The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1914-06-23
ACCUSED JUR|ST CRITICIZED
BUT HIS ERM|ME IS INTACT
Investigating Committee Falls 10
Recommend Either ACQuitta|
or Impeachment

Washington June .23-The sub
committee regrets its inability t
either recommend a complete acquita
OF Judge Speer of all culpability 81
far as these charges are concerned
on the one hand. or an Impeachment
on the other. This was the conc;u-
sion submitted to the House judiciary
committee today, by the special sub
committee that for months has been
investigating charges of official mis-
conduct filed against Emory Speer
of Macon, federal Judge for the south
ern district of Georgia
The report, after an exhaustive re-
sumo Of evidence with severe com
ments, held that some of Judge Speer's
official actions tend to approach q
condition of tyranny and oppression,
but recommend that no further pro
ceedings be had by the House.
These conclusions now rest with
the full committee on judiciary which
is expected to report them to the
House for final disposition of the
case before the adjournment OF the
present session of congress. The
sub com mittee comprises Represen-
tatives Webb, North Carolina: Fitz-
henry, Illinois, Democrats, and Vol
stead, Minnesota. Republican.
Mr. Volstead in minority report
similarly declaring that there is nc
evidence warranting impeachment
attacks the majority Of the sub
committee for criticising a judge they
declare not guilty of any impeachable
offense
Nineteen Charges
Nineteen charges were filed with
tho committee, They alleged, among
other things. that Judge Speer en-
tertained matters beyond his court's
jurisdiction, allowed excessive trustee
fees to a personal friend, used his
official position for perferment OF his
son in law A. H. Hayward, abused his
authority by domestic use of govern
ment paid court employees violated
laws regarding drawing of jurors and
dissipated bankrupt estates by ap-
pointing unnecessary officials and al
lowing excessive fees.
Another charge was that, in the
ease of Henry .Iamison, Macon ne
gro. Judge Speer defied the mandates
Of the supreme court of the United
States and the circuit court Of ap-
peals.
The ub-committee's conclusions
follows:
The conclusion OF the sun commit
fec deduced from the evidence taken
and from the construction OF the
precedents of impeachment trials Is
that at the present time satisfactory
evidence sufficient to support con
viction upon trial by the senate l.
not obtainable.
In the conduct of the hearings
the committee was extremely liberal
and did not confine the witnesses to
giving a technically legal evidence
Much evidence OF a hears say nature
was received The committee felt
iustifed in such course in the light
of the fact that it came to the atten-
tion of the committee that many wit
nesses were spprehensive of the con-
sequences of giving evidence against
Judge Speer in the event OF his ac-
quittal. This feeling and the gen
eral disposition on the part OF the
individuals to protect themselves
against what was termed the wrath
Of Judge Speer kept from the commit
tee the names OF the witnesses and
a knowledge Of the facv ) in their pos
session. Many Of the Witnesses whose
testimony would he absolutely neces-
sare TO sustain some OF the charges