Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-04-03

lion to-day. From what ls said on ali sides
Mr.. Archer seems TO b9 the very last man
who wonli be suspected OF wrong.doIng.
Mr.. Marine, ths new Republican collector
OF the port says: 81 believe tho thing IL
exaggerated. / don't helieve hs has done
anything but wbat can be easily explained.
He did not specnlate nor gamble aud his
domestic relations wore OF tho hapriest
Kind. do NOT know much OF his private
affairs, but do know that there Is not
man In Hartford county who would not
stand by Stephenson Archer to tho very
last. l repeat, l believe this report to be
exaggerated
Deputy Collector OF tho Port George O.
McComns was as much surprised as Coiiec.
tor Marine by the disclosures about Archer.
He says; "There is not man in all liAr-
ford county who would not have trusted
him with every dollar he possessed. This
thing has caused me as much grief ns
though 1t had been my own brother. l can
ascrlbe no motive. Mr.. Archer was not u
speculator and he did not gamble. He led
Il very quiet domestic lifs. Why even in
the heat OF political campaigns he always
managed to slip up to Bel Air two or thee
times n WeeE. His integrity Tas never qie5-
toned. When ip Congress know hat ha re-
fused to take any of the Credit Mohitier stock.
Eefore ne got into = lltics mir. Archer
etjoyed an extensive law practice, and had
charge Of largA number OF estates. His
family consists OF his wife and two daugn-
ters, one OF whom is tho wife of State
Senator Benjamin Silver OF Hsr.ord county.
All Maryland will sorrow with them because
Of their great grief. II the deficit amounted
10 only few thousand dollars, his friends
wouli gladly have helped him out. The
case is II very sad one; very sad, indeed"
The Mechanics Bank Of this city which,
It was slid In Annapolis dispatches OF last
night, was the holder OF constdereble
Archer paper, refuses to talk further than
to say that It is amply protected by the d.
posit Of coupon bonds for ali loans to State
Treasu er Archer.
Mr.. Archer was FIRST elected treasurer In
1856, succeeding Mr. hr L. Cuttings. the
Baltimore banker wso had hesu selected to
succeed Mr.. Bnrues Compton, who had
been elected to Congress. Mr.. Archer's ap
pointment as treasurer heraded his appeEi-
snce IN tho ranks OF the regular DemonrEeV.
III 1889 he was an Independent candidateio for
tho position Of circuit judge against the
regular Democratic nominee, Judge Fowler,
and so great WIS his personal popularity
that he poled very large vo'e.
IL 1887 he suoce 5d5t Senator Arthur p.
Gorman, who resigned as ehaii man OF the
! Democratic state central crmmiuea and IN
eaeh political campaign since that wear ne
has taken prominent part. His salary us
state treasurer wns s2,5O0 yea.
Mr.. Archer Is also an ex-conRressman.
having been first elected In 1866. He served
10 consecutive terms. In Congress Mr..
Archer served As q memb r OF the naval
and other important committees. He has
been frequently delegate to national aud
s!ats Democratic conventions. tolerably
| well authenticated statement has been Cir
| cnlated that Mr.. Arcnet recently told close
| ffiends of his troubles and they were 80
serious that the needed help could not o 9
given.
COMMITTEE OF INVESTIGATION.
ANNAPOLIS, Mn, March 27.--The joint
committee TO investigate State Treasurer
Arch-r's accounts are Senator Poo aud
smith; Delegates shaw, Laird aud Harden.
| Senator Silver, the sOn-in-lHw OF Treas
urer Archer, Josenh NJ. Street, Murray Van.
diver and s A. Williams, who are on the
treasureI's bond, arrived hero this morn.
ing. They are closeted with Comptroller
BauRhmHn. Neither Of them know any
thing OF Arch RS financial affairs. They
report that MIR, Archer cannot be disturbed
| His hyslcian hna ordered complete quiet
Nothing trustworthy ia yet known concern
ing tho business accounts.
BALTIMORE, Mp, March 27.--stevenson
Archer, slaie treasurer, chairman OF the
Democratic state cotntnlttes, and proml.
last Night was reported by the gov
eTnor to the legislature as having
mis8ppropriated tho state funds, Il
living seriously Ill at his beautiful home,
II sz-l Dell, near Bel Air. He still has the
key to the strong box IN the safe Deposit
Company vaults In this city, which should
contain 1501,UV0 tn stnta securities and
4-uO. QUO III Baltimore X OHIO railroad stocE
belonging to she state.
Ths committee appointed late last night
by the legislature TO maize IN investigation
had conferences in Annapolis to-day with
the stato comptroller and several OF MIR
Az hers houd.men, and Tomorrow they
Will come to this city aud look at the stste
securities
A Dispatch from Bel Air tonight says tha'
Mr.. Archer will tomorrow turn over the
keys and power of attorney to one OF hit
bondsman to opea the box. But little Car
bs learned OF ArcheF's corditlon. Tho
family aud the physicians are re icent.
IL known, however. tn8t his mind has beer
BADLY affected over his financial trouble4
He was IN Annapolis last Frtduy, unC
then remarked to q friend that 1t would bt
long time before he would be down there
again.
on Monday he was in the city aud had {
talk with IL number Of leading politician
ut hGa'qParters. Ba then appeared II
good spirits. That evening no retlred t.
Bel All and apsnt m )st OF the niEht in ht
law ollice. Tuesday he went about lookinS
pale and haEGard, and menY Of his friend
aaked him II he was sick. Es tried L
laugh 1t of, but rhs expression Of his fac,
indicated serious mental tronJlo.
Tuesday evening his iarlly tried to keeI
HIN NJ home, but he insisted upon going Il
his office. There he was geen at work writ
Tug until midnight. He then left thn office
and nothing more was seen OF HIN unti
the next morning, when ne was iouud ia
da2ed condition leaning ngalns. u tree
shott dittance from bis home.
L WAS luarned that he had bought
quantity OF morphia the night previous
and be was likely under the Influence O
the drug when found. His clothing wa
al night. His pants w6ce covered viii
mud, and lE Is believed that In his veal
condition of mind he attempted suicide.
Mr.. Enuen Pcatt, president of the Farmer
and Planters Bsnk, Is quoted as sayint
tnat the defalcatiou may roach & 10000. tn
states cash funds arc deposited Ia thi
rans, but they have not been touched.
is stated thar Archer lost considerable Il
recent speculationB n gas stocks, when tn
Dill was pending In the Legislature TO gran
monopoly to tho G.ta company.
In his law practice Archer mad the settle
menc Cr numerous estates. Il Is believed
q that hs became iGdebted t. his olients frog
time to time, and being unaGie to meet HI
obligations, he resorred to tho state tuada
and hypotheoRted secHcirtes 10 raise tund
TO mcHt hiS creditors, 10 what extent,
any, the trust funds are involved Is ~
known. II Is said that he hHs baen snoi
, In trust luuGs for some yaars. His salar
Us stato treasurer was Sl,5l0 buC US al-
. mad a good income from Ills legal prnctict
So far az can be lenrned but two Bait
rlDre banks hold his paper, tpe Mechanic
, SatiODal ami the National Bank of bait
, ig.e, TIC officers Ut these bank : say tho
ARE thoroughly protected. II ID repurte