Evening star., 1932-02-24
TREASURY SHORT,
ARLINGTON COUNTY
BILLS co UNPAID
General Assembly Empowers
Managers to Borrow Funds
Immediately.
TREASURER BALL SILENT
PENDING AUDIT OF BOOKS
Only $11, 900 Remains to Credit Of
Board-Inquiry Started
by State.
BY STAFF Correspondent of The Star.

BY stan correspondent OF The Star.
ARLINGTON COUNTY COURT
HOUSE, Va, February Darlington
County was broke" today with less
than $1,000 to its credit as a result
of an unexplained shortage of approx
imately $225,OOO reported in the ac-
counts Of E. Wade Ball, veteran county
treasurer.
The Virginia House of Delegates, in
formed of the critical financial Situa-
tion in Arlington County, today passed
the Senate bill permitting the Board
of County Managers to borrow imme-
diately a sufficient sum of money to
carry on necessary county functions.
Reid Offers Bill
The action was taken upon motion
of Delegate Hugh Reid of Arlington
County, who moved that the bill be
taken up out of order because of the
existing emergency.
In the meantime; two accountants
from the Office Of T. Coleman Andrews,
Virginia State auditor in Richmond,
acting on orders of Gov. John Garland
Pollard came to the Arlington County
Court House and took over Balls books
for a complete audit. Ball is remain
ing on the job, but refuses to make any
statement pending completion Of the
audit
Discovery of the lack Of funds has made
it impossible for the Board Of County
Commissioners to honor approximately
| $40 900 in warrants drawn last week
dTIrifln
SIT 900 in interest on water bonds and
coupons due February /, or to pay other
outstanding Indebtedness.
Shortage Discovered.
The reported shortage in Balls ac-
count was discovered February II when
| the Board of County Commissioners was
advised that $4,000 Of the county
school bonds and $4,000 of bond cou-
pons due February l had not been paid.
Two telegraphic demands, both con-
frmed by letter, had been made of Ball
by Cincinnati bank for the $22,00
payment, according to Harry Fellows,
chairman of the board, but no response
was received from the treasurer
An investigation then was started,
Fellows said, and it was learned from
the Chase National Bank of New York
and the Arlington Trust Co., paying
agents, that the county funds on deposit
were insufficient to make the $4,000
payment.
The books Of the county treasurer,
however, it was said, showed a balance
| of $4,000, so the Board of Commis-
sioners employed the auditing firm OF
James Stuart Ball of Washington to
make an audit. The alleged discrep-
ancy was uncovered by this audit.
In General County Fund.
The entire shortage, according to
county officials, exists in the general
| county fund. The amount includes
S46, 900 for the retirement of notes, it
was said, and $4,000 in the county
school fund OF this fund. less than
S11 900 remains in seven banks, four
in Alexandra, Va, and three in Ar
lngton County.
The financial interest of the county,
however, is protected by a bond of the
Fidelity & Deposit Co. of Baltimore,
Md. Action against Ball, county off,
cialS said, will depend largely upon the
bonding company. Commonwealth's
Attorney Lawrence Douglas of Arling-
ton County said the bonding company
had expressed willingness to make
good any shortage.
County officials pointed out. how
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