The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1914-06-23
Southern Jurist, However, Is Not
Complstsly Exonerated by
Sub Committee
ADVISES CASE Be DROPPED
Special investigators Report Their
Findings to the House Ju-
dietary Today

WdSniHStOii, JUNE So.- ne SUD-
committee regrets it's inability TO
either recommend complete acquittal
OF Judge Speer of all culpabilty so far
as these charges are concerned ol the
one hand. or an impeachment on the
other hand"
This was the conclusion submilte =.
To the House judiciary committee to-
day by the special subcommittee that
for months has been investigatins
charges of official misconduct filed
against Emory Speer, of Macon, fed
eral Judge for the southern 6strict of
Georgia.
The report after an exhaustive re-
sumo of evidence with severe COM
mcnts, held that some of Judge Speer's
official actions tend to approach a
condition OF tyranny and oppression,
but recommended that no further pro-
ccedings be had by the House
Put Up To Full Committee.
These conclusions now rest with the
full committee on judiciary, which is
expected to report them to the House
for final disposition of the case before
the adjournment of the present session
of Congress. The sub committee COM
prises Representatives Webb, Nortt
Carolina, FitZhonry, Illinois, Demo
Gratis, and Volstead, Minnesota, Re
publican.
Mr.. Volstead in a minority report,
similarly declaring that there is no
evidence warranting impeachment,
will attack the majority of the sub
committee for criticisins a judge the
declare no. guilty of any impeachable
offensc.
Nineteen charges were filed with the
committee. They alleged, anon. .
other things, that Judge Speer enter
talncd matters beyond his courts jur-
isdiction, allowed excessive trustee
fees to a personal friend, used his ofii-
cial position for preferment Of his son
in law, A. II. Hayward, abused his
authority by domestic use of govern
ment paid court employees, violated
laws regarding drawing of jurors, and
dlssipated bankrupt estates by ap-
pointing unnecessary officials and al
lowing excessive fees.
Another charge was that. in the
case OF Henry Jamison a Macon negro
Judge Speer deiied the mandates OF the
Supreme Court of the United States
and the Circuit Court of Appeals.
Liberal In Investigation.
The sub committees conclusions fol
low:
The conclusion of the sub-commit-
tee deduced from the evidence taken
and from the construction of the pre-
cedents of Impeachment trials, Is that
at the present time satisfactory evi-
dence sufficient to support conVl'-
ton upon trial by the Senate ls nCt
obtainable
"In the conduct of the hear ags the
committee was extremely liberal ana
did not confne the witnesses to tn
giving of technically legal evidence
Much evidence of n hearsay nature
was received. The committee felt-jus-
tilted in such course i'm the light oi
the fact that IL came to the attention
of the committee that rtny W.T.
nesses were apprehensive of the con-
sequences of giving evidence against
Judge Speer in the event of his aoquit-
tai. This feeling and the general dls-
position OH the part of individuals 10
protect themselves against what WIS
termed the wrath" of Judge opeer
kept from the committee the names oil
the witnesses and knowledge OF the
facts in their possession. Many OF the
witnesses whose testimony would be
absolutely necessary to sustain some Oh
the charge made are dead. Others nave
removed from the southern district Oh
Georgia and their whereabouts are un-
known"
The Jamison case is one or man
instances shown by the record Where
the Judge, without taint of indlVidua'
corruption and with the apparently
laudabe purpose of purifying the com
munity and inaugurating civic re
form, disregarded the law and appar-
entity considered that the end justiile''
the means.
The record shows instances whe'e
the Judge sitting in the trial of GRIM.
inal cases, apparently forced pleas OIL
guilty from defendants or convictions
and there is strong evidence tending To
show that in one case, at least ne
forced innocent parties to enter such
pleas through fear of the conse
quenees I'm the event of an unfaNor-
able verdict at the hands OF jury
presided over by the Judge In th'
manner peculiar to himself.
III Judge Speer's judicial acts In III,
future are marked by the rigorous aho