Evening star., 1946-04-11

Department to permit it to weed out
incompetents more rapidly.
Under questioning by committee
members, Maj. Callahan said he
assumed that the various precinct
captains detailed their least efficient
men for Jail duty. 1T is only human
nature that police captain would
want to keep his most efficient men
on the beat" he said.
Testimony about the reported card
games in the death house came from
police and Jail officials who were
questioned whether they had been
warned that Medley and Mcfarland
were allowed out of their cells at
night to play cards. This question
ing followed the disclosure of turn
key at the Jail that he had been
tipped off month before the escape
that the two condemned men were
playing cards with their jailors.
Warning on Card Playing.
Turnkey Peed had testified that
he received the information from
Sergt. Charles L. Langley of No. 5
precinct.
Sergt Charles L. Langley of the
fifth precinct testified today he
had not been informed that Medley
and Mcfarland were playing cards
with their guards. but were let out
of the recreation corridor at night to
engage in a three-handed card game
among themselves. The third man
in the game was William Copeland,
colored, another condemned mur-
derer awaiting execution, according
to information received by Sergt.
Langley.
Sergt. Langley passed the infor-
nation along to Mr.. Peed. who was
acting as lieutenant. who in turn
passed it along to Capt. Benjamin
E. Sweeney, head of the day watch
at the jail
At the same time. it was brought
out today, Sergt. Langley informed
his superior officer. Capt. John Fla
herty of No. S precinct.
Capt. Flaherty testified today he
received the information from Sergt.
Langley on March 5 and Immediate
ly called the Jail and asked for
Supt. Claude o. Botkin.
Failed to Uncover Evidence.
"Mr. Botkin wasn't in and I was
connected with Capt. C. E. Tucker,
captain of the guard Capt. Flaher-
ty said. II told him that we had
received information that the men
In the death house were let out of
their cells at night to play cards.
I told him to tell Mr.. Botkin about
the situation. Mr. Tucker said he
would. and added that he would look
into the situation himself"
Capt. Tucker confirmed the testi-
mony of Capt. Flaherty about the
card playing reports, but said that
an investigation following the tip
failed to uncover any evidence of
this.
However, Capt. Sweeney told the
committee that when 1t. Peed re-
ported the incident to him there was
no mention of card playing by the
prisoners.
DO you mean to say that there
was no mention of card playing?"
asked Mr.. Herbert.
NO" replied Capt. Sweeney. "All
was told was that Medley and Nc
Farland had been let out of their
cells on occasion. Maybe those who
originally got the information as
sumed that Medley and Mcfarland
were let out to play cards"
Was Strictly Against Orders.
Representative Simpson brought
out in questioning that it was strict
ly against rules to let prisoners in
the death house out of their cells
after 4 pm. Capt. Tucker said
specific orders had been issued to
this effect.
During Capt. Flaherty's testimony.
the police captain brought out that
at the time he spoke to Capt. Tucker
about the reported card playing he
also had advised the Jail officials not
to have his men use the elevator
going up to the death cells when
checking on these reported condi-
tions. Il told him." Capt. Tucker
said, that the hum of the elevator
in motion was in itself signal to
those in the death block that some
one was approaching.
The police captain said that he
was not informed after that by Jail
officials what had been uncovered or
done about the reported laxity in
guarding the prisoners.
The first testimony that Medley
and Mcfarland were playing cards
with guards month before they
escaped was given late yesterday
when Turnkey Peed first testified.
1t. Peed said he got a tip from
Ia metropolitan police sergeant at
No. precinct station that there
was card playing" among the
metropolitan policemen assigned to
guard the death house and Medley
and Mcfarland. The turnkey said
he passed this information along to
Capt. Sweeney, but heard nothing
more about it.