Evening star., 1937-07-20
GARBAGE SERVICE
HEAD INDICATED
IN BOARD REPORT
Dismissal of All Charges
Urged by Probers Into
Wood Accusations.
CITY HEADS ORDER
"REVIEW OF RECORD"
Seek Court of Appeals Ruling
Before Final Action in Case,
Commissioners Say.

Complete vindication of William r..
Wood, superintendent OF garbage COL
leetors, OF series Of charges brought
against him by organized subordinates
was recommended to the District Com
missioners today by special board of
inquiry.
The Commissioners Immediately re-
Counsel Elwood Seal and directed
him to appoint second board COM
posed Of three of his assistants to
review the record in the case and de-
termine whether the testimony and
the record justify the finding"
Engineer Commissioner Dan l.
Sultan said the Commissioners were
not dissatisfied with the report but
decided to appoint a second board as
= sort OF court of appeals" so there
could be no criticism of their final
action.
In summarizing the testimony on
the IS varied counts, the board Of in
ouiry reported:
The committee, after careful con-
alteration of all the testimony and evil
dence submitted, has reached the con-
clusion that no charges of dishonesty
on the part of the garbage superin-
fendent have been sustained 1t Is
further the opinion of the committee
that no testimony presented during
the hearing has indicated any dis
honesty or misfeasance on the part Of
the superintendent either now or In
previous years.
Careful Consideration" Given.
Careful consideration has been
given to the matter Of whether the
present superintendent is a proper
employe TO remain in the service of
the District government and whether
he should continue in charge of the
garbage service.
The conclusions reached are that
the present superintendent is in every
respect = proper employe not only to
remain in the District service but to
continue in charge OF the garbage
service.
The board is satisfied that the
activities Of the superintendent of the
garbage service are and have been at
all times subject to supervision and
control of his superiors.
The committee is satisfied that
the employees of the garbage service are
fairly treated and that no discrimi-
nation is or has been shown
Several OF the charges brought
against Wood involved complaints that
he forced employees to contribute to
fund for an aged colored woman
known only rs Aunt Mary" who lived
In shack near the garbage station,
and that he forced them to work on
his farm and buy groceries at the gar
bage station.
Aunt Mary" Charge Dismissed.
The committee dismissed the charge
involving Aunt Mary" with the OBJ
servation it was a charitable act, but
recommended that in the future all
collections for charitable purposes be
discontinued unless specifically or
dered by the Commissioners. Other
recommendations of the board were:
That no activities are to be carried
on AT Une garbage transfer SLdIlOnS or
elsewhere other than of1cial business.
That employees Of the garbage service
Eho are fearful Of discrimination being
shown against them because OF the tes-
timony against their superintendent
should, if they so elect, be transferred
to other city refuse activities at no re-
duction In salary.
Hearings started May before 4
board comprising ]. B. Gordon, direc-
cor Of sanitary engineering; Assistant
Corporation Counsel Stanley De Neale
and William A. Xanten, supervisor of
sity refuse.
James Kimbro, business representa-
tive Of Local 466 Of the International
Hod Carriers, Building and Common
Laborers' Union of America, was the
leader in prosecuting the charges
against Wood Last week Kimbro
warned the Commissioners that the
garbage collectors were prepared to
strike If the report was delayed much
longer.