Thomas w. Lyles, j. b.
Gwynn. :. G.. Finley. j. w. Nash, II.
III. Harmon. C. Il. Daniel. ii. L. Raw
enel and ]. C. OTIS.
The court ruled" says the opin-
Ion, that In this proceeding the in
vcstgation would be confined to the
alleged charges OF unprofessional
conduct against C. II. Sims. Esq
We shall not undertake to pass.
specifically upon every one Of the
charges hereinbeforo mentioned, as 1t
would subserve no useful purpose.
First: I'VE find as fact that C..
II. Sims was unquestionably guilty of
the charge OF soliciting business as
an attorney, I'm n manner violative Of
professional ethics. IL is only neces-
sary to refer to the testimony, taken
upon the trial OF this case (Which
OF course. will be filed with the clerk
OF the supreme courD, To show that
this finding is fully sustained by the
testimony,
Second: We find as a fact that the
charge contained In II" is fully sus-
tanned by this testimony"
Charge "F''' Is as follows:
That the said G.. L. Sims, Esq., ac-
ccpted fee OF $40 from Mrs. NJ. L.
Thomas To secure a pardon for her
son. Baxter Thomas: after seeing the
said Mrs. Nj. T.. Thomas and secur-
ing her money aforesaid. he did will
fully and fraudulcntly desert the cause
of his client. and advise the governor
of the state not To issue the pardon. in
breach OF duty To his client. az shown
by affidavit of Mrs. NJ. f.. Thomas.
hereto attached and made a part of
this petition" The court SAYS that
this charge is fully sustained, cspe-
cially by tho testimony OF John f..
Floyd. The verbatim testimony Of
Mayor Floyd is quoted;
we are constrained to find as q
fact that the charge I'm " Is sus-
tained 10y the testimony" says the
court.
Charge ~" is as follows:
That the character and rcputa-
tion of the said G.. Il. Sims, Esq, for
truth. honesty ana integrity arc bad
and unworthy of u member. of tho bar
or this honorable court. us shown by
aihdaVits hereto attached, To wit:
Magistrate A. III. Kirby. John +.
floyd' w. Is. Harrison. Il. T.. Earle,
T. vi. Justice. w. w. Lancaster,
Thad G. Dean. $. G. Thomas. ct al.
VINO arc not attorneys. and further.
the aiiidavits of r. NJ. Lyles, r.. a.
Harmon. l.. w. Perrin. l. e. thinner
man. j. Il. Gwynn, c. Il. Daniel, L..
n. Jennings, ana other members of
the bar"
We feel. however" saws the court
that tho conduct OF the respondent.
was due In large measure To his mis-.
conception as to the nature of the 10
sal profession. and Of his duties to the
court. To his brother lawyers ana To-
his clients as will be seen from the
testimony Of Robert r.. CAN'T. Esq.
who was called as witness 10y the re-
spondonI" The testimony of MIR.
CAN'T was i'm substance that the
friends Of MIR. Sims were very loyal
to him and that his enemies were very
hard ON him.
Continuing, the testimony SAYS: III
! am permitted to state IL generally.
l want To state this. that Mr.. Sims
came To- the bar at Spartanburg after
hc was grown. lie diunt have the
benefit of legal education. ana when
he hrst came there his ideas of judi
cial ethics were very crude.