New-York tribune., 1890-03-29
THE ARCHER DEFALCAIION.
A LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE EXAMINING
THE STATES SECURITIES.
THE MARYLAND TREASURERS sHohiA"E AL
READY KNOWN TO BE e127.ooo. AND LIKE
LY TO REACH s5oo,ooo-CLAssEs Oh
BONDS HYPOTHECATED-RU-
MORs OF AN IMPENDING
POLITICAL SCANDAL.
,BY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBuSEJ

sBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TaIBuSEI
Baltimore. March os.-It is asserted that state
Treasurer Stevenson Archer has been sac'ihcea
to save his political friends and associates ~
IS now known that Archer must nave "a"o
desperate attempt to end his own ine iAs'
Tuesday night lie bought nine grains OF morp"a
from Bel Air druggists that night and 1t was an over
dose Of the drug that saved his lfe IL Is aiSo
Thought that he attempted to drown himself IN
shallow stream in the ncghborhood. His cohdi''on
was somewhat improved to-day. and he made s,a'o
mcnt to several OF his bondsmen. the nature Oh ".
they will not disclose. lie also gave up ''c ne' ~
the box in the Safe Deposit Company's vault IA
which the States securities are kept Ims keS was
handed over to the Legislative Committee OF lhVes"
cation when it arrived In this city this morning
For five hours the committee was busy with the COLI
tents OF that box 1t not empty but the cohc".'
we're in confused state, and, SO far as can DC
many thousand dollars worth Of the secnr1ues ac mss
ing The committee late this afternoon reous"eu "
napols One of the committee said that IL "ou" W
necessary to examine the Trcasurers DOCKS a' on
napos and compare the figures with the contents i'
-, ,ha hoy II will take several days TO finish inc
inouirv II is stated BY the bank authoriueS .'"'
tho defalcatlons have been going on for mort tiai
two wears that not only was money poFIo"'" -
this city on the hypothecated state secu'i'', oD'
that banks in Cumberland Frederick hasei''o"-'
Annapols and other towns of the State, nave from
time TO time been asked for accommodation oS '"'
Treasurer. The first discovery OF the delaca'on wa"
made by National bank examiner. ,
A dIspatch from Annapolis tonight says thao
startling revelations are promised by the conl''ec
that the defacation will exceed SoOOooo' anu 'h'
big political scandal is impending. Ihere Is sie"' e..
element at Annapolis. The Legislative Comm''eo ~.
night held q conference with the Governor ana the
state Controller. All the state officials appear con-
siderably asitated the new discoveries. Inc oo
mtcc repored to the Governor that so far Sl.''ooo
was found to be missing.
1t was said Change to-day that certain 'ea"o ;
of the Democratic party had caused the o'a'o "
sell Baltimore and Ohio Railroad bonds anu H'os'
that money In West Virginia railroad sccurilies au'
that some of these latter bonds were sold to the state
hv no,;ticia,s at a premum the bonds having been
bourht by the politicians at par 1t was learned 10
day that some Of the banks have reported that they
held paper of Archers to tile extent Oh @o'ooo ~
s,o 600 eaeh so far as is known, the BONDS
hypothecacd and placed the market are fredericn
CITY 4 per cents, of which the State held Sl3o'oo"
Piedmont and Cumberland Railroad bonds oi "hon
the state held 100000 and per cent West virginia
Central bonds of which the state held 100000 ITO"
many Of these were hypohccaicd Is not yct kno~m
but large numbers OF them nave Sppcsreo on w
market. ,. . NJ Archo.,- m,
and personal property is about S3o 100 winch, now
eyer is heavily mOrigdgcd. III BcN Nf Dls'rice.
where he lives. his property is assessed for S.T250
lie also owns halfinterest in a grst and "a" Inln
| his partner being Pairch iV"aiu' Inc MIN P''P
euy is assessed at @iJiiO. -
| II * almost certain that the Legislature will ad
| iourn without any effort being made to lmpeach
! Archer thus leaving the whole matter In the n'inds
of the Governor Tnc Governor Is cmpoN erci When
eyer during a recess Of the Legislature charges nave
been preferred against the Treasurer for mallcSnee
i'm office or misuppropriatlon of funds, to order an
Investigation. and if the charges are sustaneL 10
dismss the official. But the difficulty OF proceedinB
nrdcr this section of the Constitution lies in inc
fact that Controller Baughmans charges were made
during the session OF the Legislature. The "r'Suiar
nnmncratic politicians are thoroughly dcmorallzed
! over the discovery Of the state Ireasurers iali
Their despondency may be accouhed Tor n thc iac,
tb,t the Mar land case is the seventh of Its Kind
among the southern Democratic state Trsasurers III
the last few years.