Evening star., 1943-09-21
49,. WASHINGTON
.AfHNcMFY

Widens Scope
Holman Group Gets
Controllers Charges
Of Irregularities
The Senate investigation into the
care OF patients at Gallinger Hos
pital widened in scope today, after
Chairman McCarran Of the District
Committee disclosed complaints of
Irregularities in management of the
institution, made recently by the
Controller general of the United
States.
The Controller Generals report
included allegations that DR.. Edgar
A. Bocock, superintendent, purchased
food for his personal use out of hos
pital funds: that he provided free
disqualification for personal en-
ployes: free board for certain IA
vored employees" and employed as
hispersonal servant Filipino who
was paid from Gallinger appropria-
tions. according to Senator Nc
Carran.
BocOck Defends Acts.
Senator McCarran explained that
he was not passing judgment on the
charges but has turned all of the
Controller Generals data over to
Senator Holman. Republican, of
Oregon to be inquired into along
with the earlier complaints involv-
ing the care provided for tubercular
patients.
While not denying certain of the
allegations made by Senator Nc
Carran, DR.. Bocock today denied
any wrongdoing in the matter. He
indicated that his actions at the
hospital had been properly author
lied and that some of the incidents
cited were beyond his control.
| He issued the following statement:
THE charges made are absolutely
without foundation of fact. While
certain of the allegations cited have
occurred, they were either with
proper authorization or were mat
| ters over which I had no control"
Charges Referred to Bureau.
The charges have been referred
to United States Attorney Edward
Curran, who has turned them over
to his chief assistant, John Fihelly.
The latter said his Office had as
signed 1t. Joseph Shimon to the
case.
There are certain angles we want
to clear up" Mr.. Fihelly said, but
these charges go back as far as 10
years In some instances, and it will
require some time to check on them.
We also want to talk to DR.. Bocock
at the proper time"
Mr.. Fihelly said his Office also
wanted to question 80 or 40 witnesses
who might have information bearing
on the matter.
Commissioner Mason, meanwhile,
| disclosed his own records of how the
| Commissioners had handled the re-
ONCE, in a memorandum:
Commissioner Young received the
report from the Controller General
on July Is and referred the same
EStps Commissioner Mason on July 16.
Emnlias5oner Mason brought the
matter to the attention Of the Board
Est Commissioners on July 10, and
on sjuaysa0 Commissioners Kutz and
Mason conferred with Edward M.
Curran. United States attorney, and
John Fihelly, first assistant. (To
Mr.. Curran), and on July % trans
mitted the report to the United
States attorney for his review and
action"
Matter Handled Properly"
Commissioner Mason said he was
convinced the Commissioners had
handled the matter proprly. He ex-
planned that the Commissioners had
no advised either Health Officer
George G. Rutland, his assistants,
or DR.. Bocock of the invesiga ton
report. adding that the Commission
ers had consulted only with Cor
| poration Counsel Richmond B.
Keech and later with Mr.. Curran
and Mr. Fihelly.
! He continued There are in the
Controller Generals report some
! charges of serious nature The Dis
trict government does not have the
machinery for investigating charges
of such nature. nor do we have the
| jurisdiction as to prosecution in
such cases.
Furthermore, the regulations of
Gallinger Hospital and it's super
intendent, DR.. Bocock, both were
involved and we felt the district
attorney should have an opportunity
to investigate before the case was
| publicized"
Commissioner Mason said some of
/ the criticisms, on the administra-
tive side, contained in the Control
ler Generals report, had been re-
ferred to District Auditor A. r.
Pilkerton, and that steps had been
taken to invoke procedures recon-
mended by the Federal agency.
Issues Statement"
First information that the Con-
troller Generals Office has made a
report on Gallinger came late yes
terday, when Chairman McCarran
issued the following statement:
Inquiries initiated by the chair
man OF the Senate Committee on
the District of Columbia prior to
appointment of a subcommittee un-
der terms of Senate Resolution l78,
providing for an investigation of the
Gallinger Municipal Hospital. have
brought to light the fact that repre-
sentatives of the Office of the Con-
Croller General of the United States
have recently conducted an investi-
cation Of certain matters in connec-
ton with the management and ac-
counts of Gallinger Hospital that
numerous irregularities were noted
which were reported to the Commits
sioners of the District of Columbia
and that the Commissioners have.
| i'm