Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1914-06-26
REPORT SCORES
JUDGE SPEER
But Majority Do Not Favor
Impeachment
MINORITY MEMBER OiSSENTS
Attacks Colleagues Methods and Find
lngs and Says It Is Cruel linus
tice."

: Attacks Colleagues Methods and Find
) Ings and Says It Is Cruel lnIus
: tice"
THE subcommittee regrets its in
ability to either recommend a com
plete acquittal of Judge Speer of all
culpability so far as these charges are
concerned. on the one hand. or an i'm
parchment. on the other hand"
This was the conclusion submitted
TO the house judiciary committee by
the special subcommittee that has
been investigating charges of official
misconduct filed against Emory Speer,
OF Macon, federal judge for the south
ern district of Georgia.
The report held that some Of Judge
! Speers official actions tend to ap-
proach a condition OF tyranny and OPP
/ preston" but recommended that no
further proceedings be had by the
house.
These conclusions now rest with
the full committee on judiciary. The
subcommittee comprises Representa-
tiyes Webb, of North Carolina; Fitz-
henry. OF Illinois. Democrats. and Vol. I
stead OF Minnesota, Republican.
The complete exoneration of Judge
Speer was recommended in minority
report by Representative Volstead,
who is the Republican member OF the
subcommittee. Representative Vol
stead also attacked the methods and
findings o. the majority. The majority
report said:
There has been an inequitable ex-
ercise Of judicial discretion, many in.
stances OF which have been frequently
criticised where the cases in which
they were committed have been re.
viewed by the courts of appeal, while
in others litigants were unable finan
cially to prosecute appeals. That the
power Of the court has been exercised
in a despotic and autocratic manner
by the judge cannot be questioned"
while I concur in the recommends
tons made in the majority report that
no further proceedings be had upon
the charges against Judge Speer. / de.
sire to express in as emphatic Ian.
guage as possible my protest against {
the methods that hove been pursued" I
SAYS Representative Volstead in his
report
81 desire to have it distinctly IN.
derstood that I do not criticise the (
motives of my associates. but the pro Z
reediugs in this investigation have
been marked by acts cruelty unjust v
and unfair No effort was made to pro. i
ect the judge against mere SANDER O
lni abuse that could serve no other 4
purpose than to disgrace and humi n
ate him.
Every enemy that twenty-nine Il
ears on the bench had produced was T.
invited and eagerly encouraged TO de. c
all his grievance ana to supplement d
hat with all sorts Of inuendoes. insin 3
ations and insulting opinions utterly
legal as evidence ami incompetent L
Or any proper purpose 1t is humiliat 81
lg to read this record and have 70 b.
Omit that committee Of congress Is hi
asponsible FOR this sort of cruel injus nj
Ice. No court in any civilized country n,
.ou!d tolerate any such proceeding" g,
The Volstaad report declares that OF
the evidence introduced was nearly tn
Il either hearsay or secondary evi
ence." and that this short cut method
arriving at the guilt or Innocence
the judge created confusion as to ce
,tual facts 70