The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1912-12-03

CORRUPT ACTION IS ALLEGED
Thirteen Separate Actions Are
Basis For Trial

Judge Robert w. Archibald of the
United States Commerce court for
conduct amounting 10 a violation oi
his oath as federal Judge had been
set 10 open today before the Senate
Court of Impeachment as result
OF Judge Archbald's request last Aug
ust that his attorneys be given more
time To prepare their ease,
The charge against Judge Arch
bald arose In connection with private
and Official acts both as Judge of
the Court of Commerce and as Unit
ed States District Judge for Middle
Pennsylvania. He was impeached by
the House of Representatives after "A
full investigation Of the facts by the
Department of Justice. and extended
hearings before the House Judiciary
committee.
During the last week scores of sub
poenaes were issued for witnesses who
will be brought before the Senate by
The House managers and by Judge
Archbald's attorneys in connection
with the trial,
After the House Committee on Ju-
dietary had concluded its hearings
last spring IL recommended that
Judge Archibald be called before the
Senate under Impeachment proceed
ings. The last time the House had
exercised It's Impeachment powers
was in 1904 when Judge Swape. Unit =
ed States Judge for the northern dis
trict of Florida, was called to account
Tor misconduct and was acquitted by
the Senate.
Thirteen Separate Charges.
The House of Representatives. on
July IL, 1912 adopted articles of i'm
peachmont by vote of 222 To l and a
committee headed by Representative
Clayton Of Alabama, was chosen 10
act as the managers on the part OF
the House TO try the case before the
Senate. The House managers urged
the Senate to grant an immediate
trial but that body declined to hear
session.
Thirteen separate articles consti
tute the basis for the Impeachment
trial. These embrace dealings be-
tween Judge Archibald and railroad
officials and others in regard to Penn
sylvania coal or "culm" dumps and
coal lands: contributions by attorneys
and others To the judges vacation
"trip To Europe in 1910; reputed 'se-
cret" correspondence by the judge
with railroad attorney concerning "A
pending ease: and alleged attempts
to have notes payable To Judge Arch
bald discounted by attorneys and liti-
gants before his court.
In presenting the case 10 the House
Representative Clayton said that the
judiciary committee was of the opin-
ion that Judge Archbalds "sense of
moral responsibility had become dead
ened" and that he had "prostituted his
high Office for personal profit"
Denies improper Action.
The principal charge grew out Of
the Katydid Culm bank deal. In this
charge IL was asserted that while the
Erie Railroad company had pending
tefore the Commerce court two suits,
Judge Archibald, corruptly taking ad-
vantage of his official position. induc-
ed the officials of the Hillside Coal e.
Iron company and OF the Erie rail
road which owned that company, To
agree to sell the coal company's in
terest In the Katydid dump To Judge
Archibald and Edward ]. Williams.
In his answer Judge Archibald de-
MED that he had acted corruptly. or
had taken advantage of his position
His attorneys took the position that Il
was not crime for federal Judge
TO become interested i'm an attempt
10 purchase property from one who
was or might become a litigant before
his court. They declared that no at
tempt was made To get the property
for less than its fair value.
Another prominent charge was that
Judge Archibald undertook for a con-
sideration to assist George NJ. Wat
son, an attorney of Scranton. Pa, to
settle a reparation suit brought by the
Marion Coal company against the
Delaware, Lackawanna and Western
Railroad company. and to sell for C.
G. Boland and w. p. Boland. a large
Iortion of the stock of the Marion
Coal company to the railroad. In his
answer. Judge Archibald declared he
acted in this manner merely as a
friend of Watson and C. @. Boland,
without ever having received a sug-
gestion of compensation.
In response to every charge attor-
reys for Judge Archibald replied that
the acts charged did not constitute
an impeachable offense, or a high
crime or misdemeanor, as defined in
the constitution