Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-02-02
ON STAND
IN DENIAL Of
CHARGES
Speer Refutes Accusations Of
Enemies Before Congressional
Investigating Committee.
Continued From Page I.

Dld you ever make Talley and
Hayward receivers"
Absolutely no.
Did you ever favor them?"
Speer Cites Precedents.
1T Is in the records that l wrote
one referee who asked me If 1t would
be proper to appoint my son-in- law,
and | told him to refer to the record.
| had never heard that the fact that
lawyer happened to be related to a
judge disqualified him from practic-
ing. My friend Judge S. B. Adams,
who just left the stand, practiced for
a number Of years before his brother,
Judge A. p. Adams, on the Superior
bench. The son of Justice Harlan
practiced before his father, and the
son Of Judge Newman practices be-
fore him"
did you have ,tnything to do with
the employment of Isaacs and Hey
ward?"
Never"
did you have anything to do with
the forming of the partnership"
Nothing"
Did you ever ask Mr.. White to
make Isaacs and Hayward attorneys
in a case?"
Never in my life have in cases
where l felt that highly specialized
legal skill was needed suggested SO ne
certain law firm that l thought best
suited"
Alderman Liquor Ally"
Judge Speer was asked about the
rupture with District Attorney Aker-
man, of which the latter testified in
Macon. He charged Mr.. Alderman
with being allied with the liquor in
terests, and that he (Akerman) had
endeayored to nolle PROSE- several in
ternal revenue cases that the judge
thought should be prosecuted. Two
of these, he said, were houses of de-
bauchery, where liquor was sold to
aid in prostitution. Alderman took the
stand that the cases should not be
tried" said the judge. ! said they
should. They have not been tried nor
have they been nolle pressed.
did you ever have any other diff
ferences with Mr.. Akerman?"
Yes, it was in some railroad af-
fairs. There were twenty cars on
the Atlantic Coast Line that were
dangerous to life and limb. The Gov
eminent was seeking to right this,
Mr.. Alderman was trying to serve two
masters. reminded him of this and
he got very indignant"
Were there any other instances ?"
81 have never believed Mr.. Aker-
man was faithful to his trust in the
prosecution of the naval stores trust.
1t was so noticeable that | wrote a
letter to the President, calling his at
tention to it. | have here a very
flattering reply from him and a let
ter from the Attorney General, thank
ing me for my jealousy and stating
the affair would be corrected"
Judge Speer was asked about NOR
rowing money from King, the late
clerk of court Without hesitating he
said:
Yes, 1 borrowed the money. l had
Just returned from a term in Con-
gress. My salary was $4,000. | was
needy. Mr.. King knew it and offered
me the money at low rate of in
terest. 1t was after that Mr.. King
was called upon to perform his first
official task in court. He made such
a miserable failure that | made some
sarcastic newark 1t angered him
and after court he said he would COM
pei me to pay it. He asked me for
the money and | Immediately fur
nished it,"
Several have said you had used
court officials as family servants"
81 have had the most kindly and
friendly relations, they have been
most faithful When they finished
their work at the court they would
go to my home and perform some
light services. For this | gave them
their board and housed them on my
place"
Denies Servant Charge.
The judge entered into a sweeping
denial of the statement of Mr. Aker-
man that Mccoy was a servant in his
house. He said the man was his guest
and his companion. and there was
nothing in the world that could sub
stantiate the charge.
Judge Speer was next asked about
the charge of Barnes that the judge
had asked him:
What do l get out Of it?"
Il had just related little incident
to him in the life of Lord Pitt and his
malevolent mind construed it that
way" was the reply
TT has been said here that this
word by consent was written in the
Beach Manufacturing case"
II wrote that word myself before
the order was signed by me-"
1T has been said you spend little
time in the district"
IF you will examine the record, you
will find l am in open court 200 days
in the year. If you will add the num-
Der of holidays and Sundays, YOU will
find | am about as active as most
judges"
Charges Race Prejudice.
Mr. Fielder complained that in the
CLANCY case you were extremely dis
courteous"
Mr. Fielder was making improper
argument. He was stirring up race
prejudice. and when the District At
torney appealed to me stopped It,"
He made the charge that the Jury
was improperly drawn"
Il want to say that when I came on
the bench in this district found the
iuries made up almost exclusively OF
profes sional jurors a great number
were negroes. who were purchase BILE
purged the jury box, and to-day 7
want to say that 10 court in the Unit
ed States has a higher type of ju-