The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1922-01-04
Vermont Bar Association
Requests Action
Be Stopped
AFTER DEBATING
CASE EARNESTLY
Former Governor H a S
Been Punished Enough
Is Contention

action for disbarment of ex-Gov. Hor
ace F. Graham in spite Of recon
mendation on the part. Of the commit
tee on professional conduct. The com
mittee stood three to two in reporting
the recommendation, and the Bar as
sociation, after a hard debate, voted
81 to "a in rejecting the recommends
| ton.
/ The association also voted that any
information placed in the hands of the
attorney general relative to disbar-
ment proceedings be withdrawn. This
Information had been turned ever to
the attorney general following re-
view Of the case by the committee on
| professional conduct, composed of Rob
ert Healy Of Bennington, Fred L. Laird
of Montpelier, S. Hollister jackson of
Barre, G. L. Watson of st. Adams and
| j. g. Sargent of Ludlow. ExGov.
Graham was convicted nearly two
years ago Of grand larceny Of $4,000
from the sta te while he was state au-
ditor, was sentenced to not less than
FIVE years in the state prison and on
the day of the sentence was uncondi-
tionally pardoned by Gov. Clement.
In making its report, the committee
stated that nins persons had been com
planned against. All the cases except
that Of ex-Gov. Graham had been
thrown cut. The committees recon-
mendatian on Graham was as follows:
sNoteT, that Horace r. Graham on
the 4th day Of November, 1920, in the
supreme c0rrt of The state Of Vermont.
was adjudged guilty Of the crimes Of
larceny and embezzlement under the
law of the state of Vermont, and that
by reason of being guilty of those
crimes his name should be stricken
from the roll Of attorneys of the SUI
preIne court:
"And the committee requests that
the attorney general institute proceed
ings to that end; and such action of
the committee has been laid before the
attorney general.
w. u. c. Stickney Of Rutland Of
fered the motion that the portion of
the committees report which related |
TO Mr.. Graham be not accepted, teat |
the committee be discharged from any
further consideration of that matter
and that II the committee had started |
things by placing any request in the /
attorney generals hands that it be re-
called by vote Of the association. This |
motion finally prevailed.
Mr.. Stickney spoke feelingly on the
matter a. friend of Mr.. Graham. say
ing tha. he was in the trial Of the case
rs his friend and not as an attorney.
He appeared likewise this afternoon,
he said, and again as a citizen of the
state AMI member OF the bar, and said
that nothing could be gained by such
fnrther punishment
+. L. Laird. who said he was
friend of Mr. Graham. was one of the
hree who voted for the recommenda-
ion. He said he formed his opinion
purely upon the law of the matter, re-
,ardless OF friendship. He was fol-
owed by Charles Tarbell. who believed
n the essential integrity of the man
ind told the members to bear in mind
hat he who was without sin should
asst the first stone.
Robert IIcaly followed, telling of the
onferense held and comments before
he committee. He said he held Mr..
sraham as an exceptional governor.
iut that tie disbarment question had
ome 10 the committees attention BY
ote of the Bar association taken one
ear ago and that the committee was ,,
the obligation.
II. c. Slmrtleff os Montpelier read an
ditorial from Ohio papers and urged !
hat the Bar association could do moth !,
lg other than accept the committees
communication, or so on record sup :
orting Governor Clement in nullifying
he sentence imposed by the supreme
Durt and that in honor to themselves
nat the Bar association should vote a
own the motion.
Melyine Maurice OF Brattleboro
tated that Mr.. Graham is not man q
prominence, but broken-down .
IAN. sitting alone on his little farm p
! Craftsbury. and that the action n
hich tie committee recommended e
as only adding suffering TO his pun !
hment which Mr.. Maurice said has s.
zen Sufficient. and that no man was n
'er punished in Vermont greater than /"
T. tfaham- -
II. N. Mcfarland of Hyde Park said o.
had known Mr.. Graham for a great
any years, that Mr.. (;rahsm's char
ter must not be lost sight of in their
guments. The speaker appeared with A
Il solicitation Of anyone and said
at Mr. Graham is still known as
Honest Horace" in that section OF
e state He questioned II the Bar n
sociation wanted 20 ~be in at the y,
ling and claimed the honor of the &C
sociation viii be as wei shown II W
ey aecept the motion Of Mr. Stick ID
v. He thought that Mr. Graham had ne
en- punished to the limit. II
Mr.. Sfickney in reply to statements r.
lde by some said that the associa- W
m "a not doing anything unusual, IN Jo
IS i---r taking mp something that was ri,
lrtcd BY the newspapers and Others. n
Ie public has called for no further -
nishmert. He read letters along this Sc
e received by him from prominent RI
rsonS The Chairman also read sim ca
r ietters. and upon several calls for
, question the vote was taken. - a.
ting In favor Of IL. and "a against n.
II. G Shurtleff. then urged that of
association - consistent with IT, a
I and direct the coumiftee not 70 81
,cccd against anv attorney who had 90
zen iess than NJ. Grahan- The an
eting thea Fas adjourned in: