Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1946-03-12

'WiIICa|I Huff
In Gill Hearing
Decision on Defense
Cross-Exominotion
Pleu Is Reserved

FIeQ is RESERVED
Ray L. HUFF, welfare director, will
be called to testify in the case for
removal of Howard B. Gill, sus-
pended superintendent OF penal in
stitutions, but he cannot be cross
examined by the defense unless he
proves to be a hostile witness.
That was the ruling today of a
Board Of Inquiry hearing 16 charges
Of inefaciency against Mr.. Gill on
request by Defense Attorney John
j. Wilson that it call Mr.. Huff as
hostile witness.
Mr.. Wilson demanded that Mr..
Huff be called for cross-examination
after Chester H. Gray, assistant
corporation counsel, announced he
has only two more witnesses to
call and that Mr.. Huff is not one
of them. The charges were filed
by the Board of Public Welfare,
not by Mr.. Huff, he pointed out.
Present at Conferences.
'Mr. HUFF was present during the
conferences of the Board of Public
Welfare and during at least one
conference between the corpora
ton counsel and witnesses in this
case. He has sat beside the assist
ant corporation counsel through
out this hearing. I want to know
his version of what went on" Mr..
Wilson said.
AS Mr.. ellis superior and the top
employe of the Welfare Board, Mr..
Huff is considered by the defense to
be the principal accuser Of Mr.. Gill.
The Inquiry Board cannot assume
that Mr.. Huff is a hostile witness
before he testifies, Chairman Walter
M. Bastian said. It will permit
cross-examination if it turns out
Mr.. Huff is hostile in direct exam
nation, Mr.. Bastian added.
Recesses Until Thursday.
After four witnesses testified to-
day the hearing was recessed until
$50 am. Thursday at the Municipal
Center Today's hearing was held
for the first time at the District jail.
Sitting in the same room where he
was reprimanded on December 5,
James E. Devoe, guard in cell block
No. l, from which five prisoners
escaped on November "a, said he has
been looking for another job since
Mr.. Gill called him "a hell of a
housekeeper" in front of co-workers.
When Mr.. Wilson tried to show the
criticism was justified, Mr.. Bastian
observed that the only question be-
fore the board was whether Mr.. Gill
used abusive language" and ad-
dressed the guards in a manner that
would make future cooperation with
the staff impossible.
j "Frameup" Charged.
Conflicting testimony brought a
shout of "frameup!" from Mr.. Will
son earlier during the hearing today.
The Board of Inquiry agreed to
strike the remark from the record,
but failed to satisfy Mr.. Gray.
1.-THE press is listening and you
can't control them" Mr.. Gray
shouted. "It Is perfectly obvious he
is sounding of for the newspapers. !"
The outburst occurred when F. D.
Scott, property clerk at the District
Jail, testified he examined five mat
tresses taken from the juvenile dor
mitory, but did not recall seeing any
burns on them. An earlier witness,
testifying on charge that Mr.. Gill
failed to discipline refractory young
sters, had said the juveniles burned
the mattresses.
"As Mr.. Wilson says, there GER
tainly is a conflict on whether the
mattresses were burned" Mr.. Bas-
tan remarked.
II think this Is the most impor-
tant testimony in this case" said
Mr. Wilson. Some one has lied"
His remarks were stricken.
Question Not Material.
Mr.. Bastian could not, however,
see the materially of lengthy
cross-examination Of Mr.. Scott on
his testimony about metal waste
baskets bought for the jail.
Mr.. Wilson said he intended to
show that the testimony of the
witness was not consistent and that
the dispute over the wastebaskets
provided justification for criticism
OF Claude o. Botkin, resident SUI
perintendent, by Mr.. Gill.
Guards have testified that Mr..
Gill walked into the Office of Mr..
Botkin following the escape Of five
prisoners from the District Jail on
November "a, 1945, and kicked two
fiber baskets there, commenting, II
told you to get rid of them"
Mr.. Wilson questioned Mr.. Scott in
an effort to show that Mr.. Gill had
ordered metal wastebaskets. Mr..
Scott said he was unable to obtain
them