The Washington times., 1915-03-02
PLANNING TO GET.
HOUSE TO |MPEACH.
JUDGE A. c. DAYTON
Influence Is Also Being Brought
to Kill Action Against West
virginian.
BY JUDSON G.. WELLIVER.


in the closing hours of Congress, to
get the House to pass tho pending
resolution impaachng Federal Judge
Aston G. Dayton, or West Virginia.
There is intimation, on tho other hand.
that influential forces arc trying to pre-
vent action in tho matter.
II the resolution Goes not pass before
the present Congress dies. SO the mat
ter may nc 'sent to the Scnate. all tho
work done i'm this Congress on tho case
will be lost, and the case Will nave TO
hc taken M in the n2Xt and 20 through
the routine of another inquiry by the
House Judiciary Committee.
The Dayton case has already dev"l-
oped into one OF the most sensational,
involving Federal judge. that has
ever come before Congress. Tho Ar
ray of charges against him. concerning
which the Judiciary Committee has had
testimony taken, and on which the sub
committee has decided that impnach
rlent Is necessary. covers n vas, range
of alleged msconducts. beginning with
a charge that Judge Dayton's appoint
ment was obtained through n plot of
which President Roosevelt WAS the in-
nocent victim.
Judge Dayton was a Republican Con-
yressman from West Virginia. and
Judge jackson. OF Injunction fame,
was on the Federal bench of that
State. The testimony alleges that on
one occasion Dayton told the Prcsi~
dent that he would rather be on the
bench than ip Congress. Whereupon
Roosevelt replied:
II a vacancy arises in West Wv
sinia, I'll appoint you.'
Plot For Removal.
The rcupon. so goes the testimony.
plotting began to get rid of Jackson.
First he was offered 100000 n year by
the Baltimore and Ohio road to resign
from the bench and become consulting
counsel. He at last agreed to do this.
but named a date some time in fu-
turc. Whereupon, it is alleged. he
was shadowcd by nttcctiNeS and fin
ally was confronted with story that
unless he resigned quickly lie was GO
ing to he the center Of scandal in
which a woman would be involved.
and he resigned rather than have the
matter pressed. I'aNton was at once
appointed.
Refore the suhrommitte" y secret
service main testified that he was sent
10 shadow Judge Jackson at Atlantic
city in the effort to get something
on him. He didn't succeed.
1t is charged by the prosecution OF
Dayton that the general motive back OF
tho determined effort to get rid Of Jack
son, was that the baltimore and Ohio
In..t l,,,t
when Jackson resigned under threats.
the railrNtd instead of giving him the
$4,000 that had been held out to him.
paid him only 5000 n year. creating for
which had never existed before. and
which was abolished whom he died
about two years later
Alter Judge DAYTON went ON the
,imorc and ohio appointed aS its
"f Mrs. Dayton, who had been
raised in the Dayton home and assoc-
few years after this. Arthur Dayton.
son of tho judge. concluded his law
course, and. it IL charged. though II
youth in tho early twcnties without OK
railroad in West Virginia. In that ca
pacity FOR five gears past he has had
nearly all his lracticc IN his father .
court. and il was brought into t"Sii-
mony that tlic father and son have
offices together AT Philippi, W. Va. II
was also alleged that the judge at times
helps his son prepare his cases.
Started In June.
The case against Judge Dayton was
started on Juno u. last, when Congress-
man Nicely of West Virginia rosc In the
House and formally impeached him of
numerous offcnscs and had tho matter
sent to tho Judiciary Committee. Mr..
Neely's charges have been examined
into on behalf of tn" committee. and a
pig DlaSs of testimony taken, much of
which is sensational in the highest do
gree Tho Judge iS charged with the
luOSt extreme treatment Of the labor
unions and their members in his State,
with declaring that hC would not allow
The United Min" Workers to exist IN
his jurisdiction. and with sending
woman. Miss Fannie Sellins. TO Jail for
distributing food and supplies among
tho striking miners. and keeping her
there nearly three months. ono wit
ness testified that Judge Dayton do
clsred that hc could get John +.
White. president of tho United Mine
Workers, into his court nc would give
year in prison II" issued an in
junction which. among other things
miner to join.
A1pone other interesting things in the
Testimony. which will have 10 be sifted
if the impeachment is ever tried. is tho
charge that the clerk Of Judge Day
toms court had at one time about Sl2j.-
900 deposited in a certain bank. repre-