Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-19
Statement Declares Ifvesti-.
cation Six Years Ago Failed
to Give Sufficient Evidence. D.,
HOUSE MEMBER PLANS
INQUIRY BY COMMITTEE
Coordination of Women's BureaG
and Charity Agency May
Follow Investigation.

The Board of Public Welfare today
made public a statement clearing its
social workers of charges of mishand-
ling an inquiry six years ago into
the home life of l2-year-old Edith
Riley, rescued two weeks ago by a
policewoman from ssslosSt in her home
ITO Rhode Island avenue after an
alleged four-year imprisonment.
The statement was drafted at meet
ing of the board late yesterday afte~-
noon and followed an announcement
by Representative Bowman OF West
Virginia, member of the House Dis
trict Committee, that he would request
an investigation of the board.
Statement Is Issued.
The boards statement, made public
this morning by Director George s.
Wilson, follows:
cat the regular meeting of the Board
of Public Welfare, held this afternoon,
the Standing Committee on Child Wei
fare in its regular monthly report, re-
ferred to the complaints of alleged
cruel treatment of the Edith Riley
child.
"The history Of the case dates back
to 1925, prior to the organization OF
the Board of Public Welfare. The COM
n1ittee reported that the record showed
that at no time did there appear to
be SUFFICIENT evidence. in the opinion
of the investigators, to warrant Lring-
ing the case before the court. Investi-
CATION of the complaints was conducted
by a representative of the Woman's
10 kInn
the Child Welfare Division Of this
board acting in cooperation.
Bowman Plans Probe.
"The committee reported that in
asmuch as the child, Edith, now tenn
porary ward of the BOARD, under COM
mitment from the Juvenile Court Is
receiving the best available care and
treatment and the charges of cruelty
are pending for fearing before the
Supreme Court Of the District there
action of this beard at the present
time"
Mr.. Bowman said today he was 60
ing to air the whole affair before the
District Committee.
ST am going to find out through in
vestigation wherein the fault lies that
permitted this child to remain so long
with a family that allegedly has in
fiicted cruel treatment upon her." said
MIR. Bowman. IT don't care, however,
to make any announcement at this
time about whether I shall offer legis-
lation co-ordinating the Board of Pub
That will depend upon the outcome Of
the inquiry"
Wilson Statement Reiterated.
The boards statement was reiter-
alton OF previous assertions by Direc-
tor Wilson that the board was power
less to act in the Riley case. He said
again today that when the boards
social worker, accompanied by a police
woman, called at the Riley home in
1925 and 1925, there was not then suf-
ficient evidence to convince judge
that the child should be taken from
the home.
Representative Bowman believes,
however, that the board was not "ag-
gressive enough" In following up the
complaints.
Meanwhile, Edith's father and step
mother, Mr.. and Mrs Harry Newman
Riley, who yesterday pleaded not guilty
"feloniously torturing" the child, are
comforting with their lawyer, Bertrand
Emerson, jr., over their defense. Both
have denied the girl was kept a prison.
er, but declared she was mentally
deficient and unable to take care Of
herself.
Edith, under treatment and observa-
ton at Gallinger Hospital, Is improv-
ing daily. She has gained more than
six pounds, according to nurses. and
is steadily evincing more interest in
her surroundings detailed report
on her condition and the probability
of her becoming normal is being drawn
up by psychiatrists and psychologists
on the hospital staff and specialists
called in for consultation from the
outside.