Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-01-22
WORKHOUSE BOARD
D|SM|SSES WARDEN
RICHARD F. CROSS
Takes Summary Action on Re
fusal of Latter TO Turn IN
Resignation as Requested.
GIVEN TEN DAYS IN
WHICH TO VACATE

The latest development III the work
house stIuahhlC. which has been one Of
the features of the news for some time,
was the action ~ the Board ot Trustees,
in sfrcCial meeting ~ the office Of its
secretary. Judge ] Frank Ball, ycstNr-
dav afternoon, IN summarlly diSmlssIng
Warden Richard Il Cross, whose reslgna-
ton had lccn requested ri a previous
meeting. and who had declined 20 acccdc
10 the request
The meeting was behind closed doors,
and it was stated this morning hy the
mcmla,rx o( tho board that the action III
regard to tho warden was the only business
done al the meeting II was stated that
the matter of appointing a SUCCESSOR 70
Can't Cross was not taken. nor We're
any other matters pertaining to the work
horse
III regard Ia othcF action that might
IL taken later N regard ~ conditions
al The workhotlsc II was stated that the
board would H. governed bv the recon
mendatIonS of tho boards advisor,
Leonard Crawford, acting warden ami
who was appointed al the last regular
meeting 20 tho nov position cf inspector
and adviser
Warden Cross has tcen under Sllspcn-
sion sincc Tuesday. January e. the day
before the grand jury began its lnvesti
CATION into conditions at ti9e institution
The report Of the grand jury, submitted
the court. severity criticised conditions
As the workhOusc. LAYING the hlamc for
The escape Of leInuel Price on these
conditions. duc Il was charged, to lax
discipline All connected with the All
mnIstratlon of the affairs Of The lnstitu
tion came IN for criticism and the report
IL 1,t.Is-c Iru~,I
Balls connection with the institution
The board n a recent meeting formu-
lated reply "a the charges oi the grand
jury. LAYING the blame on Warden Gross
and demanded his resignation The ward
cu came back with q reply. submitted IN
the court Ia which BE- declined 10 he the
goat as hc termed It, and held that
conditions III the workhouse were no: of
his making and insisted that a great part
of tho laXI'v III discipline was due 20 the
lnd!Scrlmmatc issuance ct passes by the
secretary. Judge Ball, and to his inter
ference with the conduct cf the lnstitu-
tIon Warden Gross held that the board
vas equally, Il mo- more, responsible for
the conditions complained oi by the
grand jury
With reference 70 the printed report
that some members q the hoard regard
od J frank Balls connection with II
serious mistake. but that they could
hardly advise one ot their members 70
resign. no mernher oi The board who could
he reached would admit having given
expression 70 such sentiment
At its meeting yesterday. IN disnlssing
Warden Cross, the board gave INN ten
daVs III which 10 vaCate the quarters ne
las AZ the workhouse He has consider
Il n ho
assigned hun there for the use Of himself
and family
CROSS WILL RFNAI2S IN WILMINGTON.
Captain Cross received notice this
morning of hls discharge as warden Of
the New Castle county workhouse.
When spoken - tins morning about
his discharge, Captain Cross told rep
rcsentative of Every Evening that he
considered it the most remarkable
spectacle of unfaTncSs that he has
ever heard OF lie sud nc was brought
here four wears ago and that up to the
,me Of the Price escape the only cloud
ln the sky was Mr. Ball He said that
and without warning. and with
no chance 10 defend himself,
he was suspended This was followed
by the request for hi- resignation, which
III kEA4Dtt'l. siittt INV tDAltN q Al7A4A@oFAl
with 10 days true j remove his effects.
All this, he sad has been done without
nm having 81 opportunity To defend
himself and - show the board that he
has been misrcprcscntcd 70 them all the
way through and that il was a malicious
attack On hls reputation because he would
not take orders from one member Of the
hoard Captain Cross said that. because
of the woTkhoJlee Law the board can
remove employees al its pleasure and ne
feels that he has been denied all his
rights as man and citizen and has not
even had q chance To defend himself
which the constitution hc said. guarantees
him Captain Gross added that nc
cannot believe that the public will permit
such arbitrary methods 70 exist and that
lie feels that II New Castle county wants
its workhouse to measure up to what IL
should be- it should be under different
control.
The discharged warden added that this
has IN the past undermined discipline
and il a serious mistake which should be
corrected as soon as possible
Captain Cross said that he expects
to make his home III this city, but his
plans have not been definitely deter
mined
Roger ~ Suddard, ill., clerk who
resigned the day after Price escape, left
-he workhouse January IS