Paul - George W. - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

The following special from this city to Thursday’s Indianapolis News again brings up the Paul disbarment case: One of the greatest legal fights in the history of the Mont Co bar is soon to begin. George W. Paul has arrived in C’ville form his place at Dalton, Ga and will ask to be admitted to practice law in the Circuit court. His admission will be fought bitterly by almost the entire bar and thereby hangs a tale. Until two years ago Paul was a prominent member of the Montgomery Co bar and had a large and lucrative practice. His methods made enemies among the lawyers and finally the prosecutor, A B Anderson filed disbarment proceedings againt him. The complaint was very lengthy and made grave and sweeping charges. Paul set up a defense and the case was venued to Tipp Co. Here he entered a plea that he had never been admitted to the Montgomery Co bar and hence could not be disbarred. He had come as a lawyere from Covington to Crawfordsville and gone to practicing without the formality of an admission. The case was pushed, however, and at length Mr. Paul declared he would give up his practice and remove to Georgia. This he did but the case stood against him in Tipp Co until last Sept. It was then supposed that he had located in Georgia for all time and the suit was dismissed after it had cost the county hundreds of dollars. The entire bar was stunned the other day when Mr. Paul came walking into the court room and hung up his hat. He states he has come back to stay and will again resume the practice of law. The matter has been kept quite as yet, but the suit will be refiled and a bitter fight made against his admission. The trial will be long and bitterly contested and will compromise many well known citizens. While it is true that Mr. Paul will be obliged to meet the charges it is to be hoped he will be able to establish his innocence in every position at the bar, his talents merit.

The whole bar was present at the opening of the circuit court this morning to hear Judge Harney’s decision in the case of the application of GW Paul for admission to practice law at this bar. After some preliminary business the case came up and at once TE Ballard stepped forward with the motion which is summe dup in its conclusion which reads as follows: “These affiants further say that the above mentioned charges were to the effect that said George W. Paul was a man of bad moral character; that while engaged as a practicing attorney at the bar of this court he grossly violate his duties as such in the following particular: that he has advised and counseled a corrupt and dishonest scheme to cheat and defraud a municipal corporation out of funds justly belonging to it; that on diverse occasions he has counseled, advised and aided fraudulent, corrupt and unlawful schemes to defraud creditors of their just claims; that he has taken fees from parties on both sides of the same case, at the same time and employment from the opposite sides of the same case, at the same time; that he has been convicted of gambling; that he had either aided or assisted in the bribing of a certain member of the bar of this court, while said member was acting as a special judge in a given cause or he had sworn falsely in charging said member of the bar with having so been bribed. Upon information and believe these affiants say they believe that many of said charges were true; and on their oath affiants say that George W. Paul is now a man of bad moral character. Wherefore, these affaiants move the court to direct some attorney or attorneys to draw up and prosecute against said Paul accusations in accordance with the statute In such case and provided. “ This was signed by TE & EE Ballard; Charley and Will Johnson, James Wright, LJ Coppage and Henry Perry. Mr. Ballard followed the presentation of the motion with some very scathing remarks. At their conclusion MW Bruner arose and asked if the court wished to hear from the other side. The court said he believed not as the remarks already made had been entirely gratuitous and uncalled for, the same things having been presented to him before and he already having given them due deliberation and weight. He had decided, he said, that it was best to admit Mr. Paul as a member of the bar. Mr. Paul’s apologetic answer had had much to do with the decision rendered and the court would not undertake to say how much. He would have that answer spread on the records. Here, on the request of Mr. Ballard it was allowed that the motion just made also be spread on. To this Mr. Paul consented. Judge Harney stated that he waived judgmenet on the charges and excused the bar from any part in the matter. If there was any censure it should rest on the court, who has considered the matter and reached his conclusion without fear and without prejudice. The future would have to settle the correctness of his decision. Mr. Paul was then sworn in as a member of the Montgomery County bar and we believe we echo the sentiments of the community when we trust that he will maintain the position with dignity and honor.

Source: C’ville Review 26 March 1892 p 6

George W. Paul scored a great victory and while we are about it let us say a meritorious one as well last Saturday. It had been given out on Fri that Judge Harney would make public his decision in the Paul case on the following morning and in consequence the court room was well filled with eager spectators. Upon the convening of court Mr. TE Ballard stepped forward and offered a motion, which contained a general review of the old chargers and a history of the proceedings up to date – the effect that the court direct some attorneys to draw up and prosecute the accusations against Mr. Paul in accordance with the statute in such cases made and provided by law. The court refused to hear further remarks saing those already made by Mr. Ballard were entirely gratuitious and uncalled for, the same things having been presented to him several times previous. He had decided that he would admit Mr. Paul as a member of the bar: that there must be an end for everything and the proper time to end everything and the proper time to conclude this controversy was right now. On concluding he stated he waived judgment on the charges and excused the bar from any part in the matter. If there was any censure it should rest on the court who had considered the matter and reached his conclusion without fear and without prejudice. Mr. Paul was then sworn in as a member of the Montgomery Co bar after which he received the congratulations of his many friends. The decision of the court gives almost universal satisfaction. Mr. Paul is a man admired for his great zeal toward his clients and will soon build up a large and lucrative practice.

