Evening star., 1954-04-15

Bed|| Regime
Controversial
In Ohio City
City Managers
Influence Wuned
In Portsmouth
BY Alex K. Preston
Stor Stoff Correspondenf

by Alex K. Preston
Sfor Staff Correspondent
PORTSMOUTH, Ohio, April
15.-Edward T. Beall became a
controversial figure to Ports
mouth citizens a year before he
gave up the city managership
here to take thee job Of county
manager Of Montgomery County,
Md.
This fact is included in infor-
nation being collected by two
attorneys sent here by the Mont
gomery County Council to inves-
tigate the record Of Mr.. Beall,
whose name was listed this week
by the Ohio State auditor in
connection with the shortage of
$2.458 in hospital funds.
An administrator whose execu-
tive ability and talents for pub
lie service are recognized even
by many of his critics, Mr.. Beall's
influence apparently began to
wane early last year.
Urged Bond Issue.
In his first two years as city
manager, he sold the voters on
the idea of approving some
1926, 900 in public improvement
bonds which necessitated raising
the tax rate beyond a level al
ready considered by many to be
high. But in 1858, before he left
for his new assignment in Mary
land last September, he failed
to put over four bond issues
totaling $253,000.
Just why this happened is one
phase of the inquiry being con-
Quoted by the two Montgom-
cry County attorneys, Plummer
Shearin of Silver Spring and
David E. Belts of Rockville.
Mr.. Beall took a Self-requested
leave of absence Tuesday and
was reported to be headed for
Portsmouth to clarity statements
in the auditors report which
named him in six findings for
recovery of the money missing
from the Portsmouth General
Hospital during a period when
the institution was without a
director and he was serving the
dual role of city manager and
acting director.
Before we file report with
the county council" Mr.. Shearin
said, "it is essential that we talk
with Mr. Beall. The scope of our
investigation is comprehensive
and includes Mr.. Beall's record
in Portsmouth"
Mr.. Belts, who Joined Mr..
Shearin here yesterday morning. ).
said their work would continue
today and probably into tomor-
row.
They said they do not intend
to make known to the public
the contents of their report but
will deliver it directly to the
Montgomery County Council.
They could not say when it
would be ready.
A number of citizens ques-
toned by a reporter made it OBJ
viouS, however, that the investi-
cation is going beyond the field
covered by the auditors report.
Second Best" Manager.
A close observer of city hall
affairs described the 46-year-
old public administrator as "the
second best city manager I've
ever seen." He listed c. A. Har-
rell of Cincinnati at the top.
Mr.. Harrell was Portsmouth,
first administrator in the 1930's.
It was while Mr.. Harrell was city
manager of Norfolk, Va, that
he recommended his assistant,
Mr.. Beall, for the Portsmouth
job.
ANY one Harrell recommended
was good enough for Ports
mouth" the City Hall observer
said" "Mr Beall sold the city
government to the public through
a lot of speeches before PTA's
and citizens groups. But when
he couldn't sell them on the
bond issues last year, it looked
like the people were no longer
following him."
Hospital Gains Cited.
The same hospital that figures
as the center of Mr.. Beall's
trouble, showed remarkable
progress during his tenure as
city manager. Three -and-a-half
years ago the hospital was oper-
ating under a $4,000 deficit.
When Mr.. Beall left here, it was
operating at a small profit, ac-
cording to Mrs. j. F. Carr. pres
ident of the women'S auxiliary
of the hospital.
Among those interviewed by
the two Maryland attorneys yes
terday were City Auditor James
D. Williams and r. E. Hacker.
one of the two State auditing
examiners who brought the find
ings for recovery of the hospital
funds against Mr.. Beall.
It was Mr.. Williams strict ac-
counting of all checks received
by him from the hospital that
led to the disclosure of an al
legged attempt by some one to
substitute two checks for $330.55
in cash.
All Sworn Testimony.
Mr.. Hacker said that all of