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

4 the, mus. be IN good fellowship with
Judge Spccu',
! Know He Is = Rascal
Colonel Hun SAID that he had heard
. lawyers ia court this week "cuss
Judge Spccr. but thcs, were lawyers
who were afraid TO go on the stand
and testify
They know hc IS a rascal, and say
So privately. but won't testify That
hnWs how people are afraid Of Judge
Spcer" was the comment OF the wit
ness.
Judge Spccr's lawyers declined 10
cross examine Colonel Huff They
rendered as evidence the court rec
utIs iu the Hun case, and cited legal
authorities in support Of the conten-
tion that Judge Speer had a right to
pat the Hun money in the bank with
Out interest
Colonel Hun declared that he had
been informed by Attorney W. -.
Mcneil that Judge Speer supervised
or drew the contract between Talley
and Hayward.
Mr.. Howard, one Of Judge Speer's
lawyers, wanted the information Mr.
Howard also asked If the committee
proposed TO be governed by the strict
rules of evidence entertaining objec-
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 eN-
ucncc ourselves"
Says Speer Is Unfair.
". g. SnodErass 1homaston
lawyer. swOre that the people Of the
district believed Judge Speer to be
corrupt and regarded Judge Speer's
court with suspicion, and avoided
taking cases to it 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 accede to his wishes in trials.
regardless Of their or their clients
rightC He cited Instances, naming
the j H. Merrill case and the case OF
the First National Bank VS.. Hopkins
Speer's Counsel Confident.
~ no stronger evidence than that
already adduced is presented to the
investigating committee in support IF
the charges against Judge Speer, the
overwhelming vindication Of the iur-
list 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 .hc
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 disagreeable. One
has sworn that his administration CT
the court has given dissatisfaction 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-
tihed 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
portant witnesses Will go on the stand
from now on, Among these are TO
be w. f. simmons OF Lawrence
VILE District Attorney Alexander
Alderman. and John NJ. Barnes. post
master at Thomson.
There still remains more than 40
specific charges vet to be sifted, and
nearly all Of them are OF "A 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"
,,.la LIZ, L..