Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-07-29
PROTESTS HIS INNOCENCE
Declares He Has Not Used Functions
of Office Corruptly.
EXPLAINS HIS BUSINESS DEALS
Believed That the Trial Will Not Be
Undertaken Before November
or December.

Judge Robert W. Archbald's formal an
swer to the charges against him without
deciding whether the trial shall go on this
summer or be postponed until this fall
The answer Of Judge Robert w. Arch
bald Of the Commerce Court to the
charges Of corrupt use of his offce laid
against him by the House Of Representa-
tives was made shortly after noon today
TO the Senate, sitting as q court Of i'm
parchment. Judge Archibald sat at the
head Of the counsePs table at the right
of the Senate bar: but his formal an
swer was presented by his attorney, A.
S. Worthington, and was read. at the
latter's request by the clerk Of the
Senate.
The preliminaries to the days session
We're brief. The Senate lost no time In
resolving itself into q court at 1890. and
the answer of the accused jurist came as
soon as formal business had been dis
posed of. Judge Archibald denied many
of the charges against him. In others,
where the facts were admitted he assert
ed that they did not constitute an I'M
peachable offense or a high crime or
msdeameanor' against the government.
lie denied fatty that he had used his
judicial Office for his own profit Or had
used his power to secure favors from liu-
giants in his court.
Before the court convened there was
much discussion in Senate circles as to
the time when the formal trial will be-
gin. 1t is believed 1t will not be under
taken before November or December
Judge Archbald's attorney was prepared
10 request a postponement of action until
that time to permit the Commerce Court
judge to more fully prepare his case.
House Managers Waiting.
The House managers We're waiting at
the Senate entrance when the court re-
sumed sitting Senators Penrose. Poin-
dexter, Kern. Watson, Foster and Bank
head. who were absent when the case
was first taken up. were sworn in as
members of the court.
The reading of the journal ended. Sen
atcr Galiinger asked the Defendants
nj orneys were prepared to make an
swer to the charges
We are ready with out answer, said
Mr.. Worthington. rising. and would like
% have il read from the clerks desk.
This permission was granted by the
Senate. and the reading of the long an
swer began at 1910.
Judge Archbald's Formal Denial.
Judge Archibald formally denied that he
ever had used his office or his influence as
q judge for profit, that he ever undertook
for a consideration to compromise litiga-
tion before the interstate commerce COM
mission, that he ever wrongfully used his
position TO obtain credit from litigants
before him. or that he had undertaken to
carry on a general business for profit or
speculation in coal properties, as charged
in the House indictment.
To each of the thirteen articles of i'm
parchment Judge Archibald replied that
none. even IL true, constituted an i'm
peachable offense. high crime or mis-
demeanor as defined by the Constitution.
Many statements contained in the allega-
tons were not disputed. while others were
totally denied. and annullment of others
was asked on the ground that they were
too vague to admit of proper defense.
Judge Archibald admitted his participa-
tion in the now noted "Katydid culm
bank deal with Edward J. Williams of
Scranton and the Hillside Coal and Iron
Company. a subsidiary of the Erie rail-
road which then had cases pending in
/. his court, but ne denied that he willfully
unlawfully or corruptly took any ad-
vantage OF his position 10 induce the
railroad officials 10 deal with him and his
partner.
The accused jurist denied that he at
any time for a consideration agreed TO as
sist George NJ. Watson. a Scranton law
yer. 10 settle a case in which the Marian
Coal Company was complainant against
the Iachawanna railroad before the in
terstate commerce comm .ssion- William
r. Boland and his brothers. Christopher
and James. are principal stockholders in
the coal company. and William +. Boland
was the author OF some OF the
: ~ha rges or which the House judiciary
committee reported articles of impeach-
ment. The judges answer today set out
that his participation in the nesot.at tions
with officials Of the Lackawanna railroad
for settlement of the case was purely out
Of friendship for Watson and Christopher
G. Boland and that all his acts were
Without promise or expectation of COM
pensation of any kind.
Corrupt Use of Office Denied.
In reply to the charge that he and his
associates secured from the Lehigh Val
ley railroad a lease on coal dump packer
No 3, owned by the city OF Philadelphia
as trustee for the heirs of the late Ste
phen Girard. II was asserted that the
transaction did not involve unlawful or
corrupt use OF his office. Some details of
this article were disputed.
To the charge that Judge Archibald per-
mitted Helm Bruce. attorney for the
Louisville and Nashville railroad to make
4 reply after a case had been closed In
court. thte judge ayerred that permission
for such a supplementary reply was not
30 far as he knew given in secret from
the interstate commerce commission
sion for the supplementary answer
was given wrongfully or unlawfully. but
declared il had been done in fairness and
IN the interests OF justice
The judge denied that he used his office
wrongfully To aid Frederick Warnke In
securing from the Philadelphia and Read
Ing railroad a lease of the Lincoln cuIm
dump or that he accepted from Warnke
xrongfully a promissory note for $500.
Judge Archibald does say. however that
Ne and John Henry Jones received from
trhe Premier Coal Company a note for
s5l0 indorsed by Warnke. This, the
Judge AYERS was for services he and
Jones had performed by bringing about
the sale OF the Old Gravity Fill culnl
bank BY the Lacoe & Shiffer Coal Com
pany to the Premier Coal Company, In
which Warnke had an interest.
The charge that the Judge used his
office corruptly or Improperly to bring
about the sale OF the Everhardt coal
lands to the Lehigh Valley railroad OF
the Lehigh Valley Coal Company was
claimed to be vague.
Alleged Honduras Scheme.
Judge Archibald denied that any time
he had entered a scheme TO buy stocks