Evening star., 1937-10-13
BAR VOTES PROBE
IN ETHICS CHARGE
| At POLICE COURT
Purge Forecastif Reports on
Lawyers Practicing There
Are Proved True.
committee is NAMED
TO MAKE INVESTIGATION
One Attorney Posed as Reporter
to Gain Information, Ses.
sion Is Told.

Charges of unethical practices
among Police Court lawyers were aired
last night before the District Bar
Association, which authorized a COM
mittee to investigate and take suitable
steps to clear up the situation.
IF rumors which have come to us
are true" said Austin Garfield, chair
man of the Police Court Committee
I think the time has come when
some investigation and possibly a
purge is necessary"
He said his committee had learned
OF a lawyer who was in the habit of
telephoning police stations early in
the evening, and representing himself
to be reporter for a morning news
paper. The man would ask for news
for the early edition of the paper.
and the desk officer usually would
oblige, Garfield related.
Appear Quickly on Scene.
On one occasion, he declared. the
lawyer was told of a man being held
IN collision case, in which woman
was injured and taken to the hospital.
Within short time, the attorney
appeared at the precinct, saying the
mans family had employed him.
About the same time. Garfield con-
| tinued, the attorneys law partner
went to the hospital and tried to
persuade the injured woman to allow
him to represent her in damage suit.
Garfield said colored motorist
figured in another instance of un-
ethical practice. The colored man
pleaded guilty to three traffic ofenses
and was fined $40 on each charge.
When the time came to pay the fine. he
found he had only s25, or IS less than
was needed. When the man asked
leave to phone his mother or sister
for the SIS. a lawyer nearby offered
to make the call.
The next time the court attache.
who was Canfield's informant. saw
the colored man, he was back in the
prisoners pen.
New Trial" for s25.
What are you doing there?" the
attache inquired.
I'm going to get new trial"
responded the man, explaining that
the lawyer, instead of procuring the
additional SIS to pay the fine, had taken
the s25 as his fee, saying he could
arrange new trial, Garfield asserted.
Members of the committee are
Garfield. William Gallagher, T. Ed
ward O'Connell and George Monk.
On recommendation of its board of
directors, the association appropriated
S5OO for the school lunch fund. Con-
gress failed to provide money this year
to furnish lunches to needy children.
The appropriation was approved
unanimously.
President Henry I. Quinn announced
that the associations annual BANQUET
Will be held at the Mayflower Hotel
on the first Saturday in December.
Oppose Revenue Law Section.
The lawyers voted to seek the repeal
OF section of a revenue statute
passed by the last Congress which
requires reports from attorneys who
counsel or aid in the formation of
foreign corporations. They contended
the law violates the confidential re-
lationship between attorney and client.
Leo N. MCGUIRE reported that $50
persons have sought the aid of bar
association lawyers furnishing free
service to INDECENT Municipal Court
litigants.
Howard S. Leroy reported on the
recent Second International Law
Congress on Comparative Law, and
Walter M. Bastian on the Kansas City
American Bar Association Convention.
The meeting was held in the May
flower.