On this date in 1922, The Covington Leader reported that prominent Memphis attorney, P. W. Lanier, would keep his license to practice law. The disbarment proceedings in a Memphis courtroom would end up having a dramatic effect on North Dakota politics.
Powless William Lanier was a consummate political activist and orator who had served as a member of the Tennessee legislature, as judge of juvenile court, and as a municipal judge. As a crusading attorney who fought against “Boss” Crump's political machine in Memphis, Lanier had his share of political enemies.
In 1921, Lanier had represented a woman in a divorce. But after the divorce, she sued him for overcharging her and attempted to get him disbarred. Although Lanier was exonerated, the presiding judge “ruled that Lanier had been careless in handling funds.” Furthermore, the judge “delivered a rebuke that, in his opinion, the matter had not been handled by Lanier in an ethical fashion. He took occasion to warn Lanier not to accept the rulings as a victory, but rather as the imposition by the court of the minimum penalty … namely, censure and reprimand …” Lanier understood what that meant. Although he kept his license to practice law, his political reputation in Tennessee was ruined.
As a municipal judge, Lanier had enforced a policy of leniency toward undesirables – so long as they left town. He apparently took his own advice.
In 1923, Lanier moved to Carrington, North Dakota, where he practiced law. He ran as a Democrat for Attorney General in 1928, representative for North Dakota's second congressional district in 1930, and the United States Senate in 1932, losing every time. But from 1933 to 1954, he served as the United States Attorney for the state. During that time, in 1934, Lanier convicted Governor Langer of conspiring to defraud the federal government, which forced Langer from office. But that didn’t end the legal wrangling, with two retrials leading to Langer’s acquittal – a blow for Lanier. It took until 1956, but Lanier eventually got his revenge when he stage-managed an insurgency to move Langer’s Nonpartisan League into the Democratic column.
P. W. Lanier may have left Memphis in disgrace, but North Dakota gave his career a second chance. In turn, he would influence North Dakota politics for decades to come.
Dakota Datebook by Andrew Alexis Varvel
