Stein

The Board of Governors of The State Bar has recommended that the petitioner, an attorney at law, be disbarred, and the present proceeding was brought to review that determination.

The decision of the board followed a hearing before a local administrative committee upon the charge of appropriating the money of a client. The petitioner did not appear at this hearing but was represented by counsel. The committee found that some time after he met Pearl Garber, the complaining witness, he was employed as an attorney to probate the estate of her deceased mother. He also drew a will for her. Because of such employment the petitioner became acquainted with Miss Garber's affairs. He induced her to give him $730 to be invested in an oil enterprise upon representations that Harry J. Keeley, who occupied offices adjoining that of the petitioner, was then drilling a well and “she would get more than double her money in return”. Mr. Keeley was not then drilling any well and he was not soliciting or accepting money from anyone.

Other findings are that the money was paid to petitioner in amounts ranging from $70 to $150 and was appropriated-by petitioner to his own use. He agreed to deliver…