The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-01-07

bald of the United States commerce
court, to negotiate with officials of the
Erie and Lehigh Valley railroads over
the settlement of coal land matters and
that induced him to indorse certain notes
according to the statements made by the
accused iurist today when he took the
stand before the impeachment court of
the Senate to testify in his own behalf.
Mrs. Archibald Testifies
Judge Archibald followed his wife upon
the witness stand. Led by his own at
torneys, he gave chronological history
of the transactions upon which the
House of Representatives had based its
impeachment proceedings against him.
He repeatedly denied that any improper
motives influenced his actions, or that
he had sought to corruptly use his
power as a federal judge.
Mrs. Archibald. an eloquent figure In
defense of her husbands integrity as to
the trip to Europe which he enjoyed
at the expense of Henry w. Cannon
a director in the Great Northern and
other railroads, was under examination
but short time. She said Mr.. Cannon
was her cousin, that the two families
frequently had enjoyed pleasure trips to.
gether.
The invitation to the Archbalds to 60
to Europe in 1910 came to Mrs. Archibald
personally. She gave the Senate the
letter from Mr. Cannon. This and other
letters that passed between Mr.. Cannon
and Judge and Mrs. Archibald were filled
with discussion OF the trip.
Tomorrow the managers for the House
appearing as the prosecutors in the case
will take UP cross-examination of the
jurist
Judge Archibald appeared composed and
his voice carried to all parts of the
chamber He admitted his associations
with Edward j. Williams of Scranton
In negotiations for the Katydid refuse
coal dump, owned jointly by a subsidiary
of The Erie railroad and by the firm 81
Robertson and Law. Judge Archibald
declared he had had no interest what
ever In the settlement of the case OF
the Marion Coal company against the
Delaware. Lackawanna and Western
railroad. He went to the officials of the
railroad in that case. he said, as a
friend TO George NJ. watson, the attor-
ney for the coal company. and one of
the owners of the coal company. He
had no thought of reward for his ef-
forts, he said. and no purpose to in
fluence the railroad to make a favorable
settlement
He denied that he had tried to get
credit from litigants or possible liti-
gants In his court lie declared that
he had never attempted to conceal his
interest in the Katydd dump or In the
settlement of the Marian Coal company
case and that. on the contrary, his ac-
in Ua ifto ho
fore the impeachment proceedings against
him
Questioned Nhout Bruce Letters
Upon one point only was the jurist
subjected to much questioning. This
was in reference To the charge that,
as a member OF the commerce court,
he had written to Helm Bruce, an at
torney for the Louisville and Nash
Vile railroad as to the evidence that
had been presented in the case of that
road against the interstate commerce
commission. tried by the commerce
court.
Judge Archibald declared certain
points in the evidence were not clear
and that he had written to Mr.. Bruce
to clear them up. The correspondence
amounted to nothing. he said. because
the points at issue mad no part in the
settlement of the case.
Members of the Senate asked If he
had shown the correspondence to 9TH
er members of the commerce court or
informed them of It, Judge Archibald
said he had not Senator Reed asked If
he thought IL proper for Judge, In
passing on doubtful points in evidence,
to ask the opinion only of the attor-
ney likely to coincide with his own
views.
mo, ! do not" said Judge Arch
bald
He declared he had no knowledge
of the making of the silent party
agreement In the office of William p.
Boland in Scranton. through which it
appeared that the Katydid dump was
controlled by e. J. Williams, w. r.
Boland, and n silent party" known
but to few patrons
II never heard OF the preparation
of the agreement and would not have
submitted to having any such paper
drawn" said Judge Archibald. 'T never
concealed my connection with this mat
ter; on the contrary. | was very prom
inent in it,.
Representative Sterling of the House
managers fought against allowing
Judge Archbald's attorneys to ask him
direct questions as 10 his motive in GO
ing to the railroad officials In the vari-
Gus coal land deals that form the basis
of the Impeachment charges against
him
Senator Bacon, presiding over the
Impeachment court ruled direct ques-
tions out as improper. but permitted
the attorneys to ask Judge Archibald
his motive. In the case of the deal
involving the Erie railroad he said
IL was the desire to expedite deci-
sion as TO whether or not the option
on the Katydid dump would be given,
In the Lackawanna case 1t was a
friendly act to George M. Watson and
c. G. Boland.