Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-11-27
JUDGE BAKER CASE /
TESTIMONY ENDED.
House Committee Hears Both
Charges and DeniaIs of
Wet Corruption.
BY the Associated Press.

PARKERSBURG, W. Va, Novem-
Der 27.-A mass of testimony. much
OF 1t contradictory, had been placed
before a congressional subcommittee
last night when 1t closed two days
Of hearings here on charges of mis-
conduct fled against Federal Judge
William E. Baker Of the northern
district of West Virginia. The
charges We're filed with the House of
Representatives by A. Brown, dis
trict attorney OF the same jurislic-
ment proceedings against Judge
Baker. The committee indicated that
the next hearing would be held at
Wheeling, probably within a few
weeks.
More than so witnesses were heard
yesterday, mainly in denial of the
charges, while on the previous day
the committee devoted it's time to
testimony offered in support OF them.
Judge Baker on the witness stand
today made a sweeping denial to the
three specific charges covered in the
present inquiry, that of changing
court records, the transfer of con-
fiscated liquor and his alleged use
of liquor. Other witnesses called by
his counsel testified of various incl
dents during his term on the bench.
Many of them declared they had
never seen Judge Baker under the
influence Of liquor or showing indica-
lions that he had been using liquor.
Details Of Case.
Considerable time was spent on de-
tails of the case of Mike Sawa, who,
after a plea of guilty, was sentenced
in q prohibition case at Wheeling in
May, 1922. The original information
l,;v h1y at
torneys once, charged possession OF
two moonshine stills. but a charge of
manufacturing liquor was inserted
later, and the main question was
whether this insertion was made
after sentence had been pronounced,
as charged by Mr.. Brown.
Judge Baker in his testimony de-
clared that when Sawa was first be-
fore the court he admitted manufac-
turing moonshine. and that he in
structed the assistant United States
attorney, Charles J. Schuck, to draw
a new Information on this charge. In
stead, he said. the interlined informa-
ton was presented. but because IL
was legal to amend an information
he permitted it to stand. 1t was not
until the next day. he said, that
Sawa's plea was taken and sentence
imposed.
TrAn1feF OF Liquor.
With reference to the transfer of
conf7scated liquor to Elkins. his home
city, Judge Baker declared that the
order was made at the suggestion of
c. E. Smith, the United States mar
shall. because storage space was
available in the Federal Building
there and because of thefts from
other places where confscated liquor
was stored. Smith corroborated Judge
Bakers statement that the transfer
orders were made at his suggestion.
A quantity OF liquor, said by some
witnesses to be 500 quarts. moved
from Clarksburg to Elkins. was plac-
ed at $50 to zoo quarts by John
koontz. a deputy marshal, who said
he had charge Of moving the liquor.
He testified on cross-examination
that most OF the liquor was destroy
ed in the Elkins Federal Building by
pulling out the corks and emptying
the contents into the sewer.
Judge Baker characte rized as
false" the testimony Of Mrs. A. c.
Moore that he was present at party
in house she owned IN Clarksburg
where several of the company were
Intoxicated. James. Carter. occupant
Of the house; Charles S. Dyson and
A. C. Mcdaniel of Clarksburg, alleged
to have been in the party. denied that
there was any such occurrence or that
they ever saw Judge Baker in that
house.
Had Not Seen Him Drunk.
In all, seventeen witnesses declared
that in their association with Judge
Baker since he be came Federal judge
they had never seen him either I'M
der the influence of liquor or showing
that he had used liquor.
Wade Coffman clerk Of the court
de MED having been in an intoxicated
condition, in company with Judge
Baker in a Wheeling hotel, as wit
nesses had asserted. Judge Baker
also denied IL.
Koontz, Charles X. WEIGH. deputy
marshal. and Louis Buckwald, pres
ent United States marshal, con-
tradicted testimony OF Mrs. Marion
c. Greer that Judge Baker had been
"boisterously" drunk in the marshafs
office In Elkins on the night OF
courf term fhere