Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-27
LAWRE nee.
IS HEARD At.
SAVANNAH
Declares Jurist Should Have
Been Prosecutor Instead Of
on Bench.

SAVANNAH. an ga. A. Law
renee, prominent corporation attor-
ney and Representative in the Geor-
gia Legislature. took the stand in
the hearing of charges of official mis-
conduct against Federal Judge EN-
DRY Speer, to-day to assail him bit
teriy as a misfit who exercised an
undue influence over jury and defend
ant and charged him in one instance
with intimidating an innocent man
to plead guilty and receive light
fine or go to trial with the prospect
OF receiving the fullest penalty of
the law
The hearing during the morning
dealt principally with the drawing OF
the jury in the Greene and Gaynor
case and the charge that no member
OF It resided closer than $50 miles
from Savannah. Substantiating his
charge Mr., Lawrence read the judges
order directing that the july be
drawn frcm the counties of Berr:en.
Brooks. Decatur and Thomas.
Charges intimidation,
In the hearing OF the Crowley and
MeClelland case. one Of the early
reonage cases, brought to Savannah
from Waycross, Mr.. Lawrence said
that the afternoon before the trial
he was furnished with jury list, but
when he went into court the next
morning he found that an entirely
new jury had been drawn. this time
all OF the members from one street in
Savannah. He said that such a Jury
could not have been drawn unless the
bax was fixed
Mr.. Lawrence stated that he had
several overtures from Mr.. Taltey.
then Judge Speers privste secretary.
urging him TO have his clients plead
guilty, but that be declined. He said
that when he took the case to trial
Judge Speer in oyerruiing motion
to dismiss the case stated thai he
could send either Of the young men
to the peniteptiary for SIS years for
the offense and so frightened them
that despite the protestattons of
counsel. they plead guilty.
Privilege Was Worth Fins.
A humorous incident of the morn
ing was the comment OF Mr. Law
renee on fine Of 800 for contempt
during the Greene and Gaynor case.
The fine was imposed for reading a
protest to the method of Judge speer
In selecting the jury. Mr.. Lawrence
told the Congressional Committee
that he did not regret paying the
fine nor could he blame the Judge for
imposing 1t, as in his protest he said
everything about the jurist and his
methods that he could do, and
thought 1t worth much more than the
fine for the privilege.
speer Sits Unn,oved.
Judge speer sat through the hear
ing unmoved except when Judge "
II. Galloway cross examined the wit
ness. He constantly interrupted
Judge Galloway in his. Interrogation
to have him ask certain questions
and II seemed to nettle the attorney
so much that he moved out of ear.
shot
Chairman Webb presided and con-
Quoted the hearing as he did at the
hearing in Macon.
The committee recessed at
o'clock until o'clock. Instead of re-
converting at 3. as was announced.
the hearing was postponed until 4
o'clock to allow Congressman Vol
stead to meet his wife at train.
substartiates Lawrence.
John Rourke, Jr.. City Attorney.
was the first witness. Of the afternoon
session. He substantiated a state
ment OF Mr.. Lawrence about Judge
Speer refusing to make the Court Of
Appeals mandate an order In his
court.
Gordon saussy an attorney, testi-
fed that Judge speer arbitrarily is
sued an order to compel him TO pay
stenographers cost for the transcrip-
ton of case. when as a matter ct
fact he had only ordered the tastl.