Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-22
COL. HUFF, ON STAND,
BRANDS JUDGE SPEER
A RASCAL AND TYRAN1

taking cases to II whenever possible
He cited instances which, in his opin-
ion, proved the Judge to be arbitrary
and unfair in the handling Of cases
He said the judge sought to make
lawyers acCede to his wishes In trials
regardless Of their or their clients
rightc. He cited instances, naming
the j II. Merrill case and the case OF
the First National Bank VS. Hopkins
Forced Out Of Practice.
w. u. Simmons, Of Lakrenceville,
this afternoon testified that he had
resigned the practice of law in the
Southern District because OF Judge
Speer's persecution Of him in court
matters. He said that Judge Speer
appropriated TO his personal use
$1,000 out Of the registry Of the court
in Savannah, according to Clerk
King. now dead. who paid It back 10
Simmons, to whom the money was
owing, in instruments. He said Judge
Speer afterwards borrowed the money
from a Savannah man and reimburS-
ed King.
Speer's Counsel Confident.
III no stronger evidence than that
already adduced Is presented to the
investigating committee In support Of
the charges against Judge Speer the
overwhelming vindication of the jur-
list is a matter of course" declared
his counsel to-day when the sub-com-
mittee of the House Judiciary Com
mittee began its third day of tho
probe.
J. Tom Hill, an attorney OF Cor
dele, testified that Judge Speer un-
Justly attached him for contempt,
would not pass written order after
kept him in suspense for four months
before voluntarily dismissing the
proceedings He said that litigants
would make any compromise before
going into Judge Speers court
He related one instance of how a
court action was secured from Judge
Speer by him by employing the part
ner Of the Judges son-in-law to APP
proach the Judge He said 1t was the
general opinion that Judge Speer
could be reached by wireless" or
underground" methods.
So far 1t has been shown that Judge
Speer waited seven months before
making a Supreme Court mandate
the Judgment of his court. However,
Judge Speer's counsel declare that
this is a mere technlcality, as the
judge was prompted by sufficient le
gal reasons"
Two witnesses have testified that
Judge Speer, while on the bench, is
arbitrary. oppressive, quick to take
sides. nagging and disagreeable. One
has sworn that his administration CT
the court has given dissatisfaction to
the people of the district. who have
lost confidence In the court.
Druggist Tells of Cocaine.
Louis Pellew, a druggist. swore
Tuesday afternoon that twice each
summer he sold Judge Speer one
ounce of three per cent solution of
cocaine, ostensibly for use as a hay
fever remedy. A physician has tes-
tilted that the judges mentality Is
very normal.
Examiner r. c. Lewis. who made
the preliminary Investigation. and
who is assisting the committee in
the hearing, states that the more i'm
portant witnesses will go on the stand
from now on. Among these are TO
be District Attorney Alexander
Alderman, and John NJ. Barnes, post
master at Thomson.
There still remains more than 40
specific charges yet to be sifted, and
nearly all of them are of a very seri-
Gus nature.
The opinion of the lawyers In at
tendance on the investigation is that
so far the evidence has shown. for
the most part, that Judge Speer
abused his power. but stayed within
the law"