The New York herald., 1878-11-22
Charges Against Treasurer Charles A.
Bray, Of East Haven, Conn.
Ills FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS.
An Alleged Deficiency Of
$4,000 to $4,000.
INVESTIGATION ORDERED
IRON the New Haven Register. Nov. 2i.l


For many years Mr. Charles A. Bray, Of East Haven,
who has held every Office in the gift of the people of
the town, has had the control of the financial affairs
of that town, being the town agent, handling the
greater part of the money and in fact doing all the
business of the town that usually devolves upon
several persons He has been universally trusted and
most highly esteemed. in fact he sort Of idol
in the town whom every looked up to and
trusted. Until within short time there has never
been breath OF suspicion against him and any one
and everyone almost without exception, trusted him
most implicitly. At the annual meeting Of the town
of East Haven in October 1875 tho voters instructed
its officers to prepare their annual report the 1st
of September that this year the report.
which is printed. might be circulated among
tho taxpayers Of the town at least two weeks
before the annual town meeting. This
done. and the condition Of the affairs Of the town
as set forth by Mr.. Bray its financial agent.
fully scrutinized by of the Taxpayers In this
report 1t was stated that the town indebted to
various parties for moneys borrowed to the amount
of S1s,000 This statement attracted much attention
and discussion. for onya year ago the town had
voted to fund all its floating debt. amounting to
about 000 and issue therefor bonds which were
to be exchanged for the notes Of the town
held by various parties. Why should the
town want to borrow $4,000 was a ques-
ton asked by many, and satisfactory
answer was given. The annual reports as they were
issued appeared to be all right on their face and
nothing that pointed to crookedness could be found
IN any one report when carefully scanned singly.
SCANNING BRAys REPORTS
Some of the taxpayers asked themselves. Ii IL possi-
bic that the towns affairs have been mismanaged,
and in order to find out an answer to the question
the printed reports purporting to give
rect representation OF the towns financial
condition were taken and q careful comparison of
the reports made. All the charges Of misappropria-
ton Of funds that made against Mr.. Bray are
founded these reports. together with the state
ments Of parties whose names are printed therein
recipients Of moneys from the town indebted to
the town. First 1t was discovered that parties who
to the town never loaned such moneys and in several
instances it was found that in the Of persons
who had loaned money to the town it appeared that
they were debtors in report made that they
had been paid according to the next years report.
| and appeared again debtors Of the town without
any evidence of second borrowing being given the
reports This caused the suspecting parties to look
further From the reports of the eight years past that
have been in possession parties investigating
appears that during the period named the entire
amount paid to the treasurer from tax receipts, to-
gether with the amount remaining uncoected, aggrc
gated in round numbers S173,000, while the amount
levied on the town for taxes during the same time
was, in round numbers. $500 900 Then followed a
personal inquiry in relation to the indebtedness Of
the town to individuals given in the reports and
there was discovered, it is alleged. either garing
errors or very grave misstatemens which needed an
explanation.
ALLEGED susAppRopRnrIoN OF FUNDS.
For instance in the reports Of 1877 certain persons
were named as having been paid amounts due them
notes given by the town. who also appeared in the
| report of 1878 as parties to whom the town in
debted, while there evidence OF the money
having been borrowed. Again other parties
reported as having been paid in report
town money!. when thoy actually % 0nsd made mo-
such loans 1t is alleged that the town recently gave
Mr.. Bray $4,000 with which to take up and pay
eral notes, but that these notes not paid but
| the money used for other purpose, whether
honestly or dishonesty it is not stated. careful
comparison Of these reports and scrutiny Of these
statements makes it appear the surface it is
alleged that there has been Misrepresentation of
$4,000. These misappropriations 1t Is alleged. cover
number OF years the first evidence Of the reported
peculations being evident from the reports in the
years 1875 and 1876. which havecontinued since that
time. The result of these reported discoveries was
FIRST evidenced at the last town meeting in October,
when the control of the financial affairs of the town
taken away from Mr. Bray and transferred to the
town treasurer BY the vote Of the meeting Mr..
Bray was deposed as the financial agent OK tho
conduct suits Mr.: Bray had had charge
Of tho issue Of the bonds issued by
by q vote OF the town no was compelled to
turn the books on which the transactions were
recorded to the town treasurer The town also voted
that hereafter neither the seectsmen nor anyone else
be authorized 10 borrow money for the of the town.
and that no bills be paid unless they were properly
approved by the seectmen and certified TO correct
Heretofore it is asserted the bills due from the town
to various parties had been presented to Mr. Bray,
who paid them
pRsISSNa WITH cAnKLEssNEss
The action OF the town meeting. therefore, took
away all authority financial agent that Mr. Bray
had and caused very much comment and some inves-
tgation which resulted In the discovery of the al
legged Irregularities. These facts that have been
picked out will be presented to the public at q town
meeting which the selectnien will call in response to
the demand of parties for an investigation, ut which
will ask for instructions to the best manner In
which to proceed with investigation, il
One t ,o nossas 70 necessary @ mI,,o as they 40
Parties who have been looking into the matter say
that the trouble probably originated at first from tho
fact that Mr. Bray kept cash book. and that peo
pie would go into his Office and pay him money
receive payment. of which no memorandum was
made, and that what at frst the result Of care
leseness finally drifted into the alleged mippropra-
tion and trouble. Another thing that is complained
Of and that loats to much unrIvorble comment, Is
tho fact that txs have been paid to Mr. Bray instead
of to the collector, which taxpayers had right to
do. and which money Mr.. Bray had no right to
It's Il is alleged that Mr. Bray as financial
agent of the town, received largo sums from
to the town treasurer the law copele him to do.
mystery which enters into the Is. how the set
Elements of the accounts between the selectmen,
trcasurcr collector and financial agent were nado up
and shown to appear on their surface az all right.
MR.. COURTS INVESTIGATION.
Whether MIR. Bray has misapprupriatcd funds Of tho
town that have been entrusted to him will only be dis
covered by the rigid investigation that Is to be made
in accordance with the following request made by Mr..
Bray
have been Informed that rumors have been circulated
affect ny integr, while n% acting * special agea, .. tho
% M special agent ac np@ and aays have bse ~ s
disposal Of any competent and properly appointed commit
tee of investigation, and add that steps looking
ward investigation 81 these charges TO determine their
truth falsy have ALREADY been taken with
CHARLES A. BRAY.
Mr.. Bray's friends assert that the apparently
heavy cloud that has settled over Mr.. Bray's
character and reputation will be Dispersed when
investigation is had, and that the seeming misap-
preparations will all be fully explained and accounted
for, claiming that errors may have been made by
mixing mp of the various accounts which he has had
to look out for but that of these the result
of dishonest steps onhs part but rather to careless
ness.
RAILROAD REORGANIZATION.