Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-29
JUDGE AGAR
DECLARES
LAWYER
Osborne Brands Judge Colossal
Conceit," Who "Courts Noto-
riety" and Evades Justice.

SAVANNAH, Jan 29-Anticipat-
ing the severe arraignment that would
be made by w. w. Osborne, of the
firm of Osborne & Lawrence, Judge
Emory Speer did not enter the Fed
eral Court room at the morning ses-
sion to-day of the investigation into
his official conduct. His counsel gave
out a statement that he had remained
In his chambers to prepare a state
ment that would be read to the COM
inittee when it adjourned.
What Mr.. Osborne's law partner,
Alex Lawrence, did not say about
Judge Speef, Mr.. Osborne supplied,
but he was more damaging witness
in that he displayed no bitterness or
feeling. His gravest charge against
the accused jurist was that in the
nineties in Savannah, when there was
a rate war on between two electric
traction companies, Judge Speer sided
against the other and in less than one
hour after the order was signed the
affairs of the company that had been
sued, its books and all its papers were
competing company.
Mr.. Osborne's typified the order as
a usurpation of power and an open
effort to side with one company in
the fight. He stated that he made a
personal investigation of the alleged
creditor who had sued the papers and
found him to be a Tennessee noun
taineer, who hardly had the means OF
a livelihood. He then made tie
straight statement that in his opinion
Judge Speer was tudicially corrupt
Brands Speer Gear"
Mr. Osborne said Judge Speer was a
car and that reform is necessary in
the district presided over by him.
Judge Speer is a good lawyer, Mr..
Osborne said. and he is literary
man. but he is also an unfair one. He
has a colossal conceit. loves the spot
light. courts notoriety and runs a
court in which there is little justice,
said the witness.
What we reed here" said Mr. Os-
borne, is judge and not czar. A
good Judge and a good court in this
district would do much toward max
ing the American flag loved and re.
spected here, but this will not be the
case while Speer is judge. think it
is incumbent upon the Department %
Justice to take some steps to relieve
the situation"
Mr.. OSBORN read from the stand
the affidavits he gave the Govern
ment inspector who was here several
months ago getting evidence against
Judge Speer.
When Mr. Osborne concluded &
testimony, the counsel for Judge
Speer did not cross examine him II
is understood that he has known the
lawyers for Judge Speer so long ami
been on such intimate footing with
them that they feared the cross-ex-
animation might prove hurtful
Mr.. Osborne was followed to ths
stand by f. j. Crowley, of Waycross,
brother of w F. Crowley, who was
defendant with McClelland in a
neonage case. Crowley substantiated
the statement Of Messrs. Lawrencs
and Osborne with reference TO he
case. In giving testimony regarding
the partnership between Max Isaacs
and A. II. Hayward in March, 1918,
Mr. Crowley testified that on this oc-
casion he went 10 Judge Speer in the
interest of having referee in bank
ruptcy named for Waycross. He said
Judge Speer lamented the fact that
Judge Isaacs had resigned and com
mented that he expected to frequent
~ call upon him, and tina he would
be Of great assistance by virtue Of his
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