Evening star., 1946-02-06
Civil Service Renews
Challenge on 6 Of Is
Charges Against Gill
Star Staff Photo.

The Civil Service Commission to-
day reiterated to the Commissioners
its assertion that 6 of 16 in
competency and inefficiency charges
against Howard B. Gill, suspended
general superintendent of District
penal institutions, are insufficiently
detailed to permit adequate defense
In a detailed letter to Commits
sioner John Russell Young, respond
ing to his request for Qualification
of an earlier statement, Civil Ser
vice Commission President Harry B
Mitchell reviewed the six charges
and advised the city heads wherein
each failed to be specific.
Mr.. Mitchell said although civil
service rules do not guarantee a
trial or hearing, the intent of the
law was to afford an employe an
opportunity to make complete de-
feEse of himself in writing and to
submit afidavits of witnesses. sup
porting his defense.
Board Hearing Set Up.
To provide such opportunity, he
declared, the charges should be
stated with sufficient specification
to permit him either to disprove the
charges if false or to show reasons
in justification of his acts, if the
charges are true"
MIR. Gill was suspended by the
Board of Public Welfare December
6 and recommended for dismissal
following an investigation of the
escape of five prisoners from the
District jail, November "a. A three.
man, nonoficial board OF inquiry
has been appointed by the Commits.
sioners to hear his case in Response
to his request for full public hearing
before qualified personnel. The
board consists of Walter H. Bastiar
and Francis w. Hill, both former
presidents of the District Bar Asso.
Citation, and Alfred H. Lawson. vice
president of the Washington Loan
& Trust Co.
In general, the charges criticized
by the Civil Service Commission al
lege that MI. Gill, on various oc-
casions, arbitrarily and unjustly
reprimanded members of the Gus
todial force at the Jail for enforcing
either his own rules or those of the
Board of Public Welfare; that he
allowed inmates to interview him
personally without prior knowledge
OF the officer in immediate charge
OF the inmates; that he used abusive
and insulting language in reproving
the Jail custodial staff; that he is
sued verbal orders contradictory to
existing written orders, without re-
scinding the written rules, and that
ne authorized special privileges for
certain inmates.
Six Charges CHALLENGED,
In the case of the charges of
abusing the guards, the commission
said the allegations failed to saw
VINO were repremanded, to state the
facts for which they were repri-
manded, or to state the substance
OF the rules of the Welfare Board
being carried out when the reproof
was given.
Taking each of the six charges
the commission listed what it felt
was missing to make the allegation
complete.
In their letter to the commission
the Commissioners said fuller details
OF the charges would be brought out
py witnesses at the hearing and
that Mr.. Gill would be afforded op-
portunity to cross-examine such
witnesses. Mr.. Mitchell said such
procedure would serve to cure any
deficiencies in the charges, If =
transcript of the testimony and Mr.
Gills defense is made, SO that q
complete record of reasons for re.
moval can be filed as required by
Civil Service rule 10