Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-21
JUDGE SWAYII'S CASE
Hearing Before Congressional
Committee Resumed.
GRAVE ALLEG ATIONS
ACCUSATION OF e. $. DAVIS, A
FLORIDA LAWYER.
Testimony Taken by Direction of the
House of Representatives, at
the Last Session.

The proceedings in the case of Charles
Swayne. United States judge for the north
ern district of Florida, were resumed today
before a subcommittee of the House COM
mittee on the judiciary. which had charge
of the matter at the last session of Con-
gress. Representative Palmer of Pennsyl-
vana, chairman of tht subcommittee, and
Representative Clayton of Alabama were
present today, but Representative Gilett,
the other member, was unable to attend
Judge Swayne was present with his coun-
sel ex-senator Anthony Higgins of Della
ware, and Judge B. S. I.tidon of Marianne,
Fla, represented the interests in opposition.
Directed by the House.
Near the close of the last session of Con-
gress the Judiciary committee, after
series of hearings made a majority report
recommending the impeachment of Judge
Swayne for high misdemeanor,'' and scor-
ing him severely for his official conduct. A
minority report, signed by Representatives
Gillett, Nevin, Alexander and Pearre, was
also presented, defending Judge Swayne
with equal vigor. After some debate In
the House on the subject of the conflicting
report a resolution of impeachm was
set for consideration on December Ii, soon
after the convening of Congress for the
short session, and the judiciary committee
was empowered to take further testimony
and to go on with the investigation as far
as 1t saw fit.
The first witness called this morning was
Charles T. Forbes for ten years special
agent in the general land Office and now a
clerk in that branch OF the government
service. Forbes testified against Judge
Swayne in a timber trespass case in Flor
ida which he Forbes) had investigated
while a special agent, and In which he al
legged that Judge Swayneaha exacted a fine
a second time from the trespassers for the
same offense.
offered "Good Filings"
j. N c. Stockton of Quincy, Fla, a
banker and newspaper editor, testified that
about ten years ago, at the time of the agi-
tation over the "redistrfefing'' bill, he had
been approached by J., N StriHaing United
States attorney for the northern district OF
Florida, who asked him t. stop the perse-
cution Of Judge Swayne. =
Stripping said. according tsl. a1essszifusss,s
that If Stockton would do fNf&, gobd things,
in the shape of retefvers.iiiAs and the like,
for himself and his friendEsWould come his
way. Judge Swayne, the Witness asserted,
was in the next room wheh the onter was
made. Stockton testified thin morning that
he refused the offer Indignantly, and WI lie
he mentioned the fact of 1t having been
made to several of his intimate friends he
didn't make a public announcement Of the
fact until recently, in the heat Of a demo-
cratic primary. Stockton admitted that he
had told the facts at that time because of
the attacks made upon him.. politically, by
STRIPPING, whom he characterized as "a
backsliding democrat
Lawyer Davis Accusation.
Ellis S. Davis a lawyer of Marianna,s
Fla, gave the most sensational testimony
Of todays meeting.
He testified that Brown Calhoun. who fig
ured in the Hoskins case, aired at the last
session, and In which C. a. Hoskins was
alleged to have comn1itted5suicideb because
of Judge Swayne's persecution, offered him
$1OO in cash and his expenses to Tallahas-
see and back If he would secure the pay
ment of a sum of money from William
Rhodas, relative of the Hoskins, to COM
promise the case against c.. III. Hoskins,
who was then evading arrest. The witness
said that when he and Calhoun arrived in
Tallahassee they went direct to Judge
Swayne's court. The witness waited out
side while Calhoun had a private talk with
Then Swayne came out and said that $500
would fix up the case. Prior to that time,
said the witness, Calhoun had not named
any specific amount. According to the
witness, Rhodas Indignantly spurned the
offer which he made, reTnarking as he did
so that he would see Swayne and Calhoun
further down in hades than you could drop
Sledgenammera In 1orty years DeIOre ne
would pay any money for the release of
young Hoskins. The latter, failing to Sc
cure a settlement Of the case, committed
suicide
An Alleged Free Trip.
Eugene c. Dearborn, the next witness
testified that in 1903 he was conductor on
the Jacksonville and Key West railroad
which was then in the bands of receiver,
and by order Of the latter he went to Guy
encourt and brought Judge Swayne and his
family to st. Augustine. Fla. in private
car. The party rode on passes, he testified,
and the car had been jprovisioned by the
railroad. Dearborn also said that such
necessary supplies as were purchased on
the trip to st. Augustine were paid for with
money furnished him by the receiver.
c. II. B. Floyd and Paul Cotter of Mari
anna, Fla, were also called as witnesses,
but their testimony threw no new light on
the case.
Judge Liddon announced that a number
of witnesses called for by hiA received
their subpoenas In time as they had not
yet reached Washington. Chairman Pal
mer then declared the hearing adjourned
until 10 o'clock tomorrew. morning, when
the inquiry will proceea. It Is probable
that the hearings will last throughout the
present week