Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-22
PRObERS REFUSE
SPEER RIGHT
To TESTIFY
Continued E. on. Page I.

haustively, and you have no right to
do that at all. This is a grand jury
| proceeding, or it's equi alent, and in
grand iuries the accused is not al
| lowed to enter"
Ruling Bars Speer.
Mr. Howard insisted on his point.
| He said that II the y ethod Of inves-
tigating charges against Judge Speer
was unfair to the judgc-and he be
| lieved the method now being pursue
was unfair-it was time to reform
And we want the reform to begin
! here" he shouted
I'VE will not undertake any sucn
| reform" Mr.. Webb answered
Judge Speer and his counsel had
| planned that he should make an ela5-
crate statement in his own defense
reviewing the evidence, and for that
matt taking up his entire personal
and judicial career, his gift of elo-
| quenCe being calculated to be of adj
vantage in the presentation Of his on n
| case by himself However, the atti-
tude Of the investigating committee
as shown in the Webb Howard con-
! troverSy and al previously stated bY
| Chairman Webb in open court, will
bar him from taking the stand unless
| the case reaches a hearing in Con-
| gress.
Aided Negro Officeseeker.
John NJ. Barnes, postmaster al
| Thomson, and former Marshal of the
Southern District, the next witness
after Mr.. Hart, declared that judge
| Speer dragged the ermine in the
| mud" He declared that Judge Speei
managed the campaign Of Judson Ly-
Ons, a negro, in the latter's effort tC
| become Registrar of the United State
| Trea sury.
Mr. Barnes swore that when he re-
| monstrat ted with the judge about al
| lowing him an excessive fee in q
| bankruptcy case the judge replied:
| You thank me beautifully bu
| what is there in it for the court2'
| He said: The judge packed thf
| Grand Jury in the Greene and GaynOl
| case" And then he told how judge
| Speer picked out the jurors he want.
| ed to serve.
| "PIayed to Galleries."
| r. c. Ellis, OF Triton, the first VIII
ness to-day, told about contempt rule
being issued for seven Triton lawyer
when there was no justification, in hi
opinion, for such action. He swor'
that Judge Sperr played to the ga
leries, and came before the foot
lights seeking applause lie said tina
Judge Speer treated the Triton law
yers outrageously, impairing thei
professional regulations. The rule
against the lawyers were dismlsse
the next day, but a formal order L
that effect was not passed for som
months.
w. f.. simmons, OF Lawrencevillt
testified that he withdrew from tn
practice of law in the Southern Dis
trict, dismissing more than hfty case
at one time, because of Judge Speef
attitude toward him. lie SAID ina
he and the judge candldly mated eas
other. the feeling starting over poil
ties more than thirty years ago. II
| said that Judge Speer treated mn
unfairly and disCourteously IN couf'
so that he could not win case
How ever" he added, Il always re
versed him in the higher courts, an'
the records will prove 1t.
Mr.. Simmons declared that th'
| clerk of the court at savannah. II
| r. King. now decea sed, was unable
| to refund to him about $1,000 which
| he had advanced as costs in the dis
missed cases. "Mr. King SAID that
Judge Speer had the money" He
| testified that King subsequently paid
him back.
Judge Speer presented for the in
spection of the committee receipt,
signed by Mr.. King, for $1265, anu
j. Tom Hill, of Cordele, related how
II was stated by his counsel that the
money had been borrowed by Judge
Speer as a private transaction, and
that if Mr. King took the money from