Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-22
PROBERS REFUSE
SPEER RIGHT
To TESTIFY
Continued {; or. Page I.

Judge Speer to offer evidence in
support of his charactr. He cannot
make his defense here and now"
"BroiIing Only On One Side"
you are broiling only on one side.
then" rejoined Mr.. Howard,
He will not be permitted to make
his defense here" the Chairman said,
humping his desk.
I'VE have already extended YOU
more courtesy than Is shown in
such Investigations We have allowed
you to cross-examine witnesses ex
haustively. and you nave no right to
do that at all. This is a grand jury
proceeding, or its equi- alent, and In
grand turies the accused is not al
lowed to enter"
Ruling Bars Speer.
Mr.. Howard insisted on his point
He said that II the sthod of inves-
tlgating charges against Judge Speer
was unfair to the judge-and he be-
lieved the method now being pursued
was unfair-it was time to reform.
And we want the reform to begin
here" he shouted.
I'VE will not undertake any such
reform" Mr.. Webb answered.
Judge Speer and his counsel had
planned that he should make an elab-
crate statement in his own defense,
reviewing the evidence, and for that
matter 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 own
case by himself However, the atti-
tude OF the investigating committee,
as shown in the Webb Howard con-
troversy apd as previously stated BY
Chairman Webb In open court, Will
bar him from taking the stand unless
the case reaches q hearing in Con-
gress.
Aided Negro Officeseeker.
John M. Barnes, postmaster at
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 Speer
managed the campaign of Judson Ly-
ons, negro, in the latters effort to
become Registrar Of the United States
Treasury.
Mr.. Barnes swore that when he re-
monstrated with the judge about al
lowing him an excessive fee in
bankruptcy case the judge replied:
You thank me beautifully, but
what is there in it for the court?"
He said: THE judge packed the
Grand Jury In the Greene and Gaynor
case" And then he told how Judge
Speer picked out the jurors he want
ed to serve.
"Payed to Galleries"
r. c. Ellis, of Triton, the first wit
ness to-day, told about contempt rules
being issued for seven Triton lawyers
when there was no justification, in his
opinion, for such action. He swore
that Judge Speor played to the gal
leries, and came before the foot
lights seeking applause" He said that
Judge Speer treated the Triton law
yers outrageously. impairins their
professional regulations. The rules
against the lawyers were dismissed
the next day, but formal order to
that effect was not passed for some
months.
w. e. Simmons, OF Lawrencevllle,
testified that he withdrew from the
practice of law in the Southern Dis
trict, Diminishing more than fifty cases
ut one time, because of Judge Speers
attitude toward him. He said that
he and the judge candidly hated each
other, the feeling starting over poll
ties more than thirty years ago. He
said that Judge Speer treated him
unfairly and discourteously in court
so that he could not win a case
How ever" he added, Il always re-
versed him in the higher courts, and
the records will prove it,