Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1918-01-11
Committee of Ada County
Bar Association Asks the
Name of Charles Clifton
Be Stricken From Roll.
Not Only Charge Accepting
Fee for Helping With
Questionnaires Made, but
Allegations of Disloyalty
Placed Against Him.

numerous occasions shown his disloy-
atty by declining to contribute to the
Esd Cross, Y. M. C. A. and liberty loan
and resorted to disloyal utterances re-
garding participation of this country in
the present war with Germany.
The charges were placed against
Clifton before the supreme court late
Thursday by the special committee
named by the Ada County Bar asso-
citation, Frank Martin, Karl Paine, r.
l. Givens, D. R. Brink, r. S. Delana
and ]. T. Pence. They were reviewed
today. 1t was generally known among
attorneys Thursday night Of the &C
ton taken by the committee.
INVESTIGATION ORDERED.
Clifton came into prominence when
the chairman of the city exemption
board announced charges had been
preferred against attorneys taking
fees for assisting draft registrants,
and named Clifton. The Ada County
Bar association met later and recon-
mended that Clifton be disbarred for
.unprofessional conduct. Clifton ad-
mitted taking the fees but claimed 1t
was only for notary and clerical as
sistance. The association appointed
the above committee to make an in
vestigation into the charge and take
action.
This committee found that at least
y two registrants had been charged fees
by Clifton for assisting with the ques-
tionnaires. The affidavits of the reg
istrants are attached to the petition
for disbarment. The committee sets
forth and attaches the signatures Of
its members to the following charges
and citations of disloyalty against
y Clifton in the petition:
INCIDENTS REClTED.
I'VE charge that the said Charles
Clifton while engaged in the practice
as attorney at Boise. Idaho. during the
latter part Of December, 1917. charged
for his services rendered registrants
under the selective draft and partic-
ularly that on or about Dec. 20, 1917,
he charged one Charles Schmidt, a
registrant under the selective draft at
said Ada county the sum of $3.50 for
assistance rendered him in the prep
aration of his questionable, and col
lected said amount; copy Of affi-
davit OF said Charles Schmidt setting
out more fully the facts with reference
thereto is hereto attached and made
part thereof.
1--WE charge that on or about Dec.
81, 1917 and while practicing as an
' attorney in said Ada county the said
Charles Clifton charged one Henry
Rogers, being a registrant under the
selective draft, the sum of $3.50 for
rendering assistance to him in the
preparation of his QUESTIONABLE and
that he collected said amount; a copy
: of affidavit of said Henry Rogers set
ting out the facts more fully and in
more detail is hereto attached.
1--WE charge that throughout the lat
ter part Of December, 1917, while en-
gagged in the practice of his profession
at Boise, Idaho, the said Charles Cliff
ton was guilty of unprofessional con-
duct, violated the laws Of the state of
Idaho, the ethics of the profession and
his duties as a member Of the bar and
an officer of this court on divers occa :
sions, the exact time, instance and
person being unknown to your petit
toner, in this;
VOLUNTEERED SERVICES; THEN
CHARGED.
THAT he charged registrants under
,Athe selective service draft for legal
bervices rendered them in the prep
aration of the questionnaires and that
in some instances he volunteered to
registrants his legal services gratis, and
then charged them for such service;
THAT he charged registrants under
the selective draft for services rem
dered as notary public In administer
ing them in connection with the ques-
tionnaire and in some instances vol
unteered to such registrants his serv-
ices as notary public gratis, and then
charged for such services;
THAT he charged registrants under
the selective draft for clerical serv-
ices rendered them In the preparation
Of the questionnaires. in some instances
volunteering to such registrants his
= clerical assistance, gratis. and then
charged for such services.
1--WE charge him with disloyalty to
the government OF the United States
and with attempting to hinder the OPP
erations and the success of the selec-
tive draft while practicing as sucr
! attorney Of Boise. Idaho. In this:
DISLoYALTY ACTS.
THAT on or about the first day OF
June, 1917, at Boise, Idaho, and In the
presence Of N. r. Jones and p. B. Car
ter. solicitors OF the first Red Cross
drive, the said Clifton stated that he
y was opposed to the selective draft and
!, opposed to the war and would do moth
ing to nd in Its prosecution; that he
would not subscribe to nor aid any per-
son or any enterprise that has for its
object the promotion of the selective
service draft, nor would he aid or as
rist in any Of the war activities or en-
q - DAS