Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-06-24

Another charge was that, in the case
of Henry Jamson, a Macon negro, Judge
speer defed the mandates of the su
preme Court of the United States and the
Circuit Court of Appeals.
The subcommittee conclusion fol-
lows:
THE conclusion of the subcommittee
deduced from the evidence taken and
from the construction of the presidents
of impeachment trials. is that at the
present time satisfactory evidence suffi-
cient to support a conviction upon
trial by the Senate is not obtainable.
In the conduct of the hearings the
committee was extremely liberal and
did not contine the witnesses to the CIV
ing of technically legal evidence. Much
evidence of hearsay nature was re-
ceived. The committee felt justified in
such n course in the light of the fact
that it came to the attention of the COM
mittee that many witnesses were appre-
hensive Of the consequences of giving
evidence against Judge Speer in the
event OF his atquittal. This feeling and
the general disposition on the part of in
divduals to protect themselves against
what was termed the wrath" of Judge
Speer kept from the comnittee the names
of the witnesses and knowledge of the
facts in their possession. Many of the
witnesses whose testimony would be alb
solutely necessary to sustain some of
the charges made are dead. Others have
removed from the southern district Of
Georgia and their whereabouts are I'M
known.
another phase of the record is that
il details a large number of official acts
on the part of Judge speer which are in
themselves legal, yet, when taken to-
gether, develop into a system tending to
approach condition of tyranny and
oppression. There has been an inequita-
Bile exercise of judicial discretion, many
instances of which have been frequently
criticized where the cases in which they
were committed have been reviewed by
the courts of appeal, while in others
ltigants were unable financially. to
prosecute appeals. That the power of
the court has been exercised in a des-
potic and autocratic manner by the judge
can not be questioned.
The Jamison case is one of many in
Judge, without faint of individual cor
ruption and with the apparently laudahle
purpose of purifying the community and
/ inaugurating a civic reform, disregarded
the law and apparently considered that
the end justified the means.
The record shows instances where the
judge sitting in the trial of criminal
cases, apparently forced pleas of guilty
from defendants lor convictions, and
there is strong evidence tending to show
that in one case, at least he forced in
nocent parties to enter such pleas
through fear of the consequences in
the event of an unfavorable verdict at
the hands of jury presided over by the
Judge in the manner peculiar to himself
THE subcommittee regrets its ina
huity to either recommend complete
acquittal of Judge Speer of all culpability
so far as these charges are concerned on
the one hand or an impeachment on the
other And yet it is persuaded that the
competent legal evidence at hand is not
sufficient to procure conviction at the
hands of the Senate. But ii does feel
that the record presents a series of le-
gal expressions and shows an abuse OF
judicial discretion which, though falling
short of Improbable offenses, demand
condemnation and criticism.
eff Judge Speer's judicial acts in the
future are marked bp the rigorous and
infiexble harshness shown by this rec
ord. these charges hang as a portentious
cloud over his court, Impairing his use
fulness, impeding the administration of
Justice. and endangering the integrity of
American institutions. "