Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1890-07-11
Archer Goes to Prison.

hECucE VIVID w AAoVA'
Tuesday last was the day set for the trial
If Stevenson Archer, the defaulting State
Treasurer.
On Monday Mr.. Archer went into Court
at Baltimore, pleaded guilty, was sentenced
10 five years, driven at once TO the peniten-
tiary, and in q little more than one hour
from the time he went into Court was in |
prison garb The whole affair was well
planned and carried out, and was absolutely
unknown to any one but Mr. Archer him
self, his family, and few of his friends, the
counsel on both sides and the Court 1t
had been arranged between Mr.. Archer and
his counsel Thursday of last week that he
should plead guilty, and that determination
was communicated to the States officers,
with the positive provision that nothing was
to be said about it. Judge Stewart was in
formed of the conclusion which had been
reached, but Mr.. Archers counsel were IL
euure ignorance what sentence 10 pa,IlljS-
pas.
Blr Archer went to Baltimore from his
home, "Hazel Dell" at $50 o'clock Monday
morning accompanied by State Senator
BENZ. Silver, Jr., his son-in-law; Stevenson
A. Williams, his nephew, and Col. Edwin
H. Webster, his lifelong friend and bonds
man. They went at once from the Mary
land Central Depot to the law office OF Mr.
Bernard Carter, on CORTLAND street, one OF
Mr.. Archer's counsel, and from there to the
court house.
ARCHERs CONFESSION.
Mr.. Bernard Carter, senior counsel for the
doomed man, arose and took from his pocket
a manuscript 1t was MIR. Archers plea OF
guilty, which he himself had written, with
some few changes by counsel, and bore his
signature in tremulous hand, but much
more steady than when it was appended to
the several papers which he signed about
the time of his defalcation. Mr.. Carter
showed deep feeling while reading the plea,
and his voice, though firm and strong as it
always is, was at times very tremulous.
This is the plea:
Honorable William A. Stewart, Judge of
the Criminal Court of Baltimore City:
hereby plead guilty to the Indictment
which has Just been read In doing so, L
respectfully ask leave to say that when the
Indictment was found l was advised by my
counsel that they had examined the statute
upon which the indictment was based, and
that they were clearly of the opinion that
the statute was never intended to embrace
within its provisions the Treasurer of the
State, and that therefore my offense, griev-
Gus as it is, was not punishable under that
statute; but now that the highest court in
the State has decided that | am guilty Of
the offense charged, am punishable under
the statute, desire here, in the presence of
this court, fully to acknowledge that am
guilty of the otfense charged against me in
the indictment, and also to confess that 1
have been guilty of Il great sin agaiast Al
mighty God that ! have proved false to The
great trust committed to me by my native
State; that | have deeply and cruelty
wronged, not only those friends who, be
cause of their great and undoubting conf
dence in my integrity, became the sureties
on my official bonds, but others also who
have suffered pecuniary loss because OF that
same confidence
For this my conduct | can offer no excuse
or palliation. Now that have, so TO speak,
come to myself, l realize its enormity, and
am deeply sorry for, and, sincerely trust,
truly penitent of, all have done. The sor.
row and misery which have been caused by
my conduct are shared by many, but no
blame for any part Of it attaches to any one
but myself it is all mine, and mine alone.
No part of the States money or securities
was ever used by me in gambling, stock
speculation, or for political purposes; nor
have at this time one dollar OF it left l,
therefore, submit myself to the judgment
and mercy of the court. (Signed)
STEVENSON ARCHER.
The reading of the plea took but few
moments. When it was concluded, Mr..
Carter looked inquiringly at the Court
Judge Stewart said every well, Mr.. Car
ter, l will accept the plea of Mr.. Archer
and will impose sentence Of five years in
the penitentiary."
Mr.. Archer and his friends then left the
court. room and in a short time he was re-
moved in carriage to the penitentiary.
Deputy Warden l. M. Purnell received
the party and ushered them into the recep-
ton room. Warden Weyler soon came
| and when Mr.. Archer shook hands he said
| to the warden:
81 have come here to obey the rules, and
do what am told to do. don't wish any
favors from any of my old friends"
Then Mr.. Archer said to Warden Weylel
that he was physical wreck, and craved a
few days rest.
The warden then left the party alone and
Mr.. Silver and Mr.. Archer held another long
conversation. Then Archer bid his son in.
law and cousin farewell All three were
much affected.
IN PRISON GARB AND BEARDLEss.
Up to this time the prisoner had borne up
remarkably well; but the strain began to
tell on him, and soon he looked completely
broken down. Mr.. Weyler, fearing that he
would collapse utterly, had him taken to the
hospital The prison barber was called in,
and soon his head was shorn of its hair and
his heavy grey beard was shaven off,
When the barber was shaving him he
said: "This is the first time l have been
shaved for thirty five years" When he had
been shaved his clothes were taken from
him and he was given the striped suit of a
convict. He was then so weak and feeble
that Warden Weyler ordered him to remain
in the hospital, and all the evening he lay
on his bed unable to move. After he had
been in the hospital some time he asked the
warden not TO let any one see him, and ev-
cry one who asked to visit him was refused.
-
Two bills were before the United States
Senate on Friday last in favor of granting
subsidies to American steamships Mr..