Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-28
FIELDER ATTACKS
SPEER'S ACTS
ON BENCH
Attorney General Charges Judge
Manipulated and Coerced the
Juries in Peonage Cases

merely selected the names from list
II asked the clerk if there had been
any order regarding the drawing OF
the jury. | was told there was none.
Later / found one on the record. 1t
had been filed later in an effort tc
cover UP what had been done.
Speer Prosecuted Case.
II prepared challenge, setting
forth the Illegal drawing of the jury,
intending to prove by l.. A. Morgan
and George f. White that the men
had been selected and not drawn
This challenge was never filed,
consulted with my clients and told
them IL they had money enough TO
carry the case to the Circuit Court OF
Appeals it ought to be filed, but II not
Judge Speer would overrule the email
lenge and in so doing would make
such remarks as to prejudice the jury.
They did not have the money and we
did not file it.
we went into the trial with sew
eral men on the jury who had ac-
cepted favors from the United States
Court. Judge Speer took the case
from the Government attorney ana
prosecuted it himself.
INV next experience was in the
Chancery peonage case from Pulaski.
No lawyer ever went into trial more
determined to have no breach with
the Judge At the very outset he took
charge of the prosecution. He con-
tinually asked the District Attorney
questions, trying to make him bring
out points that he had overlooked.
Held Witnesses Week.
The character of these men was
such that 1t was the principal defense.
| had several witnesses of character.
He said, What is all this array of
proof? ! told him. He said he
would limit me to three witnesses.
1t was in May, very hot, but he kept
all of those witnesses in little room
through the week One of them was
30 years old and although / called
Judge Speer's attention to IT. he ig-
nored the request.
we went into the trial and ! made
the usual motion for a direction of
the verdict. He overrufed it in long
dissertation winding up by saying II
ever there was peonage case this
| was one | realized that my only
chance was the jury and ! decided to
argue the case,
II was several times Interrupted by
the judge and he took particular ex-
ception to my use of the word mig
ger He made long dissertation and
wound up by threatening to strike
| my name from the eligible lawyers al
| his bar
Judge Threatened Jurors.
AT any rate, the jury took the case
and brought in very righteous YER
diet. The people of Pulaski were de-
| Y,1 Iapi6ad TN have the iIlrN
at the annual barbecue and possibly
the counsel.
Judge Speer published a card in
| the newspapers saying that it would
| be very unfortunate II the Jurors
went: that they were still officers OF
| his court and might be punished for
contempt The jurors decided to go
| ANYWAY, but the wkinsYille people
called it off. They took the position
! that they knew the judge could not
| fine the jurors for contemPt, but the
Judge would get them for something
else"
How about the Brannan caseT
| Mr. Fielder was asked.
THE two men We're out on bond
and he sent them to Jail during the
trial. offered to increase the bond
or security but he would not con-
sent"
Tells Of Huff Case.
Were you counsel for W. A
Huff ?"
| Yes"
will you relate the history of TINS
| case to the committee?
This case has been taken to tht
| Court of Appeals four times, but
| have the record here,
at was on August 5, 1899, that
So called creditors bin had been hlet
again7t Mr.. Huff and the estate
There were two creditors. one o
them had a judgment from one o
the local courts. The full amount o
the claims was $4,922. An eX part'
hearing was held and receive
named for property that has since
sold for more than 100000. This mrs
debt for 81 ,4l4 was the first lien on
piece of property that was assesse'
by the city of Macon at $2o,0o0
Mr.. Fielder here read from the ON
cial record of the case. when wa
read in Macon last week before Tn
committee.
"speer srowbeat Witness"
Col. Robert L. Coding, Grand Mas
ter of the Masons of Georgia, VIII
followed MIR. Fielder on the stand thi
afternoon, said that Judge Spec
browbeat one OF his witnesses int
completely changing his testimony