Evening star., 1946-02-22
Welfare Board
Charges Gill
With Fdvorifisnl
Prison Head Disrupted
Morale Of Aides,
Prosecutor Says
Pictures on Pare Az
Pictures on Page A-2J
By julio Edwords

BY julio Edwords
The Board of Public Welfare
today opened its case for removal
of Howard B. Gill, suspended
superintendent of penal insti-
tutions, by CT arging that he
granted special privileges to
certain prisoners.
Chester H. Gray, assistant cor
poration counsel, told q three-man
board Of inquiry appointed by the
District Commissioners, that Mr..
Gill's alleged violation sof welfare
regulations disrupted the morale of
the custodial force of the District
Jail.
Mr.. Gray declared there is such
a lack of confidence in Mr.. Gill by
his cuStodial staff that it is the
feeling of the board that his useful
ness is at an end"
Controversy Over Press.
The hearings opened in the Police
Trial Room at the Municipal Cen
ter.
A brief controversy f1ared at the
end of Mr.. Gray's statement when
Chairman Edgar Morris of the
Board of Public Welfare refused
to allow the press to accompany
the official party on a tour of the
Jail. Chairman Walter M. Bastian
of the board of inquiry had said
yesterday reporters could join the
group. Mr.. Morris, however, said
Claude o. Botkin, acting super
intendent of penal institutions, had
requested that the inspection party
be limited to eight persons for
security reasons" The official
party numbered seven.
The decision brought immediate
protest from reporters and from
Defense Counsel John j. Wilson.
The question was raised whether
the issue had been decided after the
defense had announced its plan to
question the structural adequacy
of the Jail. during the inspection.
After brief argument the press
was included.
Gives List of Alleged Defects.
Mr.. Wilson gave reporters a list
of what the defense, contends are
40 structural defects which make
the jail unsafe Mr.. Gill previously
charged the Welfare Board with
failing to fight for improvements in
the penal institutions 1t supervises
and Mr.. Wilson contended that the
defects were partially responsible for
the escape Of five prisoners from
the jail November "a.
Defects Mr. Wilson expects to
point out to the board of inquiry
include temporary gates admitting
through mesh," open grills
IN the entrance, blocked corridors,
numerous side alleys, and the re-
moteness of recreation rooms, max
ing control difficult.
Mr. Gray told the board the Gus
todial force thought it was without
authority under Mr.. Gill.
The guards felt that they might
be. obeyed,' he said, "and that they
might be told to go to hell"
Four Main CHARGES.
He said there were four main
charges of incompetency and inefi-
cheney against Mr.. Gill. These in
clude characterization, failure to en-
force discipline for prisoners, unjust
reprimanding of the custodial staff
and issuance of conflicting rules.
Welfare officials, he said, have the
highest regard for Mr.. Gill, but be-
lieve that he is temperamentally not
adapted to the work he was called
upon to perform
Mr.. Gray did not elaborate on his
charge that Mr.. Gill showed favor
itism among inmates. The written
charges filed by the Board of Pub
lie Welfare accuse Mr.. Gill, however.
Of calling prisoners intb his office
without consulting his subordinates
and of failure to take proper dis
ciplinary action against prisoners
breaking the rules.
Mr.. Gill was suspended by the
Board of Public Welfare on Decem-
Der 6, after the break. The Commits
sioners appointed the Inquiry Board
to examine Is charges OF inefficiency
and incompetency made by welfare
officials. The board, its status un-
official, will report back to the Com
who have final author
ity to rule on dismissal
Defense to Display Evidence.
Mr. Wilson indicated that on the
tour of the jail he would point to
the absence of walls around three
fourths of the institution, the abb
sence of guard towers and an "un-
safe" wire fence, which Mr.. Gill has
contended made the escape of pris-
oners easy.
Reviewing the case, which has
stirred up a bitter controversy be-
tween opponents and defenders of
the District Welfare officials, Mr..
Gray said the suspension of Mr..
Gill resulted from an investigation
of the jail breaks made by the Penal
Institutions Committee of the We'll
fare Board. The committee did not
enter the case, he declared, until
1t had failed to receive a report
from board Of inquiry appointed
by Mr. Gin.
The Welfare Board told Mr.. Gill
to report to it on the causes for
the Jail break by November 30, Mr..
Gray said. That day the board re-
ceived report recommending struc-
tural improvements costing between
81 .000, 600 and 81, ,000, 900, but it made
no reference to the causes for the
escape, he contended.
Fail to Receive Reports.
The board again directed him to
report on the causes of the Jail
break by December 3 but failed to
receive the report, he added.
The penal institutions committee
then began its own inquiry and dis
covered Mr.. Gill allegedly failed to
support his own custodial force in
enforcing the regulations on prison
procedure issued by the board Of
public welfare, according to the
assistant corporation counsel.
The Civil Service Commission has
ruled that six of the charges are
nsllmciently supported. In his reply