The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1912-12-03
Is Charged With Attempting to Float
Coal Deals Through Rail
road Officials.
MORAL SENSE DEADENED
Report of Judiciary Committee Says
That He Has Used Office for
Personal Profit.

~ United Press.
Washington, December 3.-For
the ninth time in the history of the
United States, its most plenary pow
er-impeachment proceedings-was
exercised today by the senate.
Robert w. Archibald, associate
justice of the new commerce court
was the defendant. His impeach-
ment trial began, with a committee
of seven representatives acting as
prosecutors.
'sMisbehavior and misdemeanors'
in office were the formal charges
against Judge Archibald The in
dictment, presented by the house
consists of thirteen articles, a most
scathing and bitter arraignment of
the federal Judge.
Use of his Office for personal profit
is the substance of all of the charges
against the defendant He is charged
with attempting to float deals in
refuse coal deposits in Pennsylvania,
through railroad officials, and also
improper receipt of favors from at
torneys before his court. 80. - -. ,-
Sweeping denial of wrongdoing
was made by Judge Archibald to
every one of the thirteen charges
against him. He contends that no
improper motive can be predicted
from any of his acts, private Or Off
cial, and that he never gained or
sought to profit by improper use of
his Office.
When the senate met today it was
planned to devote from two to four
hours daily to taking testimony of
the 100 witnesses who will be called
for both the government and the de-
tense. About seventy witnesses
were before the house judiciary COM
mittee when the impeachment charge
was under investigation. At those
hearings Judge Archibald, by force
of precedents, could not and did not
submit any evidence or offer testi-
mony of any witnesses. He did not
take the stand himself Whether he
will testify before the senate has not
been disclosed.
The impeachment trial today was
the first held in the senate since
Judge Swayne, federal district judge
in Florida, was tried and acquitted
in 1905.
Custer of Archibald will require
a vote of two-thirds of the senators,
although majority only of the
house was required for his impeach-
ment.
Complaint Last February.
Today's trial had its inception in
a complaint filed last February be-
fore Interstate Commerce Commits
sioner Henry B. Meyer, by William
P. Boland, president and general
manager of the Marian Coal COM
Dany of Scranton, Pa. Boland told
Never that he feared Archibald had
been or was interested in aiding GER
tain railroads in Boland's litigation
with the carriers.
Commissioner Meyer reported b.
lands complaint to Attorney General
Wickersham, who caused an investl-
CATION to be made by Wrisley Brown
special assistant. On the strength
of Browns report, Attorney General
Wickersham reported the circum-
stances to President Taft. On April
rs. 1912, the president sent a spe-
eial message to the house, laying all
of the evidence before the house for
it's action. The house judiciary COM
mittee, on May 7, began the investi-
cation, concluded June 4, and on
July 8 recommended that Archibald
be impeached.
Moral Sense Deadened.
In it's report the judiciary COM
mittee said:
"Your committee is of the opin'
ion that Judge Archbald's sense OF
moral responsibility has become
deadened. He has prostituted his
high Office for personal profit. He
has attempted by various transac.
tons to commercialize his potential
ity as a judge. He has shown an
overweaning desire to make eofnfll]
7C00f1puod On last pog0),