The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-08-15
HOW SEYMOUR MEN LOST
SIGNED BONDS OF oHIoANs THAT
SEEMED HONEST.
Found Their Was LargeIy
Air and Governor Nash Re-
fused Recuisition.

The Governors Office was visited yester-
day by a prominent citizen of eymou
who said that he was one of the men VINO
signed the bond Of Frank B. Archer and
John NJ. Davis. the Ohio men whom Gov
ernor Durbin recently sought to have re-
turned to this State by requisition. which
was not honored by Governor Nash, OF
Ohio. Archer is a member of the Ohio
State Senate from Belmont county. and in
private life IL a paving contractor. being
associated i'm business with John Nj. Davis.
According 10 the story related by Governor
Durbin's visitor yesterday. Archer and
Davis did some paving in Seymour prior to
their visit to Bedford and made a favorable
impression upon the people of the former
town.
."They did their work we'll and paid their
bills promptly i'm our town. said the Sey-
mour man. land then went over TO Bedford
and secured a paving contract there. II
seems that they were not well enough ac-
quainted to obtain a bond in Bedford, and
so they came back TO Seymour and induced
several OF us fellows to sign their bond.
They told us they owned a boiler plant in
Bellaire. o.. listed at $780, 300. and in addi-
ton owned more than 100000 worth of real
estate When We were compelled to pay
the amount OF the BOND because they nae
transferred their contract TO r.. &. Davis.
of Washington, Ind. and skipped over 10
Ohio with what money. or. rather. bonds.
they got from the Bedford authorities We
instituted an Investigation TO find out how
much they were really worth. We found
that they owned only four shares OF stock
I'm the Bellaire boiler plant. which Is now
bankrupt. and was in practical insolvency
at the time they made the false representa-
tons to us. On Dec. Is, 1899, after
10 press them for payment of bills
against them that were due. they as
signed all their property to their wives.
sum or u. and did not even insert the usual
formula. and In consideration of love and
anectlon. We found that this property
comprises real estate that belonged TO the
firm valued at 1880: real estate belonging
20 John NJ. Davis. s1.230; real estate belong
Ing TO Senator r. b.. Archer. $50. This is
against them I'm belmont. o. IL looks quite
dinerent from their statement to US of
holdings amounting TO over 100000.
I'm the year 1895 John NJ. Davis's prop
sworn statement, consisted OF one watch
valued at $50. In the years 1893 and 1900 no
property was listed on Davis's return. In
the year 1898 Davis < Archer, I'm their sworn
returns, listed six horses. one mule and
two carriages. value $50. In 1900 their re-
turns showed that they were assessed on
$500. In 1895 Senator Archer's personal prop
erty was listed at $3.50. and I'm 1900 at SlS5."
The man from Seymour said that when
the agent OF the State OF Indiana presented
the Archer-Davis requisttion TO Governor
Nash the latter at once wired the defend
ants to appear In his office at Columbus,
O. II suppose those fellows made 20 Gov
ern0r Nash the same representations they
made TO US and that he believed them, .
said the aggrieved bondsman, bitterly. IF
this represents Governor Nash's idea of
an honest man i am surprised" he added.
When asked what. II any. further steps
would be taken in the matter the bonds
man said the indictment and requisition
papers would be corrected 10 meet Cover
nor Nash's objections, and n new effort
made TO induce him 10 return the two men
TO this State.