Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-22
BARS JUR|SI
FR0MGO|NC
ON STAND
Defendant in Probe Not To Be
Allowed to Make Statement
in Own Behalf.

MACON, Jan '22.-Of more con-
Germ to Judge Emory Speer and his
attorneys, even more discouraging to
them than the damaging evidence Of
Wednesday, is the announcement of
the Congressional probe committee
that the Judge will not be allowed to
make a statement in the investiga-
tion.
The Judge and his counsel had
planned that he should make an elab-
crate statement to the committee re-
viewing the evidence and, for that
matter, taking up his entire personal
and judicial career. The Judges
gift of eloquence was calculated to be
OK advantaTe to him in the presenta-
lion of his side by himself.
However. the committee is not
going TO admit testimony of this kind.
Chairman Webb has stated in open
court that the committee is here as
an inquisitorial body, more as n
Grand Jury, hearing evidence in sup
port of a proposed indictment, and
that evidence specifically introduced
10 bolster Judge Speer's cause will!
not be received. The eommitte Is
assigned only to hear such charges
as may be brought against the Judge,
and if they are sufficient to Justify
impeachment the jurist will have his
opportunity of combating them in
appearance before the bar of the
Senate.
Forced Out of Court.
Only three witnesses TESTIFIED
Wednesday afternoon, but they gave
such testimony as put Judge Speer's
lawyers on their mettle in the cross
examination.
W. Z. Simmons, of LawrenceVille,
testified that he withdrew from the
practice of law in the Southern Dis
trict. dismissing more than fifty cases
al one time, because of Judge Speers
attitude toward him.. He said that
he and the Judge candidly hated each
other, the feeling starting over poll
tics more than thirty years ago. He
said that Judge Speer treated him
unfairly and discourteously in court,
so that he could not win case.
How ever" he added, Il always re-
yersed him in the higher courts, and
he IL
Mr. Simmons declared that the
clerk of the court at Savannah, RI.
Il. King, now deceased, was unable
10 refund to him about $1,000 which
he had advanced as costs in the dis
missed cases. Mr. King said that
Judge Speer had the money" he
'estifled that King subsequently paid
aim back.
Judge Speer presented for the IN
spection of the committee receipt,
signed by Mr.. King, for s1,2e5. and
lt was stated by his counsel that the
money had been borrowed by Judge
speer as a private transaction, and
mat if Mr.. King took the money from
the registry of the court, the Judge
has unaware of the fact.
Underground" Methods Necessary.
}, Tom Hill, of Cordele, related how
ne had ben attached for contempt oil
court in 1912 because a convict
claimed half Of SIS fee. He de-
ciared it was a contractual differ
snee, not a matter for the jurisdic-
uon of Judge Speer, and certainly not
contempt Of court case. He said
mat the Judge refused to pass
written order. would not allow an
appeal, and kept him in suspense,
slraid to come to Macon for fear OF
arrest, for more than four months.
men Judge Speer voluntarily wrote
nin that the proceeding had been dis
missed. the Judgment previously rem
uered verbally being reversed.
{, Mr.. Hill declared that lawyers of
Hooth Georgia and the people gen.
Continued on Page 3, Column 4.