Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-04-22
District Heads Decline to Dis
cuss Disclosures in Quest
Into Fairgrounds Office.
DETECTIVES ARE AT WORK
COLLECTING INFORMATION
Commissioner Brownlow Denies He
Said Apparent Irregularities In
volved No Moral Turpitude.

With detectives at work on the case
and the District Commissioners declin-
ing to discuss any disclosures that may
have been made. the investigation into
alleged Irregularities in the Office of the
superintendent of Fairgrounds of the
District was resumed today. with pros
pect of continuing for a week or longer
Detective E. W. Boyle is collecting in
formation which will be placed before
the Commissioners, and until his report
is made no further action Is looked
for.
1t is learned upon reliable authority
that the investigation was inStigated
as result of information placed in
the hands of Commissioner Brownlow
by member of the detective force.
Commissioner Brownlow today gave
out the only statement that has been
made by the District heads concerning
the inquiry. He said:
Statement Of Mr.. Brownlow.
1T is untrue that the apparent ir-
regularities involve the payment of a
chauffeur from public funds or have
anything whatever to do with a chauf-
feur
1t is also untrue that have said at
any time that the apparent irregulari-
tles IN the accounts of the Fairgrounds
office involve no question Of moral
turpitude. Until the investigation is
completed 1t is impossible for me OF
any one else to say what is or what is
not involved.
Apparent Irregularities involving the
ton of the Commissioners These ap-
parent irregularities were of such a
nature that they could not be explain
ed by simple statement.
Therefore, the Commissioners sus-
pended Mr.. Martin and placed the Office
In charge of Deputy Auditor D. J. Dono-
van. An investigation was begun. 1t
Is still in progress. 1t will probably
continue for several days. Until 1t is
completed nothing that is said con-
corning this matter should be cred
tied"
Moral Turpitude Is Not Involved.
James E. West, scout executive of
the Boy Scouts OF America, of which
organization Mr. Martin is director for
the District of Columbia, yesterday
made the statement that no question
of moral turpitude was involved in the
investigation of Mr.. Martin. Mr.. West
was in conference with the Commits
the matter
On the ground that it would be an
act of disloyalty to the Commissioners
for him to discuss the case, Supervisor
Martin this morning declined to make
any statements in advance of his sub
uniting statement to the Commits
sioners. Mr.. Martin was in conference
during the day with Arthur c. Moses.
former president of the Washington
Playground Association
One Of the probable results of the in
quiry. it was suggested at the District
building today, would be the separa-
ton of the Fairgrounds and Boy Scou,
offices, which have occupied the same
quarters in the District building. AS
supervisor of Fairgrounds Mr.. Martin
receives compensation Of $4,000 a
year. while he also receives salary
from the Boy Scouts of America. BY
reason of having headquarters in the
Municipal building the latter organiza-
ton has enjoyed a sort of semi-gov-
Ornamental status. though it Is not q
branch of the municipality.
From an authority close to the Com
missioners the suggestion has emanat-
ed that the District heads might de-
eide to require the superintendent OF
Fairgrounds to give his entire atten-
ton to this work in the future.