The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-04-14
SPEER'S RECORD CLEAR.
TIE UNJUST ATTACKS ON TIE
JUDGE REFUTED.

tee and Took No Stand in Favor Of
Any Particular Plan-A Desire 10 Be
just to All Concerned Within the
Limits of the Law His Only Aim.
MACON, GA. April 13.-Judge Emory
Speer was asked to-day whether be cared TO
say anything about Attorney Crawford's
fierce at:eck on him before Judge Pardee in
Savannah. The judge reflected moment,
and then said: 81 feel keenly the injustice
that has been done me by this attorney. but
l must be very careful not Co say anything,
or think anything which would disqunlify
me from performing my grave duty to the
parties aud to the public in the immense
litigation which has been thrown
upon the court of which 1
am judge. have at times thought that
tho persistent policy Of detraction and mis-
representation directed toward myself by
certain disappointed litigants in this caso
has had that purpose in view. The record
is my vindlcation. will say, however, thar
have passed no order except upon the
petition OF the receiver, Mr. Hugh NJ.
Comsr. sworn 10 by him and signed by his
counsel, who stand as high as any men in
tho country. Mr.. Conner is known
throughout the south and In New
York to be man OF scrupulous
integrity, and he certainly is a
very able man. do not think he would
willingly misleAd me. If he hns done so,
which do not believe, all the rerties are
in a measure responsible for his wrong.
When Judge Pardse and l. after the hear
Ing, appointed receivers, and Gen. Alex
ander resigned the presidency Of the oom-
psny, Mr.. Conner was elected presidsnt Of
the Central railroad and chairman OF the
board Of receivers. by the board Of directors
who had been elected by the Terminal com-
pany vote, including the famous A., 600
Bhares OK stock. Afterwnrd, when the Cen
tral Railroad and Banking Company filed
its bill and admitted that it was not able TO
carry on the business Of the corporation,
and asked the court to take the property
aud administer It for the interest of oil CON
cerned, its board of directors, which in the
meantime had been elected by the vote OF the
stockholders, who are lawfully entitled
to vote, also selected him for receiver
Therefore, when the Farmers Loan and
Trust Company filed It's bill TO fOreolose tho
tripartlte bonds. its counsel presented "a
formal statement that it desired 10 mako
interest concerned MIR. Conner was pre-
seutod to the court as a receiver worthy OF
trust and confidence, and the court has
found him So"
DIDN'T FAVOR ANY PLAN.
"What do you say, judge, about Mr..
Crawford's charge that you favored the
reorganization Of the properties ~
II will say nothing at all about Mr..
Crawford or his statements. When 1 was
IL Augusta last fell a gentleman of that city
told me that a prominent man In New York
had said to him that Mr.. Conner had offered
him the inspection Of letter In which |
authorized him to negotiate a reorganiza.
ton plan. | wrote at once to Mr. Conner TO
ascertain il he had made any such state
ment, and I will show you what be wrote
me- Here is the letter. lt is dat
ed Fob. 6. 1898. You will
perceive he writes: Without any
hesitation whatever, | say thnt this state
ment ts not true. You have never written
anything authorizing the reorganization Of
the properties of this company. | have on
several occasions stated In New York that
you felt deep interest in the property and
wac exceedingly anxious that some arrange
ment 10 made to rsscus it from the flnan-
cial embarrassment, and that | had no
doubt you would welcome nuy plan, when
1t was seen that reorganization wRs neces-
-
sound financial condition and give to the
holders OF its securities the greatest value
possible
FRIEND OF THE PEOPLE.
"Again in the same letter, he writes: If
you have ever written mo anything IN ro-
lation 10 Central railroad matters that,
known to tho world, would place any dis
credit upon you either ss q man or in your
Judicial capacity, | do not recall 1t, and am
sure no 5uch letter was ever written. Your
letters to me in relation to the Central rail-
road matters as well as personal interviews,
bear tho one stamp, that is Of a deep syupa-
thetio interest, one OF anxiety for the good
OF the people who had their money IN il
and whom you were deeirous Of serving in
the best way known tO the law aud to
good management. II Is possible that in
my talks with the parties in New y York |
might have said that there would be no OBJ
lection from you 60 any proper adjustment
of the Central railroads affairs. / know
that have said this on more occasions than
one, as l nave been impressed from the be-
ginning with your earnest desire 10 work
OUT the greatest good possible for the
property This, / Think continued the
judge, "IairlY expresses my interest
in the matter. AS early az juno
Il, 1892, / wrote Mr. Conner as follows: Il
am anxious To turn over the Central prop
HEklE5 10 AuH IJNttbA VI ALbtI AADCAuOilBNH az
soon as II can be safely done, and shall
thank you TO advise me Of the earliest day
when you think this ia feasible and safe to
tho interests OF all concerned At that
time the reorganization had not been talked
off,
FAvoRs REORGANIZATION.
"Is is true, Judge, that you favor the reor-
ganizaton Of the propsrtiesF'
81 have favored giving the stockholders
and security holders an opportunity 20
frame reorganization plan in the same
ssuse a. held in the case Of Tyson VS.. the
Wabash railroad, reported in 8 Bissell Re-
ports. where Justice Harlan refused 20 ap-
point receiver in order, as he states, to
give the stockholders and security holders
an opportunity 10 perfect reorganization
plan. [ am nob committed, however, to
any particular plan. That is a matter
wholly for the owners OF the property |
stockholders aud crelit1rs. An at |
tempt has been made TO torture |
my visit to New York Last fall |
TO attend dinner and make an address at
a meeting Of Greek letter college frater~
nifty, 90 which / belong, into a purpose TO |
agree with the members Of the committee |
on the reorganization plan. This IS wholly |
uniustihable IL is true that gentlemen |
who favor the reorganization plan sought |
conference with me, when l made haste 10 |
inform them that / could not zee them for |
any purpose except merely to hear whas |
they had 20 say, ADD would not see them at |
oil, except Ia the presence of the receiver or