Evening star., 1934-03-27
CLARK ACCOUNTS
TAGGED IN COURT
BY PROSECUTION
Montgomery Officials Iden-
tify Records at Fourth
Trial.
DEFENSE TO CONTEND
COUNTY HAD BALANCE
Prescott Claims Former Clerk
Withheld Funds Paid for
Care of Insane.
BY G. T. KELLOGG,
stan Correspondent OF The Star.

EILICOTT CITY, Md, March 27.-
Items in the account book and ledger
of Berry e. Clark. former clerk to
the Board Of County Commissioners
Of Montgomery County, were identi-
fled for the Howard County jury try
ing him on charges of emoezzling
Montgomery County funds by other
Montgomery County offcials and en-
ployes here today.
Clark was brought here for trial
after three jurtes in his own county
had been uuable to agree. and the
State requested a change Of venue.
The trial opened yesterday.
Among those to testify today were
Richard H. Lansdale. Montgomery
County sheriff, and M. F. Iverson.
county building inspector, who identi-
fled various checks and Endorsements
on checks given the accused official
by their Offices. Under the procedure
followed in Montgomery County.
money taken by the sheriff's Office,
the building inspectors Office and sew
eral other county agencies was turned
over to Clark's office, which. ii turn,
was supposed to turn over the funds
to the county treasurer.
Indictments Cover s50,a80.
1t is in these transactions that the
81 indictments returned against CLARK
by a Montgomery County grand jury
two years ago charge the shortage OF
approximately s50.000.
Mrs. Mary w. O'Brien, who was a
clerk in the commissioners office, was
called to the stand today to identify
records Of money paid into the office
BY relatives for the care Of inmates OF
the State Hospital for the Insane.
In his statement to the jury yesterday,
States Attorney Stedman Prescott
said he would show that Clark had not
turned over money given him for this
purpose.
In the crowded court room of the
historic Howard County Court House
are many officials and employees In the
Montgomery County government,
waiting to testify. Several counsel
tables are piled high with Official look :,
ing books, to be Introduced as EXHIBITS.
Howard Prosecutor Assists.
Prescott. who prosecuted the three
former trials of Clark alone. is being
assisted in this trial by States At
torney James Clark of Howard County.
In his statement to the jury yes
terday. F.. Barnard WEIGH, defense
counsel said his case would rest partly
upon showing that the defendant was
arrested In the middle of a term of
0fI1Ce and wv
to straighten out his accounts and
make a final report. He said he would
show that instead of being short the
county was ahead in its accounts at
the time Of the former clerks arrest.
Yesterday Roger j. Whiteford, at
torney for the Montgomery County
commission. testified that he went to
Clarks Office with Lewis F. Bond,
certified public accountant, who au-
dited the county's books, to ask Clark
If he had a special account which
might account for the discrepancies
found by the auditor. Clark admit
ted the account, Whteford said, list
ed as Berry E. Clark, clerk" in the
Montgomery County National Bank
at Rockville. and that Clark called
the bank and authorized audit of this
account and later authorized audit of
his personal accounts when it became
apparent that items had been trans
ferred.
Judge Forsythe Presides.
The case, which has been hanging
fire in the courts since Clark was
dismissed from his position two years
ago. is being presided over this time
b. Judge William Henry Forsythe, jr.,
of Sykesville. associate justice of
Maryland's fifth judicial district since
1907.