Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-01-19
Of CHARGES
AGAINST SPEERON
House Investigators Begin In.
CURRY Into Alleged Miscon-
duct of Judge.
HEARING IS BEING HELD
IN JURIST'S HOME TOWN
Former City Recorder Of Macon, Ca,
Tells of Accused Freeing Pris-
oner on Habeas Corpus.

MACON. Ga, January i'm estiea-
ton of charges o: official misocndu ct
against Judge Emory epaer u tho
United States court. soa'nern district
or Georgia. began here teesy. tt
investigation is being conducted b. 4.
subcommittee of the House commit D
on judiciary.
Representative Webb OF North Caro-
lima, is chairman of the committee.
Other members are Reprassn at.v-s
F!tzhenry OF Illinois and T,s'eaG az
Minnesota. The charges against JUDI
Speer were first lodged with the iu,a-
| ciary committee of the House &c
Representative August 16. 1918. IN y
| confidential communication from to
Department of Justice. and Aueus. -.
1913, the House ordered an investigate.
Charges Against Judge Spec.
The charges against Judge Spee-. is
summarized by Representative C.ayi''
before the House of Representatives "
gust %. 1913. follows:
With having violated section q. o.
the judicial code in allowing his SON %
law to he appointed and employed In 81
fees and duties in his court.
with the violation OF the bankrupt
act in allowing compensat on In excess
OF the provisions of that act to a trlls
tee who was his personal friend.
"A violation of the laws in draNiue
iuries.
"a violation of a mandate of the sr-
preme Court of the United States
Oppressive and corrupt Use of his .
fetal position in deciding cases unjust''
in favor of his son-in-law,
Unlawful and corrupt conduct !n I.~p
ceedinss in cases wherein his son -iu-l.,u
had a contingent fee.
Corrupt Use of Official Authority.
Corrupt and unwarran,cd as" nf his
official authority in using court nihr ..
who were paid by the gorernnrn',
private servants. without rend l'-
service to the government.
| Oppressive and corrupt conduct iu I
| lowing the dissipation of assets OF nArl
| ruptcy estate by the e'np oyment "f t
necessary officials and the payment 81 y
| cessive fees.
| Oppressive and corrupt abuser ~
| granting orders appointing receivers IN
property without notice TO the ow ~ p
and without cause. resulting In sr.1t l''s'
| to the party.
Oppressive and corrupt abuse 81 u
| thority in refusing to allow the dlsin.sFal
| of litigation. thereby permitting re atife1
and fayorites to profit by the receipt "'
large fees.
Improper. II not corrupt. abuse OF ag-
thority in taking or causing to be tahen
money from the court fund for his pr
| waite use.
Judge Speer Allowed Counsel.
After the resolution under which 'fe
| committee acts had been read toaa ?
Chairman Webb stated that the pro
ceeding was in the nature OF a graz q!
| 10 faI hns Ia
| Speer, who was present. would 10
allowed counsel. and at his reau. :
/ Judge Speer designated his attornt p
Judge A. Cobb. counsel for Jud >
| Speer, addressed the committee briei g
ly. promising cooperation in facilitni
| ing the investigation. Gusts Noting
| ham. former city recorder Of Maco...
was the first witness called.
Judge Speer Releases Prisoner.
Mr. Nottingham testified that In his Of
| fetal capacity as city recorder. he had In
1904 sentenced Henry Jemison. SAID TO ls
an employe of Judge Speer. to the coulty
| chain gang for violation of a city ortI-
nance. On the same day. he testified.
an additional sentence had been imposs j
| on Jemison for using obscene language.
The two sentences aggregated an tmpits-
| onment of seven months He stated q ~
habeas corpus proceed ngs We're brought
in Judge Speer court. and the prisoi er
| ordered released.
The city of Macon appea ed e. tge
lSuprenle Court of the United States, =
wi ness said VIII ch held that the dis
trict court was without jurisdicti'
Jemison was then replaced on the chain
gang of Macon, and was again Released
lby order of Judge Sheer, who cited the
lefty attorney. superintendent of put ic
works and chief of police for contemri.
The case is sill pending he asserted
Court Decision Read.
| The defense read from decision %
the supreme court of Georgia in Il case
said to be similar in which il had bcsn
| ehld that & city re order is withuu-
authority to sentence Il prisoner for more
than three months. depriying him of the
right of trial by jury. .
| The witness admitted that in fis
| opinion had the Jemison case been
carried to the supreme court OF GeorS 1 4
| it would have been reversed
! Chairman Webb. after the cross-ex-
\ animation of the witness had continue
| for some minutes, stated TO couns y
| for the defense that the principal quo =
| ton at issue was whether or not .IuG.,
Speer had violated . mandate or IT,
| Supreme Court of the United S;a-
| md requested that the eNaminaticn
| conducted along his line.
Owing to the absence Of "A ~stl--
the committee adjourned al Il 80 NJ II
$50 o'clock.
Held FOR THEFT OF ROCKS