The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1912-12-10
S45OO OPTION is
WORTH $4,000
Engineer Says Archibald Friend
Got Coal Below Value.
he MEASURED CULM BANK
Another Witness Tells of Getting op.
tlon Soon After Seeing the Com.
merce Judge.

Another Witness Tells of Getting op
tlon Soon After Seeing the Com
merce Judge.
Washington. Dec. 10.-James H. Rit
ienhouse, of Scranton, Pa, an expert
mining engineer, who surveyed the
Katydid culm bank at Scranton. un
der the direction Of Wrisley Brown. OF
the department of justice, testified In
the impeachment trial of Judge Rob
ert W. Archibald, of the commerce
court, that the Erie railroad could
have secured $35. 900 for the coal out
OF the refuse. instead Of the $4,000 fol
which 1t agreed to give an option tc
E. J. Williams, business associate OF
Judge Archibald.
Mr.. Rittenhouse said he had been
employed by Brown without knowing
whom the latter represented. or that
his work was in connection with a
government investigation.
Judge Archbald's attorney, A s
Worthington. objected to the ques
uons by Representative Floyd as to
the value of the coal. but Senator Ba
con. the presiding officer. did not sus
tain the objection.
What would the coal In that dump
have been worth to the Erie railroad?'
asked Representative Floyd.
1T would have been worth SAT- ,532
at the breakers" said Mr.. Rittenhouse
Leaving out the question of freight
1t would have been worth $4,000 tc
the Erie railroad"
The testimony of the mining engi
neer was introduced by the house
managers in the effort to show thai
through Judge Archbald's influence E
J. Williams had secured the option al
$4,000 for the Erie's share of the
dump, when the real value was much
greater.
Evidence designed to refute thai
previously given by E. ]. Williams, as
to his knowledge of the cases pend
ing before the commerce court involv
ing the Erie railroad, was presented
by the house managers through the
medium of George F. Snyder, clerk OF
the commerce court.
Mr.. Williams had testified that
Judge Archibald did not tell him the
so-called 'lighterage" cases were pend
ing involving the Erie, but that he had
seen papers on Judge Archbald's desk
with the word ''lighterage" on them
and had asked about the cases.
Mr.. Snyder produced all the briefs,
complaints and dockets that might
have been involved to show that the
word "lighterage" did not appear on
any Of them.
The positive statement that he had
been offered an option to purchase an
interest in the Katydid culm dump by
E. ]. Williams In the office Of Judge
Archibald at Scranton, several days af-
ter Judge Archibald had informed him
that Williams had no authority to
sell, was made by Thomas H. Jones.
OF Scranton. The statement was
brought out during the cross-examina-
ton by Representative Webb.
The witness declared that Williams
had offered to sell his interest in the
dump for $4,000 and accompanied
him to the office Of Judge Archibald
There, said Mr.. Jones, Judge Arch
BID told him that Williams had no
right to sell any part Of the culm
dump.
Several days later" said Mr.. Jones,
II went to Judge Archbald's office and
there an option was given me to pur-
chase Williams interest for $25,0O0."
did you think Judge Archibald drew
that option?" asked Representative
Webb.
"I did" replied Jones.