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LAWS OF MARYLAND.

CHAPTER 207.

AN ACT for the relief of the sureties upon the official

bonds of Stevenson Archer, late Treasurer of Maryland,

and for the settlement of the litigation on said bonds.

WHEREAS, the sureties upon the first official bond of

Preamble.

Stevenson Archer, late treasurer of Maryland, have been

held liable for misappropriation of the State's funds and

securities committed by him, after his second election, when,

in the language of the Court of Appeals of Maryland, they

"had a just and reasonable expectation that their liability

woud not extend beyond the period of two years for which

he was first elected, with the addition of the short time

allowed by law for the qualification of his successor ; " and

WHEREAS, the second official bond of said Archer has

Preamble.

been declared void by the Court of Appeals aforesaid ; and

WHEREAS, the suit upon the third official bond of said

Archer has not yet been tried ; and

WHEREAS, the said sureties have applied to the Gov-

Preamble.

ernor to recommend to the General Assembly the passage of

a law relieving them from all liability on said bonds,

except for the misappropriation by said Stevenson Archer of

the State's funds and securities between the date of his first

official bond, to wit : the 2nd day of February, 1886, and the

13th day of February, 1888, by which said last mentioned

day he should have qualified under his second appointment

of January 13th, 1888 ; and

WHEREAS, the Governor has transmitted to this General

Assembly the said application of said sureties, with a

Preamble.

message declaring that the case of the sureties presents a

strong equity, and recommending that the General Assem-

bly shall take their case into consideration, and grant to

them such equitable relief as in the judgment of the

General Assembly shall be just and fair, with the additional

recommendation that, as a condition of such equitable

relief, the sureties on the bonds of said Stevenson Archer

shall also pay the amounts misappropriated by him after

the approval on the 30th day of January, 1890, of his third

bond, and shall also pay all the State's costs in all the

suits at law or in equity upon said bonds, and shall also

pay a proper compensation to John P. Poe, the State's

special counsel in said suits ; and

WHEREAS, During the period between the said 2nd day

of February, 1886, and the said 13th day of February, 1888,

Preamble

the said Stevenson Archer misappropriated twenty-nine (29)