Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-01-14
Removed from Judgeship--
Disbarr8d from Office.
68 10 5 on First Charge Of High
Crimes and MisdemeanoTs.
Guilty on Five Of rs counis.-Da.
clares innocence Of Wrong Doing.

Washington, Jan. 13.--Robert w.
Archibald of Scranton, Pa. for 29 years
an occupant OF judicial positions upon
the Pennsylvania state bench, the
federal district bench and the United
States commerce court, was, today,
adjudged guilty by the United States
], Senate of High crimes and INSIDE
meanors" was stripped of his office and
forever disqualified from holding po-
sitions of public honor or public trust
/ The conviction and judgment came
| as the conclusion of the Impeachment
| trial that has been pending in the
Senate, since last summer. on charges
/ that Judge Archibald has been guilty
of misconduct and misbehavior as q
| judge, and that he had corruptly used
his judicial power to further the pri-
vate interests of himself and his
friends, in the acquisition of coal land
properties in Pennsylvania
Upon five of the Is separate charges
brought against him by the House of
Representatives, Judge Archibald was
found guilty. Upon the other eight,
the Senate voted him not guilty, the
majority in some cases being against
him. but failing of the two thirds ma
II.
one of the five verdicts of guilty was
enough to bring about the punishment
imposed upon him
The end of the long fought strug-
gle in the Senate came, early III the
afternoon, when the vote was taken
on the first article of impeachment
with gallery doors locked to prevent
the movement of spectators. and an I'M
accustomed hush prevailing through
out the chambers. senators rose In
their places as their names were call
ed and pronounced the word Guilty"
in almost inaudible tones The vote
on the first charge, that Judge Arch
bald had corruptly influenced officials
OF the Erie Railroad to sell him the
katydid culm dump at Scranton, &c.
suited in his conviction by vote of
IS to 5.
In little committee room off the
gallery floor. behind a guarded door.
Judge Archibald. his wife, and his son,
Hugh, sat throughout the afternoon,
as the Senate voted upon the charges
against him. The first vote of conyic.
ton was carried to him by his son
from the gallery. After sentence had
been imposed upon him. Judge Arch.
bald and his family left the Capitol
to go at once to the family home at
Scranton.
Il have always known that have done
no wrong. and the vote of no one makes
IT otherwise" was his only comment upon
the Senate's action. Sentence was inn
posed by Senator Bacon of Georgia, the
pressing officer, after the Senate had, by
a vote of 80 to IS, upheld a resolution Of
fered by Senator o'Gorman of New York
authorizing the full penalty provided by
the constitution E
THE Senate therefore do order and de-
cree" said Senator Bacon, "and it is
hereby adjudged, that the respondent.
Robert W. Archibald, circuit Judge for
the United States for the third judicial
circuit and designated to serve In the
commerce court. be and he is hereby re-
moved from office, and that he be and is
hereby forever disqualified to hold and
enter into office of honor trust or profit
under the United States
The sentence of the Senate became op-
erative at once. and directions were
given that the President and House of
representatives be notified of the verdict
and the punishment imposed.
or the 10 men who have been impeach-
led before the Senate since the organiza-
ton OF the government. Judge Archpald
Is the third to be convicted, and the only
one convicted who appeared to make
personal defence against the charges
brought by the House of Representatives
Voting ON the charges began as soon
as the Impeachment court had been re-
organized at l O'clock On each of the
articles Senator Bacon, after the secre-
tary had read the charge to the Senate,
put the formal question:: Senators. how
say you. is the respondent, Robert W.
Archibald. guilty or not guilty, as charg-
ed in this article?,
AS the roll call proceeu-I. replies of
guilty" came from all parts of the
chamber. Each senator, under the rule,
rose in his seat and gave his verdict; but
Notwithstanding the silence that prevail
ed throughout the chamber, many mao TO
be asked to repeat their votes to make
their replies audible to the secretary.
| Robert w. Archibald, Jr.. who sat with
his fathers counsel on the floor of the
Senate, exhibited great feeling as it be-
came apparent that the vote was over
whelmingly for conviction.
The first article charged that Judge
Archibald had gone to officials of the Erie
| Railroad, while that road had suit
pending in the commerce court, and had
corruptly influenced them to agree to give
him favorable option on the Katydid
culm dump. owned in part by the Fries
subsidiary company. the Hillside Coal q
Iron Co. The vote in detail on this
charge was:
For observation-disclosures, Bankheadj
Borah, Bourne, Brandegee, Bristow,
Bryan, Burton, Chamberlain. Clapp,
Clark of Wyoming, Clarke OF Arhan
sas, Crane. Crawford. Culberscn Gull
lom, Cummins, Curtis, Dixon, Dupont.
Fletcher Foster. Galinger, Gore,
I Gronna. Hitchcock. Johnson of Maine,
Jones, KENYON. LaFollette. Lipp.tt,
CONTINUED on Page Twelve.)