Evening star., 1943-09-27
Ga||inger Probe
bares Charges
Against Officials
Witnesses AIIeqe
Attaches Stole
Food Material
Pictures on Page BIZ
By JAMES F.. CHTNN.


Charges that a loan shark"
operated at Gallinger Hospital
and some of the attaches there
carried home everything from
big hams or choice cuts of beef
to bed sheets, towels and even
babies diapers, were made late
today before the special Senate
subcommittee investigating the
institution.
A charge also was made that
unruly patients had been tiled up"
and beaten and that one orderly
in particular seemed to get kick"
out of administering such treat
ment.
Battle Winston, 1888 B street Sc.
a colored orderly, testified he had
several times borrowed money and
at one time had to repay S6.25 on
a weeks loan of SIS.
Theft of meats and 'other things"
from the kitchen were alleged by
Kenneth Orr, a former orderly at
Galllnger, who is now driving a bus
for the Capital Transit Co.
Beating Charged.
Lawrence Tucker, 60l Massachu-
setts avenue NE, who formerly
worked in the hospital laundry,
made other allegations of theft, and
described a beating he said he had
seen administered to patient. This
witness admitted he had served a
term at the District Reformatory at
Lorton and at one time had been
admitted to Gallinger for mental
observation.
Thomas w. McPeak, who was at
tached to Gallinger for three years
on CWA and WPA construction Jobs.
told the subcommittee he loaned
money ito some of the boys" but
didn't make business of it,
IF a man would come to me. and
ask me for IS or $40 and I thought
he was all right, I would give to
him." he said.
Senator Bushfield. Republican, of
South Dakota called his attention
to a report of the controller generals
Office which said he was known
among the employees as loan
shark"
Il did not know it, he declared.
Denies Allegation.
Senator Bushf1eld said one case
cited in the report quoted an en-
ploye as saying he had to repay
Sl20 on a $50 loan.
Whoever told you that lied said
Mr.. McPeak.
Questioned on Loans.
AS soon as Mr.. Winston took the
witness stand he was questioned
about Mr.. McPeak. He said he had
never heard him described as a
loan shark" but admitted he bor-
roWed SIS from him the latter part
of l941 and promised to repay s18.75
on a certain date, but he failed to
pay the interest and was reported
to DR.. Edgar A. Bocock, superin-
tendent of the hospital, who, in turn
told me to pay"
Mr.. Winston, however. said he
never paid anything but the SIS he
borrowed, and that he had the use
of the loan for only month.
Sometime later, Mr.. Winston ad-
mitted he borrowed IS for week
and repaid $6.25.
Describes Movement of Food.
Mr.. Orr, who said he quit his job
as orderely at Gallinger after II
years service because he wasn't
given a pay increase, testified he
had seen at least IL employees from
Dr. Bocock's farm in Virginia
brought to the hospital for treat
ment.
He further declared he had seen
Gallinger employees place in DR.. Bo-
cocks car 100-lb. bag of sugar, a
carton of dry cereal, dressed chick
ems and cuts of beef.
Senator Bushfield inquired if the
foodstuffs went to DR.. Bocock's
home on his Virginia farm.
Il never paid any attention to
where it went" he declared.
Mr.. Orr said several employees in
the Kitchen had taken meats and
"other things" and that he had pur-
chased from one of them hams
weighing 10 or IL pounds for 81 so
and $3.50 which were worth twice
as much"
Claims Earlier Charge.
He declared he made a similar
statement to Investigators from the
GAO and it was true"
Mr.. Tucker testified he worked in
the Gallinger laundry for six or
seven months last year but didn't
(See GALLINGER, Page A-22.)