Evening star., 1939-01-27
Hazen Declares
Lewis Should
List Chise|ers
View Comes Following
Prober's Tip Rolls
Contain Names


Controversy over the refusal OF
Relief Investigator Burdette G
Lewis to give the Board of Public
Welfare identification OF the 500
cases of alleged chiselers increased
today as conflicting views were
voiced by Mr.. Lewis, Welfare Di-
rector Elwood Street and Commis-
sioner Melvin C. Hazen. Earlier
Chairman Collins of House Sub
committee on District Committee
had refused to turn over to the We'll
fare Board the list of names.
Commissioner Hazen entered the
discussion for the first time with a
declaration he felt Mr.. Lewis
promptly should supply the Welfare
Board with official Identification of
'chiselers," who were listed by Mr..
Lewis by fictitious names and ficti-
tious case numbers.
Mr.. Lewis in a press release this
morning said relief officials could
identify the cases cited by checking
against the payroll records OF the
Public Assistance Division. He re-
ferred to the fact that his investi-
gators had used the total case loads
of two OF the case workers, Mrs.
Kelsey Cooper and Mrs. Clara
Lapcione.
= In his statement Mr.. Lewis said
he would let Welfare Board Chair
man Frederick w. McReynolds "in
on this secret"
Commissioner Hazen, on learning
of this new development, said: Il
suppose the welfare officials could
identify the cases cited by Mr.. Lewis
by checking the description against
the names and addresses in the pay
roll records of these two case work.
ers. However, believe Mr.. Lewis
should identify these cases for the
Welfare Board so that officials can
drop from the rolls all of those
found to be 'chiselers' and to prose-
cute in cases where serious fraud is
found. This will save much time
for the case work staff, which al
ready is carrying an unusually
heavy load of cases per worker"
Some Already Dropped.
Mr.. Street, when informed of Mr.
lewis statement, said it was correct
that the pay roll of the assistance
division would show the true names
of people who have received relief,
but that this system of checking the
names of the cases cited by Mr.
Lewis still would leave a difficult
task on the hands of the case work
ers and their supervisory officials.
He added that every effort was being
made to identify the fraud cases so
that any "chiselers" found could be
dropped. He said some cases al
ready had been identified
Mr.. Lewis public statement dealt
with the fact that the investigator S
staff selected the total case loads OF
two of the case workers on the P. A.
D., Mrs. Cooper and Mrs. Lancione.
Mr.. Lewis said:
IT am going to let Chairman Nc
Reynolds in on big secret. Mrs.
Kelsey Cooper made up her Septem-
ber roster of names and addresses,
which after approval for Miss Hill
(relief directory and perusal by
Auditor clarence b. Whaley, were
used by the District paymaster
(Maj. Paul Lusby, District disburs-
ing offlcer) in mailing checks for
September to the names and ad-
dresses given on the roster. Even
If the P. A. D. has lost the list, Mr.
Whaley and Maj. Lusby probably
can give Mr.. McReynolds copy. In
all probability Maj. Lusby can show
the chairman the Cancelled checks.
"If the chairman were to visit
the Public Assistance Division offices
he would discover that the P. A. D
workers are having little difficulty
Identifying the cases. Even though
we assigned fictitious case numbers
and names. many of the case heads
are recognizing themselves from the
descriptions found in the news
papers. They are coming in and
paying up even before they are sur
prised to receive visit from one OF
the other of the two case workers.
Affidavits Challenged.
IF Mr.. Reynolds goes a little
farther he may discover that there
were some affidavits brought in by
Mrs. Cooper and possibly Miss
Lancione last September and Octo-
ber, when their friends were max
ing frantic efforts to intimidate our
investigators or to stop our investi-
cation. Those affidavits I was told
contained the cognomen of man
who was supposed to have overheard
8 certain conversation by our in
yestigator, though he ran when ar
investigator came into view. Now
there are two difficulties with that
affidavit. First the congnomen ir
the affidavit is not the John Henry
the same man used in getting an
automobile license plate. Second
the affidavit mentions the nom de
plume used in the case record fol
September, but our report now pub
1ished says the name was 'Queenie
and honestly says it is fictitious.
"The pressure group then anc
now concerned with this case knows