The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-05-09
Jurist S Name NJ t Made
Known in Business
Deals.
WITNESS TELLS
OF PARTNERSHIP
One Firm Which Refused to
Discount Note Later Lost Its
Case Before CO m m cree
Court-Committee Hears Evil
dence on Grave. Charges
of Irregularity.

washington, May S.-CnarSes against
Judge Robert w. Archibald. of the Com
merce Court. were unfolded to-day be-
fore the House Committee on Judi
ciary. which is to determine If i'm
( peach'nent proceedings 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 'lightcrage cases" to
which the Eric Railroad was I party.
is alleged to have negotiated an option
from that railroad for $4,000 tons Of
Culm Bank property. to be sold al u
$4,000 profit. was related to the COM
mittee by Williams himself.
Judge Archibald. accompa MED by hig
two sons and his counsel, y. S. Worth
inston. heard the testimony and Nonly
| looked at the 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
Tells of Another Deal.
In addition to that transaction. Will
Hams told Of another deal in which he
said Judge Archibald acquird an inter
est with him in an option on 1000, 0o0
! acres OF Venezuelan timber land for
which the Judge gave a note for $500.
Williams tried TO discount this note
with c. j. and W. p. Boland. of the
Marion Coal Company, OF Scranton who
at that time had case pending before
Judge Archibald in the Federal Coul /
| Tile Bo!ands refused TO discount the
note, and later lost their case. VIII
liams admitted telling w. p. Boland
that IL ne had discounted Judge Arch
! oaId's note the case might have re%
suited differently, but he denied that
Judge Archibald knew anything of his
making such remark To Boland
| The testimony relating to the Culn
! Bank transaction included reference 10
an assignment by Williams OF an in.
terest in the option secured TO w u
Boland and a silent party" whom he
admitted, under examination, was
Judge Archibald. When asked why
/ Judge Archibald had beer referred 70
as silent party" Williams said he
thought ii was not not lawful for a
jurist's name to be used iE such trans
actions.
! Williams related how the option or
| the Culm Bank property was negoti-
ated with officers of the Erie Railroad
and told how sale OF the property
was negotiated, and that he and Judge
I ~ SHuHic were 10 divide the proNtS
Judge Archibald, during the negotia
\ tions win the Erie. told him that tn,
I lighterage was then before his court
! Williams said.
! Judge Archibald showed me thc
I briefs In the case said Williams, "ant
! told me it was about the lighterag,
case in which the Erie was interested
l didn't know what lighterage mean
and he told me. Then he gave me q
I 1s.r tar to NJ
also told me that he would see the
general counsel for ts.e Erie, Mr.
| Brownell. about the option"
| Describes Transaction.
! How the option was given there.
after and a deal TO sell the property
at a $4,000 profit, later frustrated
10 the Lackawanna and Wyoming
Railroad Company. was described By
the witness in detail
Another transaction. which the com
n!ttee did not get TO. but will inquire
into when the hearing is resumed Fri
day. involved & later transaction for
other Culm Bank property, in which
Judge Archibald. man named Dainty
and the Lehiga Valley Railroad were
eaid j, be interested. This deal, ii is
said. was interrupted ny charges filed
with the Department of Justice against
Judge Archibald in connection with
the other cases.
When the first witness was called
70 the stand and told of the transact
ton involving Judga Archbald's note
for $500. and the case in his court IN
which the Bolsnds were interested.
Chairman Clayton produced a photo
graphic copy OF a letter signed by vii
i!ams. in which ne had said he told
w. l.. Boland the letter would nor
have decided the case against them.
The letter was read 10 Williams, and
ne said dramatically:
Il can swear before God that thos G
words never came from me-"
Did you sign this letter." asked the
chairman.
| Yes. that is my signature. but !
signed it without looking at 1t. I did
not know those words were there
| Williams told of being IN Washing
/ ton and o: Judge Archibald telling him
[ that the Erie Railroad lighterage
cases were then before the Commerce
| Court. Judge Archibald showed him
the briefs, he said.
| In the assignment OF the culm which
/ was introduced in evidence, a silent
, party" was mentioned.
| who was the silent party men.
toned in the assignment? asked
| Chairman Clayton.
| Judge Archibald
| What was he to do?"
| HE drew up the papers
/ Had Half Interest
| What was Judge Archbald's inter.
est in the culm banks?"
| "a half interest"
| For how much?"
$1,000" said Williams.
| Did he pay any money!"
| No: no money was ever paid"
| Did you negotiate a sale of the
culm property"
81 did,
What wer, yoo to get for lt?"
don't know exactly. offered {,
lContinued ON Third PareN -