Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-29
DGELIDDON ANSWERS
TELLS ABOUT THE INDICTMENT
AGAINST HIM IN FLORIDA.
Judge Swayne Submits Long State
ment of His Case-The Hearings
at an End.

During the session of the Swayne hearing
yesterday afternoon after The Star report
had closed the unusual spectacle was pre-
scented of counsel for the defense cross-ex-
aiming counsel for the prosecution on the
latter's criminal record
Several days ago Robert ]. Boone, one of
the principal witnesses at the present Sc
ries Of hearings, admitted under examna-
ton that he was at present under indict-
ment for embezzlement in the state of Flor
ida. The witness, Boone, at that time, after
testifying to the above fact. turned on
Judge Liddon, the prosecuting officer in the
Swayne impeachment proceedings, and
angrily remarked, And so are you under
Indictment This utterance was followed
up yesterday afternoon by ex-senator Hig-
gins, Judge Swaynes counsel, who put
Judge Liddon on the stand.
Judge Liddon admitted that he had been
informed against for receiving an illegal
believed, was $25, but he had entered into
an agreement with the widow who desired
the pension for one-third of the proceeds,
which had Melted him something over $1,000.
Judge Liddon testified that at the time he
made the bargain he did not know he was
doing anything wrong, but that when he
took the money he was Informed on all the
facts. THE woman wanted me to take 1t,
however, and did," the witness remarked
Judge Liddon then went on to say that he
had later paid back the money, and that
the affair had constituted his first and last
pension case. He had practiced before the
Florida bar for thirty years he said and
he was sure that the pension affair had not
affected his standing. Since then he had
been elected chief justice of the supreme
court of Florida, had held many positions
of honor and trust and over one million
dollars passed through his hands. And
none of 1t stuck to my fingers, either" the
witness declared emphatically.
Judge swayne's Statement.
Judge Swayne submitted a long state
ment, giving history of his career. par
ticularly Of that portion when he was
judge. He said that the prosecution of the
election frauds of 1888 created bitter
feeling against him. and the Florida dis
trict was divided by political act of a
democratic Congress. signed by demo-
cratic President He then went into an
extended argument to show that he was
resident of the northern section of Florida
Judge Swayne also went over the contempt
cases In his court, and defended his course,
the facts of which were nearly all set
forth In the minority report in favor of
Judge Swayne and in previous testimony
taken. Referring to the case Of e. T.
Davis and Simeon Belden, he said that
malice on his part Judge Swayne defend
ed his course in the Haslins case. No
tender, he said, was ever made by Has
kins in his court for settlement. He said
he saw no grounds for suspicion that
conspiracy existed to break up Haskfns'
business He believed, and the testimony
showed, that the books taken by young
Haskins wers, taken on the advice and with
the aid Of the alleged bankrupt Haskins.
He denied that he had In any way pre-
Judged the case of young Haskins, for
whom a contempt warrant has been issued.
Judge Swayne justified his action in SEN
fencing W. C. O'Neal to sixty days in Jail
for contempt. He declared that he had
never favored B. C. Tunison or been par
tial to him. He referred to attempts by
certain attorneys to defame him in Florida
newspapers. He denied number of state
ments made by John Wurts Of Yale Univer-
sity, who testified for the prosecution. He
never made, he said, but one trip from Del
aware to Florida In a private car. He
made one trip in the same car to the
Pacific coast, and paid for the provisions