The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-01
Accused Judge Takes Stand
in Own Behalf Before
Committee
SPECIFIES CHARGES
AND DENIES THEM
Committee Closes Hearings Following
Testimony-Final Report Prob
ably Will Not Be Made
for Two Weeks

Savannah, January ~. - Federal
Judge Emory Speer of the southern dis
trict of Georgia today characterized as
'maIevoient distortions,r most of the
charges made by witnesses before tho
congressional committee Investigating
allegations OF official misconduct
against the jurist. Al the conclusion
of his testimony the hearings, which
have been In progress In this city and
Macon, Ga.. for the pnst two weeks.
were concluded.
Members of the congressional subeom-
mittee declined to intimate the nature of
their report to the House judiciary COM
mittee which was authorized by Congress
to investigate the charges. Judge speer
was given three weeks IN which to file a
reply brief to the testimony of the 70
witnesses examined by the committee. 1t
| is understood that a final report will not
| be made until two weeks after the SUBJ
committee has received this brief
The intense feeling manifested by Judge
speer, when on three occasions he in
terrupted the testimony OF witnesses, was
not apparent while the iurist was on
| the stand today
Not Allowed to Read Paper
Before taking the witness stand Judge
| Speer endeavored tu obtain permission
to read prepared statement, ON which
he had been at work for several days.
The members OF the committee, however.
declined TO allow this and counsel for
the jurst were informed that he would
have to be sworn and testify as any other
witness.
| When II became known that Judge Speer
| had agreed to appear In this way Chair
man Webb announced that no additional
/ witnesses would be heard. The iurist be-
gan his testimony with denial OF charges
made yesterday before the committee by
| District Attorney AlcNSndJx Akerman.
| Nj. Akerman testified that Judge Speer
had threatened 10 send to jail any iawyer
! vino sought 70 disuualify him in a case
N which Judge Speer's son-n-law A. IL
! Reward was counsel
After this denial Jedge Speer de-
nounced hr Akerfnau. declaring.
our differenceS eiew out of onr di-
/ tarsk / Aiews on kiestipns hvolying the
policy of the law afi1 principles OF inorels
ity upon which thttwelfare OF the peo-
pie depended. Mr.. Akerman allied him
self with the liquor interest and insisted
! that | nolle prose- certain liquor cases. |
did not like hls accepting employment
| from the Atlantic Coast Line railroad,
| While he was district attorney, and |
did not feel that Mr. Akciman was quite
faithful in the naval stores cases.
Administration Merciful
/ The jurst also declared that lie had
not been guilty of drawing juries mprop-
| ery. Judge Speer claimed that his adj
ninistration always had been morciful
and that his kindness had been miscen-
| strued as arbitrariness
Most of the specific charges made by
| witnesses were referred to In Judge
! Speers testimony. lie characterized j. NJ
Barnes, former marshal OF his court, as a
man OF malevoient mind Mr.. Barnes had
! testified that on one OCCASION he thanked
Judge Speer for giving him certain re-
ceiverships and the jurist lad said
What is there In 1t for me?" In re-
gard to this alleged statement, Judge
Speer declared: Il related story about
an English lord who was at one time
a paymaster in the English army. On
one occasion il was remarked that a great
deal of money passed through his hands
| and he replied. Yes but none of II
sticks. Barnes distorted this in his fes-
ltmony when he testified | said What Is
| there in it for me- y
Judge Speer also dnied the truth OF
A. r. Lawton's testimony. IN which tho
latter accused the jurist of wrecling tho
Central of Georgia Railroad and Bank
ing company with midnight order ap-
hpointing receivers for the corporation.
Saved Much Property
"The order was not issued at midnight
declared Judge Speed. THAT order saved
S50 coo of property from being cona--
Gated by Pat Calhoun and his associates
of the tottering Richmond and Danville
railroad My ruling in that case has been
cited and approved by the supreme court
of the United States"
Other denials made by Judge Speer were
TO the charges