Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1912-12-11
SENATE TAKES Up
ARCHIBALD CHARGE
roper Chamber Hears Case
AGAINST Commerce Judge.
IS IMPEACHEO BY HOUSE
Allegations That He Used Office for
Personal Gains Is Denied by
Jurist Whose Acts Are
Under Fire.

Washington, Dec 5.-Judge Robert
q Archibald of the United States COM
merce court sat before the bar of the
senate Tuesday and heard himself re
ferred to as one who had ''prosti-
tuted his high official position to
personal profit" who had CONNER
cialized his potentiaIity as a judge"
and who had degraded his office and
destroyed the confidence of the pub
lie in his integrity
To this arraignment by Congress
man Clayton of Alabama, representing
the managers of the house of repre-
sentatives in the impeachment pro-
ceedtngs against the jurist, Judge
Archbald's chief counsel, A. s. Worth
lngton. made an emphatic reply. He
declared the house had brought pro
ceedings against Judge Archibald upon
facts that, if properly analysed
showed the jurists motives to be IN
questionable.
"Misbehavior and misdemeanors
in Office were the formal charges
against Judge Archibald. The indict-
ment presented by the house consists
Of thirteen articles, a most scathing
and bitter arraignment of the federal
Judge. Use of his Office for per-
sonal profit is the substance Of all
the charges against the defendant.
He is charged with attempting to
float deals in refuse coal deposits In
Pennsylvania, through railroad Off
Gals, and also improper receipt OF
favors from attorneys before his
court.
Sweeping denial of wrongdoing
was made by Judge Archibald to
every one of the thirteen charges
against him. He contends that no
improper motive can be predicated
from any of his acts, private or Off
cial and that he never gained or
sought to profit by improper use OF
his Office.
Custer of Archibald will require a
vote of two-thirds of the senators, al
though majority only of the house
was required for his impeachment.
The trial had it's inception in a
complaint filed last February before
Interstate Commerce Commissioner
Henry B. Meyer by William P. Bo-
land. president and general manager
Of the Marian Coal company OF
Scranton, Pa. Boland told Meyer he
feared Archibald had been or was in
terested in aiding certain railroads in
OIL -IeaT<G
The defense of Judge Archibald lost
the first test submitted to the senate
when a determined fight was made
against the admission of the contract
entered into between E. J. Williams oil
Scranton and William P. Boland and
a silent partner" on the other hand
This silent partner was Judge Arch
bald. and Attorney Worthington con
tended there was nothing to show thai
Judge Archibald knew anything Of tho
contract. BY a vote of IS to 6 the sen
ate put the contract into the records
The only witness heard was E j
Williams, an unwilling witness anc
friendly to Archibald, although calico
by the prosecution. Williams admitted
that Archibald was the silent partner
and was to share in the benefits of the
coal deal on one-third basis. He salC
he was willing to do this for the judge
because he had used his influence fol
him" The witness also admitted tina
when he came to Washington to testl
~ before the house committee his ex
penses had been paid by Judge Arch
bald