The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-07-11
HOLT DEATH INQUIRY
PLANS ARE A PUZZLE
Prosecutor, Sure of Negli-
gence, Says "There's Moth
ing to Investigate"
SHERIFF NOT SENT FOR

Just what sort Of an inquiry Nassau
county will make into the Jail manage
msnt that permitted Frank Holt to COM
NIT suicide on Tuesday night In Mineo'a
and lust what will be It's result could
hardly be gathered yesterday from men
and events in Mineola.
District Attorney Lewis j. Smiths
words, There's nothing to investigate p;
the Supervisory statement that the Dis
trIct Attorney is doing everything in his
power to investigate" and the fact that
neither Warden william c. Huits In
Chestertown nor Sheriff stephen c. Pet
tit. In Albuquerque. N. NJ. has been
autographed for, pe%rplexed those seeking
to know Just how responsibility would De
fixed.
The more thorough inquest ordered by
Coroner Walter Il. Jones for next FIJI
day, seend to offer the most promising
results. Five prisoners in cells above
the scene of Hollis headlong plunge are
to testify, yet apparently no enort mas
been made TO obtain the presence at the
inquest of Warden Hults, who was In
charge OF the Jail that night. nor OF his
chief, Sheriff Petit.
Another question raised by the state
ments Of the Supervisors and the DISTRICT
Attorney was Just what punishment
would be melted out to the person or per-
sons found culpaple. The Supervisors
say those responsible will "be dealt with
according to law" but Mr.. Smith said
later that mo law applies, as these are
appointive officers"
At any rate. Supervisors and District
a>sAAI en- atxTnft mn raflpn NJ
sheriff Petit before taking the matter
up in a serious wsy-but nobody knows
when the Sheriff will return.
One Hopeful sign.
There was one hopeful sign. The
statement the Supervisors issued in the
morning after their conference with Mr..
Smith said they agree with the Dis
trict Attorney that there has been great
neglect OF duty in the Jail az to the
custody OF Frank Holt" and Mr.. Smith
later said: Certainly there has beer
negligence: Hults was negligent. lie
made a mistake in judgment-anybody
might. He should have had two guards
as | ordered Just before that the
District Attorney said there was nothing
10 investigate.
Supervisors Phillip J.. Christ, James
II. Cocks and Herman r. Smith, the
first two Democrats and the latter =
Republican, turned their investigation
into A conference with District Attorney
Smith behind closed doors. Mr.. !Snith
Warden Hults and Sheriff Petit arr
Republicans. Jerry Ryan. who guarded
Holt. is a Democrat.
The result of the conference was 2
typewrittsn statement embodying, be
sides the points already mentioned. nj
EXPRESSION Of faith In the ability anC
disposition OF Sheriff Petit. on his re
turn. to take up and act upo any rec
ommendation the Supervisors make
Elsewhere the statement speaks of ind
ing out who IL directly responsible,
Some wondered whether this mean
poor old Democratic Jerry Ryan"
Mr.. smiths statements were mad'
with some asperity. iuterlarded will
references TO the New York newspapers
and began with the emphatic declaration
that he had received 70 letter from
Gov. Whitman about an inquiry, nor di'
he expect one.
you are creating a situation tina
does not exist" he said to the news
paper men. There Is nothing 10 In
vestlgate. There has been negligence
| Hults was negligent. but Holt seemed -
weak that a ten-year.oid boy could nav
handled him. We thought OF sendir
him TO a hospital. There is no doub
WHO il responsible-Jerry Ryan Is re
sponsible.
NO" said Mr.. Smith with an air o
fnality. II have not telegraphed ~
Warden Hults or Sheriff Fettit, and
am not going TO. And those five prison
ers in the tier above Hollis cell? The
couldn't have seen him unless they Stoo
up in their cells. We didn't think
I necessary to have them AT the frs
inquest. but they will appear next Frida
at the second one
Ryan's story Disputed.
Meantime there Is an interesting situa
ton AZ the Jail apparently leput
Warden John Mills is officially in charg'
. yet Fred Halloran. Warden Hults's SOY
; in-law. is living there with his wife an
: receiving some consideration. accordin
; to County Detective phineas Seaman.