Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1912-05-11
JUDGE PARTNER
IN COAL DEALS
Committee Hears Testimony In
Archibald Case.
ALLEGED AIDE ON STAND
Tells Of Contracts With Railroads and
Of Coal Dealers Who Refused to Dis
count Judges Note and Lost Case.

count Judges Note and Lost Case.
Charges against Judge Robert w.
Archibald. OF the commerce court. were
unfolded before the house committee
ON judiciary In Washington. which Is
to determine II impeachment proceed
| ings shall be brought against the
jurist.
| How Judge Archibald. In partnership
with Edward J. Williams. Scranton
coal dealer. while celebrating as a
judge on the 'lighterage cases" to
which the Erie railroad was a party.
is alleged to have negotiated an or
tion from taat railroad for $4,000 tons
OF culm dump property to be sold at
a profit of $4,000. was related to the
committee by Williams himself.
Judge Archibald. accompanied by his
two sons and his counsel. A. S. Worth
ington. heard the testimony and occa-
sionally looked at Photographic copies
OF letters bearing on the case. one of
them a letter in which the Judge told
of his connection with the culm bank
negotiations in his own words.
In addition to that transaction Will
| liams told Of another deal In which he
said Judge Archibald acquired an in
| terest with In In an option on q mil.
lion acres of Venezuela timber land.
for which the judge gave note for
$500. Williams tried to discount this
note with c. J. and w. p. Boland. Of
the Marion Coal company. OF Scran-
ton. who at that time had case pend
ing before Judge Archibald In the fed
eral court. The Bolands refused to dis.
count the note and later lost their
case.
Williams admitted telling w. p. Bo-
land that II he had discounted Judge
Archbald's note the case might have
resulted differently but he denied
that Judge Archibald knew anything
of his making such a remark to Bo-
land.'
The testimony relating to the culm
bank transaction included reference to
an assignment by Williams OF an In
terest In the options secured to W. p.
Boland and silent party" whom he
admitted under examination was
Judge Archibald. When asked why
Judge Archibald had been referred to
as silent party" Williams said he
thought II was not lawful for jurist's
name 10 be used in such transactions.
Williams related how the option for
the culm bank property was negotiat-
ed from officers of the Erie railroad
and told how sale for the property
was negotiated and that he and Judge
Archibald were To divide the profits.
Judge Archibald. during the negotia-
tions with the Erie. told him that the
lighterage case was then before his
court.
Judge Archibald showed me the
briefs in the case. said Williams. "and
told me II was about the lighteraga
case in which the Erie was interested.
I didn't know what lighterage meant
and he told me. Then he gave me a
letter to Mr.. May. OF the Erie. and
also told me that he would see the
general counsel for the Erie. Mr..
Brownell. about the option"
How the option was given soon
thereafter and deal to sell the prop
erty at a $4,000 profit. later frustrat-
ed. TO the Lackawanna & Wyoming
Railroad company. was described by
the witness In detail.
Another transaction which the COM
mittee did not get to. but will inquire
about when the hearing Is reslmed
involved an alleged transaction for
other culm bank property, in which
Judge Archibald. man named Dainty
and the Lenigh Valley railroad were
said to be interested. This deal. Il Is
said. was interrupted by charges filed
with the department OF Justice against
Judge Archibald in connection with the
other cases.
williams told of getting an option
on the Katydid culm bank near Moo
sic. Pa. on the Erie railroad. Williams
said no money was turned over in the
transaction. After he got the option
he went back TO Judge Archibald and
told him.