The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-05-09
TELLS Of DEALS
WITH ARCHIBALD
Witness Before Committee
Says He Was in Transac-
tons With Judge
ACCUSED ATTENDS
ALL THE HEARINGS
Photographs are Produced at
Investigation Showing Let
tors Written About
Negotiations

" ASfllNGION, May S.--IWo
hours after the House judiciary COM
mittee had begun its investigation
! teaaYrr into the grave charges filed
against Judge Robert w, Arch bald,
+ OF the newly created United States
Commerce Court. that he was using
his position 10 obtain fayors from
+ corporations. 1t had uncovered four
( big financial deals in which he had
become Interested since mounting to
/ his present place on the bench.
| The climax of today's inquiry came
I when Edward J. Williams, OF Dun
more, Pa, admitted that Judge Arch
/ bald was his partner in obtaining an
option on property from the Erie
railroad, the purchase price OF which
was to be $4,000, and than an agree
ment existed by which Judge Arch
bald was to participate In the profits
| of two attempts to sell, one for SEQ
600, and the other for $4,000. The
negotiations fell through. Williams
identified photograph of this agree
ment In IL Judge Archibald was re-
! ferred to as "a silent partner
II called him the silent partner
because / thought 1t wasn't exactly
/ legal that Judge should be involved
/ in deal like this. said Williams,
! hesttattngfy.
| Was 1t your custom during the
progress OF these transactions to keep
the judges name quiet9" he was
asked.
TT was" said Williams.
| Following this. Williams made the
admission that when he needed aid In
negotiating the deal with the Ere he
went 10 Judge Archibald. and the
Judge made a trip TO New York To
confer with Attorney Brounell, an
| Erie railroad lawyer.
Had 1t FIXED Up
| When he came back he told me
WHEN to go and see. Judge Archibald
had fixed IT up, | guess, said Will
Jams, simply.
The other deals in which Judge
Archibald was interested. as brought
, out In the testimony today, were
millionaire land proposition in Vene-
zueia. transaction with the Lehigh
Valley railroad. and another coal
| deal These were merely Indicated
at the hearing today. and will be en-
/ larged upon when the inquiry liz re-
sumed on Friday.
| Not only did Judge Archibald I'M
dertake 10 invest heavily In the vene-
zuela land, but In attempting TO have
| one OF the Judges notes for 1000 dis
/ counted, Williams, his partner, APP
parently felt himself authorized to
/ inform w r. and C.. G.. BorlsNd that
! If they would do 1t the judge would
regard favorably certain litigation in
! which they were interested. and
| which was in his court.
/ Il may have told them later that
[ IL they had discounted the note, the
/ finding on demurrer in Judge Arch
bald's court would not have been
against them" said Williams. But
did not get 1t from the Judge he
explained.
Thought II Would Influence Decision.
What you intended to convey was
that the discounting OF the note
world haya. in tineneed ,lndge Arch
bald Ia his decision ." asked Repre-
sentative Carlin. OF Kentucky.
Yes, that's what | had in mind
/ was Williams reply.
/ This deal. 1t Is said. was inter-
rupted by charges filed with the De-
partment OF Justice against Judge
Archibald in connection with the
other cases
Judge Archibald. his two sons. and
! his counsel. A. S. Worthington. list
tened to. the, testimony and occasion
rally looked at the photographs of
/ letters bearing on the case. one of
them. letter in which the judge
| told OF his connection with the culm
bank negotiations in his own words.