The Republican., 1890-07-11

Lne time ne entered the courtroom
to the lime he left it. Closely follow.
ing him came Messrs. Carter, Cans,
Silver, Stevenson Archer Williams
and Col. Edwin H. Webster, the lat
ter being three Of his Dondsnen. The
entrance of Mr.. Archer created great
surprise in the court .rOOm, as nobody
expected the case to come up before
Tuesday. But few persons were in
the room or about the building at the
time, and the short legal fOrmalities
which made the once.hOnOred man a
convict were over before it became
generally known what was going on.
Reaching the little space reserved
for the lawyers, Mr.. Archer took a
seat with his companions and gazed
steadily at the floor. His head was
whittier than when those in the court
room saw him last, and he trembled
visibly with emotion. The hum and
hustle attendant upon the usual court
business ceased, and a hush of sur
prise and expectancy fell upon the
room. Mr.. Cans approached Judge
Stewart, who suspended the case then
on trial. Mr.. Cans then informed
the court of his clients intention to
plead guilty.
Mr.. Carter then arose, and, draw
ing from his pocket a manuscript,
read slowly and impressively, and in
feeling tones, the prisoners plea ot
guilty, while the audiance listened
in GREATNESS silence. Judge Stewart
also listened intently to the reading,
while Mr.. Archer himself seemed to
be deeply affected. His hands witch
ed spasmodically and his bert from
trembled as the sentences of his ac-
acknowledgement of guilt fell slowly
from Mr.. Carter's lips. He seemed
fully to realize the shame and dir
grace he had brought upon AN honor
ed and illustriOus name and upon his
helpless family.
When Mr.. Carter finished reading
the confession, he folded it slowly
and looked up at Judge Stewart.
Everybody turned from the prisoner
and his council and bent their eager
gaze upon the judge. in whose hands
lay the termination of the most cele-
brated case in the history of Mary.
land. The latter made no comment
at all, but turn ny to Deputy Clerk
CARY, simply said: "Mr. Clerk, im-
pose a sentence of five years in the
penitentiary."
The lowest penalty for the offense
to which Mr.. Archer pied guilty is
eighteen months in the penitentiary.
and the highest is ten years. The
sentence imposed is five years, but
FIVE days off in each month is allowed
for good behavior, making the term
virtually four years AMI two months.
In fixing the sentence. Judge
Stewart was probably moved to
impose less than the full penalty by
the fact that the prisoner is over
threescOre years of age, that his nrrv-
Gus system is broken down by the
strain he has undergone for many
months past. and by the customary
cOsideration shown to prisoners who
confess guilty and thus spare the
State the trouble and expense of a
trial.
Mr.. Archer was indicted on the
29th of April last for embcZzIing
$1,000 of the State securities while
holding the Office of treasurer.
That indictment was demurred to
by his counsel on the grounds that
the law did not apply to the State
Treasurer, who, it was contended, =,
could not embezzIe from himself.
The case was ably argued by Messrs.
Carter and Cans for the prisoners
and Attorney General Whyte and
States Attorney Kerr for the State,
and Judge Stewart sustained the
demurrer. The State appealed and
the Court of Appeals on the first of
this month overruIed the lower court.
The only spectators were few
court house idlers and witnesses who
had been summoned in other cases.
Had the rase come up Tuesday the
courtroom would not haye held the
crowd.
AT THE PENITENTIARY.
On the way to the penitentiary
Mr.. Archer seemed relieved some.
what from the strain under which he
has labOred for so long and appeared
to be in better spirits from having
experienced the worst that could be.
fall him. He made few remarks TO
the members of the party about the
weather and other commonplace
topics.
Nothing was said in regard to the
sentence or about himself. On reach
ing the penitentiary he thanked Mr..
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