Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-29
SPEERPRObE
shift IS To
|SAACS
Former Bankruptcy Referees Ac-
tons as Partner of Judges
Son-in-Law Under Probe.

SAVANNAH, Jan. 29.-The Con-
gressional investigating COMMITTEES
looking into charges of official mis-
conduct against Federal Judge Emory
Speer to- day decided to expedite MAJ
tiers as much as possible by calling
nothing but entirely new witnesses,
and to limit them to matters the /
heretofore had not been touched upon.
With half the week gone, only a small
portion of the witnesses to be exam
ined in Savannah have given testi-
mony, and unless matters are rushed,
the committee will not be able to fin
ish by Saturday, the time set for the
adjournment here
Tomlinson johnson, former Clerk of
the United States Court in Savannah,
is the one other witness summoned
whose evidence is known to be some
what sensational. He was displaced
for Cook Clayton, of Macon.
In appointing Clayton the men who
have brought the echarges against the
judge contended that he displayed fa-
voritism in naming clerk for the
court in Savannah whose home was in
Macon, and the compensation for
and per ciem, unGer this ar
rangement, is expected to develop
some alleged irregularities.
lsaacs Under Fire.
For the first time Wednesday aft
ernoon the committee delved into the
operations of Max Isaacs, former ref
cree in bankruptcy at Brunswick, who
is now under an indictment for baraty
in the Appling Superior Court. That
the committee will not stop with the
evidence of one man on this subject
seems to be foregone conclusion.
Judge Isaacs resigned as referee at
Brunswick to form partnership
with A. II. Hayward, Judge Speer's
son -in-law 1t was Immediately after
this partnership was formed that
Judge Isaacs proceeded against the
Beach Manufacturing Company, one
of the largest lumber concerns in
South Georgia. in the Federal Court.
The matter went to a jury to decide
whether the company was solvent, on
the plea of counsel for the company.
and the unanimous verdict of the. jury
was that the company was in a pros
porous condition. Almost immed-
ately afterward a grand jury in APP
ping County returned an indictment
against Judge Isaacs, charging him
with soliciting the accounts of cred
itors with which to throw the COM
pany in the United States Court.
This, and the fact that Judge Isaacs
has had larger and wider connec-
ton with large bankruptcy cases in
South Georgia than any other attor-
ney seems to be the conclusion that
the committee is driving at
Committee Divided.
Already the possible report of the
seems to be shaping itself.
In the line Of questions asked by the
three committeeman it has been pref
ty clearly indicated Congressman A.
J. Volstead, of Minnesota, is not in
sympathy with Congressman Webb
and Fitzhenry. Several times when
Witnesses have given testimony dam
aging to Judge Speer he has very
closely questioned them in an effort
10 show Judge Speer was merely try
ing to conserve the best interests Of
the people and operate his court at
the least possible expense.
Congressman Volstead is a Repub-
ican and the other two members are
Democrats. 1t is reliably reported
that he is in sympathy with Judge
Speer and thinks the Impeachment
are nothing but a politi-
oal attack. He is not so very intimate
with the other two members OF the
board and takes little part in the
bench conferences.