New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-04
RICHMOND AND DANVILLE.
JUDGE SPEER'S ACTION REGARDING THE
RECEIVERSHIP.
NOT INFLUENCED BY LOCAL SENTIMENT AGAINST
FOREIGN CAPITAL.


FOREIGN CAPITAL.
TO tho Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: have been very greatly surprised at certain
statements which have been made In newspapers In
this city to the effect that Jndrc Emory speer, OF
Georgia. in his action In entertaining bin for the
appointment OF receivers OF the Richmond ard Dan
Vile Railroad Company. has been Influenced by local
feeling In that state adverse to nonresident IN
vcsors Of capital In railroad securities While can
not claim any knowledge respecting the merits OF the
Richmond and Danvie controversy. yet | do very
well know both from experience and observation OF
the Of business In Judge Speer's courts that he
is not Influenced by considerations which the articles
above mentioned have attributed to him. but on the
contrary he has shown himself entirely st to foreign
capital against local prejudice and Influence am
50 far Impressed with this belief that feel that
should be party to public injustice did not take
occasion to offer statement OF facts within my
knowledge bearing the subject.
Some wears ago citizens Of New York who owned
large tracts Of pine timber land in southeast Georgia
were compelled to resort to the Federal Court for
protection OF their title AGAINST trespasscrs and I'M
lawful claimants. Judge Specr had Just then come
upon the bench and Of his earliest decisions was
decree for the protection Of their title and the grant
Ing Of an Injunction against those who had attempted
Illegally 10 possess themselves Of this property.
aftcrward acquired title to the land I'm question ana
became necessary for the protection OF my Interest
70 bring proceedings for contempt for violation OF
the Injunction which had been granted against several
Of the parties who had been enoncd and among them
against man OF considerable local prominence law
Yer by profession and ono who had been member OF
the General Assembly Of the State The result was his
imprisonment for what was shown TO be a deliberate,
hacrant AID continued violation Of the inIuiuton.
After his release from prison. partly In revenge. ana
partly IN order continue his dcpredations unon the
property In question. he formed n conspiracy with
other individuals. ono Of them the sheriff OF the
county in which OF the lands were situated. TO
ASA ,inate the resident who had represented
mo I'm conducting the prosecution for cOntomDt As
the principal consprator stated, they designed TO
produce such state of terrorism that the agents OF
thc Ncw-YorlS owners Of the land would not dare to
live upon It sunless they were in steel houses
For this conspiracy and assassination. the object
Of which TO deter non resident from asserting
his rights n sultor in the Federal court these parties
were indicted I'm the Federal court. and after trial
lasting about three weeks were convicted. tn" three
most prominent cOn'piratorS were sentenced To the
pcntcntlary for life, the others FOR long Term TINS
case was "a signal triumph in the administration OF IN"
law The criminal violence which was manifested
I'm the origin and in the object Of the conspiracy
threatened to make Itself shown during The trial itself
Judge SI,.rr was The recipient Of Anonymous letters
threatening his life. and the marshal thought II proper
10 provide "A guard for the judges residence To
punish these vloators ~ the prominent ~ they
were locally and ably dcfcnd~l-rqulrcd ab>O.u" Tear
le,,c,, on the part II the presiding Judge In the dis
charge Of his duty The result of the prosecution was
not only whole one in the community most mmed
aicly affected by H. but WAS 81 great value to the
country M large In showing In most conspicuous
ca~. that the Federal courts adequate To the
administration II Justice where the rights Of non
residents were mprrlcd by local conspiracy OF great
magnitude and 10 which persons Of local prominence
we've committed
In IA lurlng the last decade
have had occasion 10 acquir" som" knowledge ana
information In a general way. relative 10 the nature
and conduct ~ business in judge SP'cr, court. -
Ear l- n from being that he j. uniu"ndN 10 ny
Interest,", % foreign capital. that on the other hand
- frie that for IN insurance companies Wliilh MS
jurisdiction almost Invariably remove ilclr 'Nltl"
scr ,ic~ 10 hl. that foreign railroad companies
and other corporations pursue IA" same course ~
lc particular charge made Is that Judge >lrer Is
hostile I'm spirit railroad interests held outside tlc
state II &, worthy OF Nmnrs TINT there has been nut
ono verdict against q nilr,nd company In his court
during the entire time he Ia, been upon INC b'uci
cur great mercantile hou-r, have brcn accustomed
10 lrins befor" Judg. ~p"r their controversies Win
local merchants, who have cnd"avor' 10 hinder. d"hy
or defeat 10. claims 90 their NDrh"rn CREDITOR under
d0ui not hut that M.'-ers. II. H. Canin a Co. f. :
fnfffny 4 co. Tcfi Weller = CO.. Swr"iH"r, Pembroke
a co. and other firms extending credit ~ '',TlgA
viii bear testimony that IN their cNpciirnc" Of un
ton In Judge >P'r's court IL Is not true mat ne A,
been hostile 10 the rights 81 foreign cr~ior>. but
that De- In, I'm the administration Of the law been en-
f.relV impartial and Just 10 them.
Tho truth that Judge - rr, entirc judicial Wcoh
/. an over whrlmng recitation - the statement thht
Judge >prcr has been Influenced or affected by any
local sentiment adverse to III" interest 81 non resi-
dent investors. N0RhAN W. D'''E'
Sew York, July !, l-92.