The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1912-07-18
IMPEACHMENT OF
JUDGE ARCHIBALD
Thirteen Articles of Impeachment
Embraced in the Charges.
Prostituted His High Office
for Personal Profit" Is
One Charge.
WASHINGTON. ID. C.-Srecinl.


House presented TO that body to-
day articles of impeachment
against Judge Robert w. Arch
bald. OF the Commerce Court, who
Is characterized as zone whose
sense of moral responsibility has
become dcadcned."
The presentation of the charges.
consisting OF thirteen articles of
Impeachment, was one OF the most
solemn proceedings witnessed i'm
the House i'm years.
Chairman Clayton. of the Judi
ciary Committee, made the re-
port, the adoption of which will
mean the trial before the Senate
of Judge Archibald.
In the Indictment Judge Arch
bald Il termed by the Judiciary
Committee as zone who has pros
tttuted his high Office for personal
profit
The resolution charges I'm the
customary form that Judge Arch
bald has been guilty of miSbc-
havior and high crimes and mis-
dcmcanOrS.''
The impeachment proceedings
grew out of the now famous Quinn
bank deals i'm which the Judge is
alleged TO have been involved, i'm
Pennsylvania, and the papers of
Impeachment contain a lengthy
review of the recent hearings be-
fore the House Judiciary Com
mittee.
The report of the committee
Is unanimous.
The report of the committee
charges that "the testimony
shows that at different times.
while Judge Archibald was n
judge of the United States Dis
trict Court. he sought and OBJ
tanned credit and i'm other in
stances sought to obtain credit
from persons who had litigation
pending in his court.
1.-THE testimony shows that
after Judge Archibald had been
promoted to the position of United
States circuit judge and had been
designated as one of the Judges
of the Commerce Court. he. i'm
connection with different persons,
sought to obtain options on cuIm
dumps and other coal properties
from officers and agents of coal
companies. which were owned
and controlled by railroad COM
panies.S
It is further charged that the
testimony shows that when the
assistants OF the Judge would To-
cate properties, the Judge would
then take up the matter of pur-
chase or sale with the officials of
the coal companies and railroad
companies.
tW'hile these negotiations we've
being conducted" says the report,
''and while agreements were
sought TO be made the railroad
companies, with whose Officers
Judge Archibald was making con-
tracts and seeking to make
agreements, were common car
riers engaged i'm interstate COM
Tperce with litigation pending i'm
the Commerce Court"
A PUBLIC SCANDAL.
The disclosures OF these OBJ
tions, contracts and agreements.
the Judiciary Committee says,
amounted to "a public scandal"
when aired i'm the press.
The testimony fails to disclose
any cause i'm which Judge Arch
bald invested money of his own"
admits the committee. ''but shows
that he used his personal infiu-
ence As judge i'm consideration
OF which he received or was TO
receive his share i'm the property
or profits OF the deal"
The committee says that such n
course makes Judge Archibald
guilty or "having grossly abused
the proprieues OF his Office as
Judge"
IN conclusion the committee
states that "the conduct of this
Judge has been exceedingly repre-
hensible ard in marked contrast
with the high sense of judicial
ethics and pnobity that generally
characterizes the Federal Judi
ciary."
The committee AYERS that a
judge should be the perSonifica-
ton of integrity, of honor and of
uprightness i'm his daily walk and
conversation.
SWEEPING CRITICISM.
In its sweeping Indictment. the
committee declares to the House:
rHour committee is of the
opinion that Judge ArchbaId's
sense of moral responsibility has
become deadened. He has pros
tituted his high office for per-
sonaI profit. He has attempted
by various transactions TO COM
merciaiize his potentially as
Judge He has shown an over
weaving desire to make gainfuI
bargains with parties having
cases before him. To accomplish
this purpose he has not hesitated
70 use his official power and in
Thence. He has degraded his
high office and destroyed the
confidence of the public in his
Judicial integrity. He has for
feited the condition upon which
he holds his commission and
should be removed from office
by Impeachment"