Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-30
JUDGE AGAR
DECLARES
LAWYER
Osborne Brands Judge Colossal
Conceit," Who "Courts Noto-
riety" and Evades Justice.

SAVANNAH. Jan. 29.-Anticipat-
ing the severe arraignment that would
firm of Osborne & Lawrence, Judge
Emory Speer did not enter the Fed
eral Court room at the morning SEES
sion to-day of the investigation into
his official conduct. His counsel gave
out a statement that he had remained
in his chambers to prepare a state
ment that would be read to the COM
mittee when 1t adjourned.
Hatred Since Boyhood.
David c. Barrow, Collector of the
Port OF Savannah, was the first wit
ness called in the afternoon. He
charged Max Isaacs. while referee in
bankruptcy at Brunswick, with in
tervening in the bankruptcy case of
]. C. Titzell, of Savannah 100000
affair-after an agreement had been
made among the creditors. and later
deliberately breaking a signed agree
ment of settlement. In all of the It'll
CATION, Mr.. Barrow said, Referee
Isaacs was arbitrarily sustained by
Judge Speer.
Mr.. Barrow said that he had not
practiced In Judge Speer's court be-
cause. when a boy at Athens, the
judges home, he formed a lasting
antipathy for him.
Echo of Oliver.
w. C. Snodgrass, of Thomasville.
who testified last week in Macon,
was called when Mr.. Barrow was
excused. He narrated the cele-
brated A, b. oliver case, in which
oliver. alleged escaped convict from
Mississippi. went to Climax, fell into
the presidency of the Climax Bank
and operated as extensively as Get
Rich Quick Wallingford."
Mr. Snodgrass told of proceeding
against oliver for bankruptcy. He
said that the case was taken out of
the court OF the referee and given
to Judge Speer's court. Hayward
and Talley. he said, were made at
torneys, and out of $1,000 gathered a
fee of $4,000. The witness here tes-
tilted Judge Speer had removed w. C.
Lane, who was referee in bankruptcy,
because newspep per had published
an article mandatory to the referee.
He said Judge Speer had first COLI
PEELED Referee Lane to write an ali
ject apology making him say he had
conducted the case injudiciously.
Major II. d. D. Twiggs, a veteran
member of the Savannah bar. who
was a candidate for the district
judgeship against Judge Speer at the
death of Judge Erskine % years ago,
said that because he had been a can
didate for the position Judge Speer
drove him from practice at the Fed
eral bar through unbelievable inso-
lence and discourtesy.
Threatened With Jail.
Stanley s. Bennett, of Quitman. an
attorney, was next called. He was
attorney for the Atlantic Coast Line
In the eharing OF damage suit.
over some papers that we could not
findS he said, and cited counsel to
have the papers in court the next
morning or be fined for contempt.
When we refused TO do before an or
der was issued, he threatened to put
US in Jail"
Mr.. Bennett charged that in another
case the Judge compelled the jury to
bring in a verdict its will
l.. w. Branch, Of Quitman. law
partner OF Stanley Bennett, was called
and corroborated the evidence of
Bennett.
The witness further testified that
Judge Speer dictated fraudulent
court record, when in forcing them
to surrender papers with threat OF
contempt he dictated to the stenog-
rapher a dismissal of the rule nj 81
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