Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-19
Probe of Supervisors Over
WayCroft Subdivision
Water Is Sought.
B. M. HEDRICK NAMED
ESPECIALLY IN PLEA
Petition for Inquiry Follows At
tempts of Cloth to Collect $4,000
Claimed for County.
BY LESTER N. INSKEEP,
stan Correspondent Of The Star.

ARLINGTON COUNTY COURT
HOUSE, Va, June ia judicial in
vestigation into the activities of the
board of county supervisors, and espe-
cially those of Supervisor B. M. Hedrick
of Arlington district, in connection
with the installation last year of water
and sewerage in the Waycroft sub
division. is asked in a petition pre-
sented this morning to Judge Walter
T. Mccarthy, in Circuit Court, by a
special committee of the Organized
Women Voters of Arlington County.
After citing the circumstances that
led up to the filing of the petition, the
paper asks the court to issue a rule
requiring Eedrick and such other mem
bers of the board of supervisors as the
inquiry may indicate to be involved to
show cause why they should not "be
removed from Office for malfeaSance,
misfeasance, incompetency, gross neg
lect OF official duty, and knowing and
Wllltul neglect to peform the duties
imposed upon them by the laws of the
State.''
Result Of Collection Attempts.
The filing Of today's petition is a
direct result OF the efforts of Common
Wealth'S Attorney William G. Cloth to
collect from the Arlington Investment
Corporation, of which Hedrick is an Of
hcer, director and stakeholder, the sum
or approximately $4,000 that is al
legged to be due the county for the in
Stallation of the water and sewerage
in the subdivision.
AT the time Cloth wrote his original
letter demanding payment, it is alleged
mat the investment corporation neither
mad made payment to the county nor
signed the notes required of persons
installing water and sewerage without
the expenditure of the entire amount
necessary in cash. Details of the case
are set forth in the petition, which fol-
lows:
Your petitioners are members of a
committee duly authorized and appoint
ed by the Organized Women Voters of
Arlington County, an organization of
woman taxpayers and citizens of Airing
ton County, and are duly authorized
TO present this matter.
Warrant Issuance Is Charged.
1--WE are informed and yeriIy believe
and therefore allege that between the
months of March and October. in the
year 1929, B. M. Hedrick was a mem
per OF the Arlington County board of
SUPERVISORS, and was also an officer.
director and stakeholder in the Airing
ton Investment Corporation, owners of
q subdivision known as Waycroft, in
Arlington County; and during that
period, the Arlington Investment Corpo-
ration entered into contract with K.
MeSSick for the installation of sewers
JfNfiCf
supervisors having no interest in the
contract; and that subsequently, on
August 80, 1929, the board of super
VlSors, with the knowledge of the said
Hedrick, authorized the issuance of a
county warrant in favor of said Mes
sick in the sum of $1,66414; and on
September 80, 1929 the said board of
supervisors issued further county
warrant for $66415. Subsequently
these warrants were paid.
we are further informed, and verify
oel1eve and, therefore, allege that be-
tween the months of March and Octo-
Der, in the year 1929, a complete water
system was installed in the said Way
croft subdivision with the knowledge
of the said Hedrick, he being then a
member of the said board of super
visors, and an officer, director and
stakeholder in the said Arlington IN
vestment Corporation, the said installa-
ton being made at the expense of said
county, no contractural obligations kav-
ing apparently been entered into, and
no authority obtained, and that there
was improperly expended by the county
for this purpose the sum of approx
mately $6,735.
Inquiry Is Asked.
eve are not informed, and therefore
do not allege, the extent to which the
other members of the said board of
supervisors had knowledge of these
transactions, but we pray the court to
cause all proper inquiries to be made
with regard to the transactions set
forth, and such inquiries as the court
may deem proper and necessary as TO
any other transactions involving the
Arlington Investment Corporation and
Waycroft subdivision.
"Your petitioners have no interest in
this matter other than that of citizens
and taxpayers. We are informed thai
as a result of the above-mentioned
transactions, there is now outstanding
sum of approximately $4,000 due the
county, which the said board of super
visors has apparently taken no legal
steps to collect.
I'VE pray that the court, after due
inquiry, shall cause to be issued a rule
EGQuulilS Ill6 odAO D. M. I1GuIlCF, anu
such other members of the said board
of supervisors as the injury may in
dictate to be involved to show cause
why they should not be removed from
office for malfeasance, misfeaSance, in
competency, gross neglect of official
duty and knowing and willful neglect to
perform the duties imposed upon them
by the laws of the State"
The petition is signed by Mrs. Ruby
Simpson, president, and five other men,
bers of the Organized Women Voters.
They are Mrs. Mary G. Williams,
corresponding secretary; Mrs. Flor
ence E. Cannon, parliamentarian
Mrs. Bertha Kelly, chairman of the
executive committee; Mrs. Alice
Semones of the executive committee,
Mrs. Ada H. Davidson of the execu-
tive committee and Mrs. Jessie w. Hunt
of the civic committee.