The Anderson daily intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1915, 1914-06-24
Emory Speer
7 Not Irnpeached
have been, affirmed except, .n one or
two minor matters
In
Continued from Page ~

concludes the report, "hOw can they
be Expected to maintain that spirit
of independence SO essential to the
just administration OF the law?
IL Is not necessary to say anything
IN Communication Of Judge Speer. The
last line of the majority report, re-
commenting no further action upon
the charges is. despite all criticism
to the contrary. complete yindica-
tion. 1t would not have been written
If the evidence had pointed to any
thing worth! OF real critisicm. In
conclusion let me add that the day
i will come when Judge Speer will be
remembered with pride by the people
CT Georgia. not only for his ability
4 and integrity. but especially for what
Mr. Wimberly called his many beau
tiful acts Of mercy tc the poor and
OPP. ocacG.
Majority Report.
| "The subcommittee regrets its in
ability to either recommend a COM
plete acquittal of Judge Speer of all
culpnbifity SO far as these charges
are- concerned. cn the one hand, or
an impeachment, on the other hand"
This was the conclusion submitted to
| the house judiciary committee by the
special subcommittee that for months
hrs been investigating charges Of Of
| ficfal misconduct filed against Emory
Specr OF Macon. federal judge for the
southern district of Georgia.
The report, after an exhaustive re-
sume of evidence with severe COM
ments, held that some Of Judge peers
cficial actions "tend to approach a
condition CT tyranny and oppression"
| nf "a M dod hot
.ceeding be had by the house.
These conclusions now rest with the
fnll committee ON judiciary, which
is expected to report on them to the
house for final disposition OF the case
before the Adjournment OF the present
session of congress. The ub-commit-
tee comprises Representatives Webb,
North Carolina; Fitzhenry, Illinois,
democrats, and Volstead. Minnesota,
republican,.
Nineteen charges were filed with 1,
committee. They alleg 81
other things, that Judge
tanned matters beyond 49,
| riSdictfOn, allowed excessive
fees to personal friend, used H.
4 ficial position for Ereferment oil his
son-in-law, a. Fl. Hayward, abused his
authority by domestic use Of govern
ment paid court employees, violated
laws regarding drawing OF jurors,
and dissipated bankrupt estates by ap-
pointing unnecessary; officials and al
i lowini' excessive fees.
i Another charge was that in the
case'pf Henry Jamison, Macon negro,
4 Judge Speer defieds the mandates OF
the supreme court of the United States
and the circuit court Of appeals. Y
The bocommittee's conclusion
follows: !
4 The conclusion Of the sub-commit-
tee 'deduced from the evidence taken
and from the construction Of the pre-
cedents OF impeachment trials. is i;iat
at the present time satisfactory evil,
dence sufficient to support q convic-
tion upon n trial by the senate is not
obtainabie. - ~
I'm tho conduct of the hearings the
committee was extremely liberal and
did not confine the Witnesses to. the
!; giving OF technically legal evidence.
Much evidence OF hearsay nature
4 was received. The committee !felt
justified in such n course In the light
of the fact that It came TO the at
tcntion OF the. committee TINT many
Witnesses were apPrehensive Of the
CONSEQUENCES of giving evidence
/ against Judg1 Speer sn the event
Of his acqlilttal. This feeling and the
general disposition on the part Of In
dividuals to protect themselves
\ against what was termed the wrath,
! of Judge Speer kept from the COM
mtttee the names OF the witnesses and
j a knowledge Of the facts in their pos
session Many witnesses; whose testi-