Atlanta Georgian., 1914-02-23
ANSWERS
CHAR GES Of
ACCUSERS
Federal Judge Defends Himself
in Statement to Congressional
Investigating Committee.

MACON, Feb. 23.-The answer OF
Judge Emory Speer to charges of mis-
conduct in Office as judge of the Unit
ed States Court for the Southern Dis
trict of Georgia, sent last week to the
subcommittee of the House judiciary
Committee at Washington, has been
made public here by Judge Speers
counsel upon consent of Chairman
Webb. of the investigating commit
Zee. This committee has been called
by Chairman Webb to meet in Wash
ington to-day to consider the judges
answer and also the evidence it seeks
TO disproVe preparatory TO the meet
ing of the general Judiciary Commit
tee. whether or not impeachment pro-
ceedings against the judge should be
recommended to the House.
In this answer Judge Speer defends
his record on the bench specifically
denies the numerous charges made
against him by witnesses VINO ap-
peared before the committee during
lis recent two weeks sittings in Ma
con and Savannah, and submits IN
dorsements from lawyers, jurors, llti-
gants and others. Furthermore, ne
makes counter charges against Dis
trict Attorney Alexander Akerman
and others, who were most VindlctlNe
in their testimony against him. OF
Mr., Alderman. the answer says;
Attack on Akerman.
"As 10 the alleged use of messen-
gers cries and bailiffs as servants of
the Judge. here also the witnesses re-
lied on to show the alleged miscon-
duct are Alexander Alderman and
John NJ. Barnes. Both of these wit
nesses testify that the messengers
and certain criers and balllhs per
formed no services for the United
States, but acted as personal servants
for the judge.
IF this charge is true, both of these
men are guilty of malfeasance in Of
flee and of presenting or certifying
false accounts to the Government.
THE pav rolls of these officers are
made out by the Marshal. and they
are approved by the United states
Attorney, or in the absence of the
United States Attorney, by his as
sistant Barnes was Marshal Tor
seven wears after 1897. Akerman has
been Assistant United States Attor-
ney. in charge of the office, and Unit
ed States Attorney for about fourteen
wears. If these officials allowed the
practice TO go on which they refer TO,
and made up and approved the
monthly AMI quarterly accounts OF
the Marshal, they are both SUBJECT 10
Indictment. Their evidence on TINS
subject is the grossest misrepresen-
tation, and would only be given BY
men of the character portrayed in the
mutual opinions they express of each
other"
Judge speer's Conclusion.
Judge Speer concludes his answer
In the following language:
From the unsolicited and gener-
Gus expressions of these ninety ana
nine grand jurors of the Southern
District of Georgia-Georgians whose
names and homes are given-the
committee can determine how unde-
served are the aspersions the maleY-
olent have sought to cast upon him,
how unmerited the defamations whlch
under the methods OF his accusers,
while he was helpless and Voiceless,
have been spread throughout the
length and breadth of the land. and 1t
NAV also gather the irreparable in
Jury which such methods may inflict
upon the American judiciary whose
fearless independence was at once,
but may be no longer, the chief glory
of the American system"