Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-01-16

occupant Of judicial positions upon the
Pennsylvania State bench. the federal
district bench and the United States COM
merce court, was to-day adjudged guilty
by the United States Senate OF high
crimes and misdcmeanors." was stripped
Of his office and forever disqualified
from holding positions 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 Arch
bald had been guilty OF misconduct and
misbehavior as a judge, and that he had
corr,iptly used his judicial power to fur
ther the private interests OF himself and
his friends. In the acquisition OF coal land
properties in Pennsylvania
Upon five Of the 10 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 major
ity in some cases being against him,
but falling Of the two-thirds majority
necessary for conviction. Any one of the
1--WE verdlcts of guilty was enough to
bring about the punishment imposed upon
him.
CONVICTION ON FIRST COUNT.
The end OF the long fought struggle In
the Senate came early in 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 unaccustomed hush
prevailing throughout the chamber. sena-
tors rose In their places as their names
were called 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. resulted
In his conviction. by a vote Of 6s to 3.
In little committee room of 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 conviction wa.
carried to him by his son from the
gallery. After sentence had been imposed
upon him Judge Archibald and his family
left the capitol, to go at once to the fam.
lily home at Scranton.
Il have always known that | have
done no wrong. and the vote Of no one
makes It otherwise was his only com
ment upon the Senate's action.
SENTENCE BY MIR. BACON.
Sentence was imposed by Senator Bacon
OF Georgia, the presiding officer after
the Senate had by vote OF - to IS
upheld a resolution offered by Senator
OGornan Of New York authorizing the
full penalty provided by the constitution.
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 COM
merce court, be and he is hereby removed
from office. and that he be and is hereby
forever disqualified to hold and enjoy any
Office OF honor, trust or profit under
the United States"
or the 10 men who have been impeach
ed before the Senate since the organ,za
ton OF tho government. Judge Archibald
Is the third to he convicted and tho
only convicted who appeared to make a
personal defense against the charges
brought by the House Of Representatives
Voting an the charges began as soon
|
organized at one o'clock. On each of the
articles Senator Bacon, after the secre-
thry had read the charge to the Senate.
put the formal question:
senators, how say YOU is the respond.
eht' Robert w, Archibald. guilty or no,
guilty as charged in this article?"
AS the roll call proceeded, replies OF
guilty came from all parts OF the
chamber Robert w. Archibald, Jr., who
sat with his fathers counsel on the floor
OF the Senate, exhibited great feeling as
1t became apparent that the vote was
overwhelmingly for conviction.
The first article charged that Judg,
Archibald had gone to the officials OF tn,
Erie railroad, while that road had sui,
pending In the commerce court and had
corruptly influenced them to agree &c
give him favorable option on the Katy.
did culm dump. owned In part by the
Erie's subsidiary company. the Hillside
Coal & Iron company
The second charge was not sustained
the vote against Judge Archibald, &c to 25
being two short OF the necessary two.
thirds. On the third charge, involving
the use OF influence with the Lchigh Val.
ley railroad to force 1t to relinauish q
lease on Packer No. g." n coal property
; which Judge Archibald wanted to secure
tho accused jurist was convicted by a
vote of 90 TO II. Senators Brandegee
Clark OF Wyoming, Crane, Smoot. Ste
phenson and Thornton. who had voted
guilty" on the first article, voted mo,
guilty" on this charge
GUILTY ON FOURTH COUNT
Another verdict OF guilty" came or
, the fourth charge that Judge Arch.
bald had wrongfully written to Helm
: Bruce, an attorney for the Louisville
Nashville railroad, to secure his as
{ sistance In preparing a decision in a
3 case then before the commerce court
The vote on this charge was so TO 20
3 Additional Senators who voted mo,
| guilty" on this charge were: Burton
Gullom, Dupont. Gallinger, Lippitt
McCumber. Root, Sutherland. Swan.
son, Warren and Wetmore; while
Y Senator Thornton voted guilty"
Y On the fifth charge, that he had
corruptly influenced officials Of tn,
Reading railroad to grant a coal LAND
lease to Frederick Warnke and hat
received compensation for this service
Judge Archibald received the support
OF but six senators; Burnhsm, Catron