Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-30
Maryland Auditor Refuses to
Reveal Whether County
Losses Were Found.
WATERS, LATE REGISTER
OF WILLS, SHY S2,400
Accounts of Montgomery Clerk
Badly Kept, Says Report-Cash
Books Not Located.

BY Stan Correspondent OF The Star.
BALTIMORE, April 30-A shortage
of $12,865.77 in State funds alone ir
the account of the late Preston B
Ray. clerk of the Circuit Court at Rock
vile, who died of asphyxiation April Is
was disclosed in an official audit sub
mitted here today by State Controller
William S. Gordy
State Auditor Edmund r. Stewart
made. said portion of the shortage eX-
tended as far back as 1914, when Mr.
Ray was appointed clerk. The deficit
accruing since that time consisted in
fees for recording the sale Of property
sold in default of taxes.
According to the auditor, the remain
ing portion Of the deficit probably oc-
Cured after the State audit ending Oc-
tober /, 1929.
William r. Prettyman, attorney for
Mrs. Nancy Ray widow Of the late
clerk, said Mr.. Rays estate would be
applied toward making good the miss
ing funds. He said he did not know at
present whether accounts and securi-
ties left by Mr.. Ray would be sufficient
to make good the entire amount. The
Fidelity Deposit Co. of Baltimore was
on Mr.. Rays bond for $4,000, how
ever, and the State will recover against
that company the portion Of the def
cit not paid by Mrs. Ray, Controller
Gordy declared.
Exact Places Not Shown.
The audit did not show the exact
places where the deficit occurred, eX-
cept in the case of the taxed property
sale fees and a 81, 500 revolving fund
used for current expenses.
Mr. Rays accounts were badly kept,
making the audit difficult, Mr.. Stewart
said.
Cash books covering the period prior
to October ], 1880. with exception Of
those for 1925, could not be located
the State auditor declared, but he de-
clined to place any Interpretation on
this fact. He said these books are
merely memorandum, in which the
daily receipts are entered. II they are
discovered at a later date, he asserted
it is not expected they can throw any
further light on the condition of the
books or indicate en- additional short
age.
Mr. Ray kept the State fund and his
personal drawing account in a single
account in the Montgomery County
National Bank at Rockville. The audit
indicated that there is S1,20279 cred
tied to this account at present. In ad-
dition, there are $33481 il cash and
checks being held in the Office of the
clerk.
The clerks account failed to show
any receipts of fees in tax sales turned
over to his Office by the Montgomery
County commissioners. The commits
sicners' books, however, show that
funds received from this source since
1914 total S5,406. The first deficit in
tax fees occurred in 1914 and mounted
to SGT. This sum steadily increasey
with each succeeding year, until in
1929 the shortage from this source was
s1092.
Rumors Follow Death.
Rumors of the shortage we're cir
culated Immediately after Mr. Rays
death. but did not receive official con-
flrmation until today. Rumors placed
the deficit anywhere between 5000
and $40, 900.
Mr.. Stewart said he was concerned
only with the State fund in making
his audit. He declined to answer a
question as TO whether any shortage i'll
county funds came to his notice IL the
course Of his investigation
Yesterday those connected with the
Democratic county administration de-
clared that the entire Ray shortage
would total approximately 100000.
Whether the difference between the
S12,865.77 discovered as due the State
and the $4,000 allegedly due in full. is
the amount of the shortage due the
county, has not been revealed as yet.
The deficit occurred in accounts OF
fees from all sources of which the office
of the clerk derived revenue, Mr.. Stew
art declared.
He said that Mr.. Ray knew that his
accounts had been found at fault Octo-
Der l of last year when the regular
State audit was made. The auditors
again came to Rockville several days
preceding Mr.. Rays death, Mr.. Stewart
declared, and completed their supple
mental audit last Saturday.
Mr.. Stewards Statement.
Mr. Stewards report said, THE per-
sonal bank account of Preston B. Ray
is that through which not only per-
sonal funds, but also State funds were
handled. A balance is being held in
the bank, subject to the order of the
qualified representative of his estate.
THE bank account to the credit OF
the Circuit Court of Montgomery
County does not contain State funds,
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