Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-21
COL. HUFF, ON STAND,
BRANDS JUDGE SPEER
A RASCAL AND TYRAN |

they must be in good llowship with
Judge Spccr"
Know He Is Rascal"
Colonel HUFF said that he had heard
lawyers In court this week "cuss
Judge Spccr but they were lawyers
who we're afraid TO go on the stand
and testify
They know he Is rascal and say
! so privately, but won't testify. That
shows how people are afraid Of Judge
Spc"r," wac the comment Of the wit
ness
Judge Speer's lawyers declined 10
Cross-eXamine Colonel HUFF They
lendered as evidence the court rec
ords in the Hum case, and cited iega!
authorities in support or the contcn-
ton that Judge Speer had q right to
put the HUFF money in the bank with
out interest.
Colonel Huff declared that he had
been informed by Attorney W. D.
Mcneil that Judge Speer supervised
or drew the contract between Talley
and Hayward
Mr.. Howard, one Of Judge Speer's
LAWYERS. wanted the information MT
Howard also asked IL the committee
proposed to be governed by the strict
rules of evidence. entertaining Oblec-
tons from counsel,
Chairman webb said:
This committee most certainly VIII
not We are not \ trial court neither
for nor against, although We may
seem to be prosecutors We are in
quisitors only, and will weigh the evil
denCe ourselves"
Says Spcer Is Unfair.
W c. Snodgrass, ThomastOn
la a
district believed Judge Speer to be
corrupt and regarded Judge Speer's
court with suspicion. and avoided
taking cases to II whenever possible,
He cited instances which, in his opin
ion, proved the Judge to be arbitrary
and unfair in the handling of cases.
He said the judge sought to make
lawyers pCCede to his wishes in trials,
regardless of their or their clients
rightC. He cited instances, naming
the j H. Merrill case ard the case of
the First National Bank VS.. Hopkins.
Speer's Counsel Confident.
"lf no stronger evidence than that
already adduced is presented to the
investigating committee in support IF
the charges against Judge Speer, the
overwhelming VndiCation of the jur-
ist Is a matter OF course declared
his counsel to-day when the sub com
mittee of the House Judiciary Com
mittee began its third day OF thc
probe.
SO far it has been shown that Judge
Speer waited seven months before
making a Supreme Court mandate
the judgment of his court However,
Judge Speers counsel declare thai
! this Is mere technicality as the
| Judge was prompted by sufficient le
| gal reasons"
| Two witnesses have testified that
/ Judge Speer, while on the bench, is
| arbitrary. oppressive, quick to take
sides, nagging and disagreeabe. one
| has sworn that his administration CT
| the court has given dissatlsfaC TO
! the people OF the district. who have
| lost confidence in the court
! Druggist Tells of Cocaine.
! Louis Pellew, a druggist. swore
| Tuesday afternoon that twice each
! summer he sold Judge Speer one
! ounce of three per cent solution OF
! cocaine, ostensibly for use as a hay
/ fever remedy A physician has tes-
| tiied that the judges mentality Is
| very normal
| Examiner r. G. Lewis who made
| the preliminary Investigation. and
! who is assisting the committee in
| the hearing. states that the more i'm
! poTldfl NllHeSStS wiz ko uh 'he Sldhu
/ from now on Among these are 10
| he W. f. simmons. of Lawrence
vile, District Attorney Alexander
| Alderman and John NJ. Barnes, post
MAJ ter at Thomson.
There still remains more than 10
| specific charges yet to be sifted, and
| nearly all of them are of very seri-
| Gus nature.
The opinion of the lawyers in at
/ tendance on the investigation is that
/ so far the evidence has shown. for
| the most part that Judge Speer
/ abused his power, but stayed within
! the law"