The Savannah morning news., 1902-04-17
U. S. COURT AT vALDoSTA.
The Proposition for n New Judicial
Division of the Southern District.


The House Judiciary Committee
having reported in favor of creating
new judicial division of the Southern
district of Georgia, Judge Emory Speer
makes public the following letter.
which he wrote to the chairman of the
committee in regard to the matter in
March last. The letter:
Macon. Ca. March 1S.-The Honora-
bic George w. Ray, Chairman House
judiciary Committee, Washington, D.
c.. My Dear Mr.. Ray.-I have your
valued favor of the eth instant enclos-
ing bill for the establishment of Cir
cult and District courts of the United
States at Valdosta, Georgia, and asking
my views as to the necessity and pro-
priety of enacting it into law. My re-
ply has been unavoidably delayed by
severe eXactions upon my time made
by the Greene and Gaynor case of
which you have perhaps heard. Now
replying, l have the honor to say:
The counties of Early and Miller in
the Northern District of Georgia were
for a long time in my district. and l
am satisfied that l never had occasion
to try case from either county. The
counties of Baker, Berrien, Brooks,
Charlton, Clinch, Coffee, Colquitt, De-
catur, EchoIs, Irwin, Lowndes, Thomas,
Ware and Worth are all in the Eastern
Division of this District, and the coun-
ties of Dougherty Mitchell and CAL
houn have afforded very little litigation
to the court at Macon, which is the
headquarters of the Western Division.
recall but one really important case
from Dougherty, the most populous of
those counties, in the seventeen years I
have been on the bench, and that has
been disposed of. In the Eastern Di-
vision in addition to the counties above
enumerated, there are also the coun-
ties of Appling, Bulloch, Bryan,
Camden, Chatham, Emanuel
bingham, Glynn. Liberty, Montgom-
cry. Mcintosh, Pierce, Screven, TAFT
nall and Wayne. Since, usually l have
no difficulty in disposing of all the
business from all these counties of the
eastern division in one term, never 1
believe lasting more than six weeks,
there is no reason so far as the public
business is concerned for a new divis-
ion at Valdosta. 1 doubt if there is a
district in the United States where the
court is more completely up with it's
work. We already have three divis-
ions, with courts at Macon, at Augusta
and at Savannah, and fourth seems
to me to be superfluous.
Besides, Valdosta is in a county
which is bounded on the south about
twenty miles away, by the state of
Florida, and while it is a thrifty and
delightful little city with an excellent
population, there is no more reason
why a United States court should be
there than at Thomasville, in the neigh
boring county foTty-four miles away,
or at Americus or Albany or Way
cross or Cordele. all of which would
like to have United States courts. 1t
is obviously fiattering to the federal
judiciary that SO many attractive lit
tie towns desire our presence, but not
withstanding my pride in this man
Hesitation of good will towards the ma
tional courts, / feel obliged to report
the facts. The court already has the
mower TO hold stated term at VAL
dosta if any exigency should require it.
(see Sec. 5Sf r. So, and if this should
occur 1 would be very glad to have a
session there. 1t has, however, never
occurred and may not for many years
to come.
/ have caused the clerk to make up
and / herewith enclose a statement of
all the cases brought from the coun-
ties of the proposed new division for
ten years. 1t will average from each
county in civil cases 0.10, in criminal
cases 40, and in bankruptcy cases 0.S2
of case year. This paucity of liti-
cation, to be expressed by fractions
only, will convince your honorable COM
mittee not only that the demand for
the new court is superogatory, but
also, is convincingly eloquent of the
law respecting character of the people
who dwell in those fine counties. The
heavy work of the court is in the west
ern division at the official residence of
the Judge.
venture to suggest that in lieu of a
new court at Valdosta that Congress
should provide a handsome postoffice
building there. This I think would be
a judicious investment of government
funds, will be equally satisfactory to
the people, and will meet all the ext
gencies of the situation.
Emory Speer,
United States Judge.