Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-18
JUSTICES CONSIDER
DONALDSON CASE
Disbarment Lies With Court
After Defendant Denies
Charges.

The justices Of the District Supreme
Court today had under consideration
disbarment proceedings brought against
r. Golden Donaldson, former president
Of the Commercial National Bank, by
the grievance committee of the District
of Columbia Bar Association. It Is be-
l1eved the decision of the court will be
rendered within the next few days.
The d1sbarment proceedings we're
brought against Donaldson after the
grievance committee had investigated
his activities in relation to the Boyle
Robertson Construction Co., at the sue-
gestion Of the December grand Jury.
which returned mail fraud indictments
against seven men identified with the
F. H. Smith Co.
The charges against the former bank
president were two-fold. First, it was
alleged he had accepted 500 900 in
fees from the construction company
With the understanding that he would
use his influence in securing for them
three building contracts from the Smith
Co, but that as a matter of fact he
did little or nothing to assist the build.
ers in getting these contracts. The
second charge was that while serving
as attorney for both the Smith Co. and
the construction company he engaged
In activities without the knowledge of
either client which rendered him UNIT
for membership in the bar.
No Argument.
The case was given to the court,
without argument after Donaldson had
taken the witness stand yesterday aft
ernoon, the second day of the hearing
The former bank president denied
emphatically both OF the charges
brought against him.
I'm July. 1925, James c. Robertson
treasurer of the construction COMPANY
came to my office and asked me to as
sist ms company In securing from the
smith organization contract to build
the Cathedral Mansions apartment
house IN Pittsburgh 1 agreed to do
this Tor commission on the contract
price. The negotiations were opened
however, by Robertson, and not by me :;
Donaldson testified.
"On numerous occasions I approach
ed G. Bryan Pitts, chairman of the
Smith Co. board of directors, in behalf
OF the construction company. On less
| frequent occasions I talked to Samuel
]. Henry, president of the company, re-
garding the contracts and their award
to the Boyle-Robertson Co. Prior to
doing anything, however, I made II
clear to Pitts and Henry that was re-
cetvtng compensation from the con.
struction company for my services.
I All that did was entirely open and
aboveboard. 1t was done, however, in
my capacity as business man, not as
an attorney. I feel that 1 did nothing
which reflected diScredit on the legal
profession"
Henry Says Not Approached.
Previously Mr.. Henry had testified
that he could not remember an in
stance when Donaldson had approach
ed him in behalf of the Construction
company, and that he did not know
until later that he was being paid nv
the construction company. SinilaT
testimony regarding the compensation
given by Pitts before the referee IN
bankruptcy was also read into the
record.
Robertson testified that Donaldson
took the initiative in the negotiation
leading up to the commission contracts
and that he agreed to pay the S1Oo
600 fees, although he did not know this
exact nature of the services to be rem.
dered by Donaldson. He said he under.
stood the latter was to "use his infiII.
ence with the Smith Co."
Donaldson was represented bv Wi.
liam e. Leahy. ]. Wilmer Latimer AND
G. B. Craighill appeared for the eriey.
ance committee.