The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-08-13

years has been spent away from home. He
is gone sometimes week or ten days at
stretch. Connected with these trips there
hare been rumors of large deposits in bank.
careful estimates have been made by men
conversant with Rays operations. and
their opinion, as given the Journal re-
porter, 10 that within the last two years
Rays profits have been within the neigh
borhood of 800 600, the great bulk of which
is presumed to have been disposed of in
such way that it can be easily gotten at
and removed on short notice, should tho
affairs of Mr.. Ray suddenly come to q
crisis.
Having received tip that Shelby coun-
ty offered q promising field for a live and
active newspaper missionary, a representa-
tive of the Journal went there this week to
stick knife In the Ray rottenness- he in
tervlewed lawyers. officers and citizens
and delved in court records, and the things
herein disclosed are based on evidence that
cannot be refuted.
THE FIRST DISCOVERY OF FRAUD.
1t was sometime during last March that
evidence appeared to antagonize Rays
methods. The citizens of Hendricks town.
ship fled o protest with the commissioners
of Shelby county against the extravagance
of their trustee. Jonn McClain, whose
heavy and unnecessary purchases of school
supplies, if continued. would, it was
claimed, bankrupt the township. Tho
commissioners investigated the complaints
against McC lain. The developments were
such as to induce the board to push the in
vestigatlon to the other townships. the ef-
feet being to disclose a condition of affairs
that was startling. The investigation was
secret; the commissioners were willing to
protect the people within reasonable linn
Its, but the Shelby county Democracy was
20 be saved the damage and discredit of the
n n
how Ray worked his township trustees and
school supplies, as developed by this in
vestlgation, was never given to the pub
lIc A stenographic report was taken,
which was afterwards transcribed This
was jealOusly guarded as vital political
family secret, and not until some of the
bogus paper that Ray had disposed of got
into the court through an attempt of the
wardness seek the light OF day. The show
ing, however. that W as made in the investi-
cation before the commissioners resulted In
prompt action, and Cyrus w. Montgomery.
gins, trustee of Washington township, and
James X. Duty, trustee of Liberty town
ship, were removed from Office. John Nc
Claim. trustee of Hendricks township, had
become entangled in Rays net to the ex-
tent that some orders were out, but the
goods had not been delivered. Whom
Thomas Cherry, McClain's successor. was
elected he refused to receive the goods. and
no criminal prosecution has been executed
against McClain. Higgins was indicted
and arrested for embezzlement and receiv-
ing brlbos. and gave bond in the sum of
$1,000. Duty was under bond to the same
amount for embezzlement. Montgomery
was indicted. but has fed
1t was during the investigation before
the County Commissioners that row be-
tween Montgomery and Ray nearly re-
suited In q tragedy. Just how tho trou BILE
started is not known. but, emerging from
the Commissioners Court Ray charged
Montgomery with treachery. and declared
he could send him TO the penitentiary.
Montgomery dared him to try it, apd de-
clared If he went to the peDitentiary he
would take Ray with him. As the argu-
ment grew more heated, both men drew
their revolvers, but the Intervention of
bystanders ended the disturbance. From
here Montgomery went home and arran ged
his affairs, came to town and shaved off his
beard, bought new suit of clothes, drew
several thousand dollars out of bank and