Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-28
SPEER HOTLY
At 7 ACKED
BY FIELDER
Colonel Huff's Counsel Adds to
Accusations Of Official Mis-
conduct Against Jurist.

SAVANNAH, Jan. 2S.-One of the
bitterest denunciations of Judge
Emory Speer made during the hear
ing before the Congressional Inves-
tigating Committee, looking into the
charges of official misconduct against
the aged jurist, was that of Attor-
ney General Thomas s. Fielder, at Sa-
vannah to-day.
During the afternoon Judge Boiling
Whitfield, a lawyer. OF Brunswick.
testified that shortly after the forma-
ton of a partnership between Max
Isaacs and Mr. Hayward, Judge
Speers SON. law, the two tried to
throw several large companies into
bankruptcy. He said the business In
terests of the Southeast felt insecure
when Isaacs formed the partnership
with Hayward.
II was the first time during the
hearing the committee has turned its
attention to the alleged questionable
practice of lsaacs. who Is now under
indictment in the Apping superior
Court for baratry.
Attorney General Fielder was re-
called at the afternoon session for
ss-examination by ex-Congress-
man Howard. For half an hour the
two parted words on small technical
points. He was unable to shake Mr..
Fielder in any of his statement.
After charging him with Illegally
drawing a jury in the trial of two
peonage cases at Macon and forcing
the defendants to accept thereon three
men who had in previous cases been
favored with receiverships, at the
request of Chairman Webb he gave
the following opinion Of Judge Speer's
administration:
ut is a known fact among lawyers
on this circuit that one can look al
his face at the beginning of trial
and tell whether he will win or lose
a case. No lawyer who is a gentle
man can practice in his court and
not know and feel this instinctively
I'VE Are All Kings testers"
I'VE all like to fight fair and above
the table, but we can not do 1t In
his court. 1t seems that justice has
no part and that the truth is never
looked for We are all kings testers
for him to sharpen his wits upon. The
court is known as Judge Speer's
court, not the United States District
Court.
The layman knows and the lawyer
knows that if he can hope to win 4
case in Judge Speer's court he mus
get a lawyer who, for the while a
least, basks in the sunshine of Judg'
Speer's favor
81 would say unequivocally tina
! Judge Speer's administration is un'
satisfactory and the wonder is tina
the people have suffered so long. /
gives me no pleasure to make thes'
remarks, but / thing it is my dut!
to my people, the people of Georgia.
Insists Action Illegal.
Ex- Congressman Howard, cross
examining Mr.. Fielder, tried to brinl
out thar in selecting jury from
| list in the hands of the Marshal al
! Mr. Fielder said he did, Judge Speei
had really been a benefactor to At
torney Fielder and to the defendants
/ He found Mr.. Fielder agreed with hin
| on this point so far as his defend
ants being acquitted, but reiterated
| the charge that the jury had beer
! illegally drawn and no judge on an!
bench could draw jury in such
way without violating the law
| Cites Peonaee Gases.
Mr.. Fielder was first asked IL h
knew anything Of charges of off1cia
misconduct against Judge Speer.
1T was in 1910 that / was in tn
| Brannan peonage case" he said.
went to the court to see the jury list
| / became suspicious in learning tina
! all the jurors were from Macon.
asked about II and found the name
| had not been drawn from the boS
| but selected from a list The law i
| plain on this point. The jurors Shout
be drawn from the box in the pres
| ence of the clerk and marshal. Il
! this case, however. | was told tina
George. White. the marshal, ha
| Continued on Page 2, Column 4.