Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-29
JUDGE:ACzAR
DECLARES
LAWYER
Osborne Brands Judge Colossal
Conceit," Who 'Courts Noto-
riety' and Evades Justice.

SAVANNAH Jan. 29.-Anticipat-
ing the severe arraignment that would
be made by W. w. Osborne, of the
firm of Osborne & Lawrence. Judge
Emory Speer did not enter the Fed
eral Court room at the morning ses-
sion to-day of the investigation into
his official conduct. His counsel gave
out a statement that he had remained
in his chambers to prepare a state
nent that would be read to the COM
mittee when it adjourned.
Hatred Since Boyhood.
David c. Barrow, Collector of the
Port of Savannah. was the first wit
ness called in the afternoon He
charged Max Isaacs, while referee in
bankruptcy at Brunswick, with in
tervening in the bankruptcy case of
J. C. Titzell, of Savannah--a 800, 900
affair-after an agreement had been
made among the creditors, and later
. deliberately breaking a signed agree
ment of settlement. In all of the liti-
cation. Mr. Barrow said, Referee
Isaacs was arbitrarily sustained by
Judge Speer.
Mr. Barrow said that he had not
practiced in Judge Speer's court be-
cause. when boy at Athens. the
judges home, he formed lasting
antipathy for him.
What Mr.. Osborne's law partner,
Alex Lawrence, did not say about
Judge Speer, Mr.. Osborne supplied,
but he was more damaging witness
in that he displayed no bitterness or
feeling. His gravest charge against
the accused jurist was that in the
nineties in Savannah, when there was
traction companies, Judge Speer sided
with one, issued bankruptcy order
against the other and in less than one
hour after the order was signed the
affairs Of the company that had been
sued, its books and all its papers were
in the Office Of the counsel for the
competing company.
Usurpation of Power.
Mr. Osborne's typified the order as
a usurpation of power and an open
effort to side with one company in
the fight. He stated that he made o
personal investigation of the alleged
creditor who had sued the papers and
found him to be a Tennessee noun
taineer. who hardly had the means OF
a livelihood. He then made the
straight statement that in his opinion
Judge Speer was judicially corrupt.
Mr.. Osborne said Judge Speer was a
car and that a reform is necessary In
the district presided over by him.
Judge Speer is good. lawyer, Mr..
Osborne said, and he is literary
man, but he is also an unfair one. He
has a colossal conceit. loves the spot
light courts notoriety and runs d
court in which there is little justice,
said the witness.
What we reed here" said Mr.. Os-
borne, lis a judge and not car. a
good 1uORe anu bOOh Nchih ~ N'A'
district would do much toward max
ing the American flag loved and re-
spected here, but this will not be the
case while Speer is judge. | think it
is incumbent upon the Department OF
Justice to take some steps to relieve
the situation"
Not Cross Examined.
Mr.. Osborne read from the stand
the affidavits he gave the Govern
ment inspector who was here several
months ago getting evidence against
Judge Speer.
When Mr.. Osborne concluded his
testimony, the counsel for Judge
Speer did not cross examine him. II
is understood that he has known the
lawyers for Judge Speer so long and
been on such intimate footing with
them that they feared the cross-ex-
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