Mrs. Fannie Graham Nichols was admitted to practice law at the Montgomery County bar at Crawfordsville Monday. Judge Harney objected vigorously to the innovation in his court, but he yielded to a recent decision of the Supreme Court and had the fair applicant sworn in.

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Source: Huntington Daily Democrat Wed 8 Nov 1893 p 1

Crawfordsville, Ind Nov 8 – There was a sensation in the Montgomery Circuit Court Tuesday when a woman applied for admission to the bar. The attorneys were waiting to hear the docket called when GW Paul entered, accompanied by a pretty and dashing young lady whom he introduced to the court as Mrs. Fannie Graham Nuckolls, and made a motion that she be admitted to practice at the bar. Judge Harney who is a gentleman of the old school and who has a horror of strong-minded women, almost fainted and clutched the arms of his chair while he gasped convulsively and stared hard at the fair devotee of Blackstone. Judge Harney is opposed to having women practice at his bar and he said so. He objected strenuously to admitting Mrs. Nuckolls and only did so when convinced tha thtere was no getting around the recent decision of Judge Hackney of the supreme court, who so gallantly championed the cause of the skirted aspirants for legal fame.

On motion of Mr. G.W. Paul on Monday last, Mrs. Fannie Graham was admitted to the practice of law in the Montgomery Circuit Court. The proceedings of admitting a woman to the bar decidedly novel here, although the number of lady lawyers is increasing rapidly in the US and attracted considerable attention. Mrs. Graham (sic) does not propose to practice here, but as she is traveling for a law publishing firm of Chicago, thinks it would be of advantage to her.

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Source: Crawfordsville Daily Journal 6 Nov 1893 p 4

“Montgomery County Bar” – There was quite a little sensation occurred in the circuit court this morning. After the convention of court, when all the attorneys were seated about to hear the docket called GW Paul came in accompanied by his stepdaughter, Mrs. Fannie Graham Nuckolls. Mr. Paul stepped before the court and made the usual motion, accompanied by a regular affidavit for the admission of Mrs. Nuckolls to the practice of law at the Montgomery County bar. Judge Harney was wholly unprepared for the innovation and threw up both hands. He made a length demurrer but finally had the applicant sworn in, the Supreme Court having recently decided that they were eligible to practice Mrs. Nuckolls does not propose to practice here. She is traveling for the Callahan Law Publishing Company of Chicago and believes that her business would be benefited by her being a regular attorney.

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Source: Crawfordsville Daily Journal 5 Dec 1894 p 3

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Mr. George W. Paul, the attorney of this city, related the other evening to a circle of friends, a somewhat remarkable adventure that overtook him one night some three years aj/o. on the old Chicamauga battle field. Mr. Paul at that time kept a grocery in Chattanooga. lie is a plain matter-of-fact man and has little time to spend in the investigation of spiritual phenomena, and has littlefaith in such hings. One night, he reports, he had business some thirty miles south-east of Chattanooga, and the route to be traveled took him ,iirectlv through the old battle field of Chicamauga. Seated in a buggy drawn by one horse, lie started on his journey about 6 o'clock in the evening. Within two hours he had reached the battle field and the night was quite dark, the only light being from the stars overhead. The horse walked the entire distance.  Just after reaching the north edge of the field, he heard not over thirty or forty feet from him the conversation in a low tone of two or more voices. His first, thought was of an attempted robbery of him and looking around he found he had nothing whatever to defend himself with should it occur. The sound of voices continued and he stopped the horse to await, the appearance of the supposed robbers. They came not, however, but the voices continued to be heard, although distinct. He started on again determined to defend himself as best he could in the event of an attack, but none was made.  He was some 4 hours on the field and murmuring of the voice were heard along the entire route or until he had passed through. The journey was decidedly unpleasant in consequence of its weird, ghost-like accompaniements and he would not repeat it again under any circumstances. Relating his adventure to two or three Confederate veterans, living in Chattanooga a few days afterward, he found they had experienced the same uncanny, spook-like conducte while journeying over the battlefield after dark, one of them, Col. Marshmyers, avoiwing he would suffer his right arm amputated before making a trip over the field in the night. Was it the spirits of some dead soldiers come back to visit the scenes of their sufferings, was it ghosts or was it imagination?

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Source: C’ville Review 9 Nov 1895 p 10

Mr. Goerge W. Paul and Henry Vancleave have formed a partnership for the practice of law. Their office is on south Washington street over Dunn’s drug store.

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