Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1890-04-04
The Archer steal.

The people Of the country we're We,
more astoni,hed than they were last
week when il became sIuwn that
Stevenson Archer, the Democr tie
Treasurer Of the State, had stolen some
thing less than $500, 100 Of the States
money. Mr.. Aroher's hitherto excel
lent reputation aud ba ing had so long
the public confidence. that tbc dis
a-irous news was AT first doubted, and
his many friends and the generous pub
lie were disposed to look upon the alleg-
cri defalcation as Of u irSfiHg character
aud one that could be- easily and salts
f.etorily explained. But more recently
developments disclose that the defalca-
lin is nothing more nor lcsl than
wholesale steal that has been going on
for years And now the anxious query
follows what was dune with all that
money? Where did it 60, and who got
III Generally, when a public officer,
or any other prominent nan fails the
pubic gets beside itseIfin making known
the causes leading to the downfall and
every me w1o has any information is APP
parently anxious to impart il, but as re-
CARDS this matter the reverse is the case.
The whole affair is hidden in a mystery
Snd no one seems TO know anything -
Gan it be possible that any man at Thu,
most enlightened period Of the history Of
cur State, when the facilities for obtain
ing information are so great. and the al
vantages for ferreting out crime so nu-
merous, could successfully carry on so
stupendous a steal so long without some
one knowing about it. It seems hardly
probable. Had Mr. Archer gambled he
necessarily had associates and they would
kuow and tell ofha heavy losses; had he
dissipated the Deorle long ere the steal
would have detected il. and had he wasted
the public funds on au extravagaut fam
lily it would have been known. But
Mr. Archer was not spendthrift in any
sense His habits were good; he neither
drank nor gaubled ard his family lived
aud dressed in the most plain and un-
Ostentious way. No plausible charge
therefore can be made that the missing
funds went in either Of these directions.
The surmiso is that it went in politics.
That il was spent in an effort to bolster
up. and sustain the cause Of the faction
Of the Democratic party, Known as the
German ring. of which he was a promi-
nent factor If suih is the case the
unfortunate Treasurer had confrdera es in
countless numbers and they should be
hunted down and made to bear their
share Of the crime Although it is gem
orally believed that the defalcation has
Been Rn0wT Dy themnnagers OF the Dem
ocratio party for long time it was ne
made known until the dying hours of th
Legislature. The manifest purpose {
this action was to get rid of the Legsa
ture so thlt the defaulting Treasure
could not be impeacbed, and tc.prever
that thorough investigation that woul
Rave been made had the session not ter
minated SO soon after the disclosure. 90
All that the Legislature had ii ne to
was to appoint committee to investigns
the matter, and from the make up Of Il
the conccssum ofopinion is that is labor
will amount to travesty on an invest
cation. The report will be blanke
concern alleging perhaps the amount q
money stolen and put the blame on Mr.
Archer and then disintegrate withou
one half being told.