The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-01-29
PEOPLE IN TERROR
OF SPEER'S COURT
Nttorney-General OF Georgia Is
Chief Witness Against
Accused Jurist.
LAWYERS "KlNG'S TESTERS"
Sweeping Charges of Unhtness to
Preside as Judge Made
by Witnesses.
LAWYERS "KING's TESTERS"

Savannah, Ga, January 2S.--Sweep-
ing charges that Federal Judge Speer.
of the Southern District of Georgia,
repeatedly has conducted his court in
a high handed, arrogant. intolerant
manner. ana is unfit to preside as d
Judge, to-day We're made by witnesses
before the special congressional COM
mittee which is conducting an investi-
cation here into charges of official
misconduct by the accused jurist.
Thomas S. Fielder, Attorney General
OF Georgia, who occupied the witness
stand for the greater part OF the day,
was vigorous in his denunciation Of
Judge Speer
Judge Speer. in my opinion" he
said, lis unequivocally unsatisfactory
as Judge, and the wonder is the peo-
pie have suffered SO long
Mr.. Fielder added that Judge Speer
had the surroundings of his court SO
arranged as to show him off to best
advantage. The lawyers practicing
| there were the Kings testers. They
were the butts for Judge Speer's wilt
| ticisns. Judge Speer knew how to
take advantage of situation. and
usually did so. The people OF Judge
| Speer's district-not the evil-doers
alone-stood in terror of his court"
Allowed Excessive Fees.
MI Felder's testimony dealt at
| length with the w. A Huff bank
ruptcy case. in which the witness rep
resented Colonel Huff lie charged
That Judge Specr had conducted this
case in a grossly improper manner. and
had allowed excessive fees to officials
whom he appointed 10 conduct the lit
igation. Mr. Fielder corroborated the
testimony OF Colonel Hun before the
committee nj Macon. last week. to the
effect that Judge Speer allowed an
proNimatcly $4,000 of the proceeds OF
The sale o. the Hun estate TO remain
without interest for several years in
the bank Of which Cecil Morgan
Judge Spcers brothcr-in-l law, is vice
president.
Another witness to-day was Colonel
N. l. ColdinS, member OF the Savannah
par. Colonel ColdinS said that he fire.
quentiy had seen Judge Speer treat
with open contempt w. r. Lcaken
formerly United States district attor-
ney and later collector OF tho port
nero The witLcss charged that Judge
Spec oftea had brow beaten negro
witnesses until their knees shook and
their memories failed.
a. i. Wright Savannah attorney,
charged that Judge Speer had been
palpabiy unfair in not permittin,,
f.iectric supply bankruptcy case, mem
iioned yesterday in the testimony Of
w. V. Davis.
Appoints Son-in-Lnw.
W. a Baker. of Brunswick. Ga. tes-
tined REGARDING details OF the appoint
ment OF A. III. Hayward. Judge Speer's
son law, as receiver for his com
pany when Ii was forced into bank
ruptcy Judge Boiling WhiteGeld, also
OF Brunswick. furnished further details
relating TO this case.
:, other WITNESSES to-day were VIII
nam Garrard. OF Savannah, and Judge
John c. Mcdonald. of the Wacross
City court. Mr.. Garrard told Of al
leGed irregularities on the part OF
Judge Spcer in conducting admiralty
cases. Judge McDonald's testimony
aeait with peonage case. In which he
charged that Judge Speer used his In
"uence to haze the defendants plead
guilty.