Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-25
SPE.ER DEFIANT
AF TER WEEK Of
ACCUSATION rs
aAIl Undertaking Testimony of
Hearsay Character" Declares
Accused Jurist's Counsel.

MACON. Jan. 24.-After a week of
.,ting testimony replete with sensa-
inns in this city, In which he was
bsld M as a judicial tyrant, syco-
rbant a panderer for publicity, a
nIavAr of favorites, a user of drugs,
mental weakling, a victim of self
aonceit and a man otherwise unfit to
con+inue in the office he has held for
- Years. the special Congressional
,onmittee named to investigate
,sarges of misconduct by Judge En-
NV Sheer of the United States Court
nv the Southern District of Georgia,
vi, leave here tomorrow night and
convene in Savannah Monday morn
Inc 10 continue the probe that his
sccusers aim shall result in his trial
and Impeachment by the Senate of
he United States.
a. vigorous has been the denunci-
,+Ion bv witnesses that twice-yes-
tsrday and to- day-Judge Speer lost
his self-restraint and demanded the
right 10 be heard in refutation of the
charges and insinuations against him
And twice has Chairman Webb, of
The Investigating committee, forced
him to desist, plainly telling the jurist
that he could offer no defense before
1 this committee, his only recourse be-
ing before the Senate in event his
impeachment is ordered by the
House
Resents Lewis Attack.
To-days outburst came during the
testimony of r. Cotton Lewis, special
agent of the Department of Justice,
who made the original investigation,
vrAnlre, IN thn o{tiaa
where Judge Speer holds court, delv-
ing into the jurists acts for many
wears past Mr. Lewis had accused
Judge Speer of showing marked ia
voritism for his son-in-law, A. H.
Howard. and the latter's law part
ner ]. n. Talley. former private sec
retarv to the Judge. The law firm of
Howard & Talley, he said, had re-
ceived several hundred fees, amount
ing to several thousands of dollars,
through the acts of Judge Speer in
his judicial capacity, in appointing
them receivers, counsel, etc.
Goaded by these charges, Judge
Speer leaped to his feet, purple with
rage, and declared:
| Il want all of the facts to go into
/ this record For IS years l have rep
/ resented Il ulSlIlCl lWlCS DIS ldl &c III
population and wealth as the entire
State of Florida, and 1 have tried to
serve It faithfully, but l have been
DETAINED before the country, and | de-
mand the right to let the people know
4 all of the facts"
White Defends Judge.
j Mr. Lewis was on the witness
stand practically all of the morning
session to-day. The other witnesses
heard were George S. Jones, law part
rer Of one of Judge Speer's counsel;
George F. White, former United States
Marshal, and Colonel William A.
Huff, aged ex-Mayor Of Macon, whose
estate has been in Judge Speer's
bankruptcy court for fifteen years.
The latter was recalled to give more
details concerning his sensational tes..
umony Of earlier in the week.
Mr. White, who for nine years was
Marshal of the district, and who had
eeen intimately associated with the
Judge for rs years, during all of which
time he had some connection with the
court, swore that the judge had never
used bailiffs. deputies, criers or mes
sengers as his personal servants, as
mad been charged, without paying
mem himself for such work.
Mr. Jones testified that Judge
speer was unfair, arbitrary and OPP
pfesslve. He said the judge was too
quck to appoint receivers in bank
ruptcy on ex parte evidence and had
several times been censured for 1t by
The Appellate Court.
"Muckraking," Says Lawyer.
Undertaking testimony of a hear
Jay character, that's all. Not single
mpeachable fact has been brought
out against Judge Speer during the
whole investigation this week-not a
single charge has been supported by
evidence that will stand for sec
snl before the United States Senate"
declared Judge Enoch Galloway, one
the attorneys for Judge Speer,
wnen the committee concluded the
moon.