Evening star., 1946-03-07

BODY FOUND AT SOLDIERS
on while policeman uncover
missing since February S.
DC. Jail Aide Charges
Gill Program Reduced
Control Of Prisoners
A rehabilitation program intro
duced at the District Jail by Howard
B. Gill, suspended superintendent
of penal institutions, reduced Gus
todial control, a witness testified
today before a board of inquiry
hearing the case for removal of Mr..
Gill.
The witness, Thomas R. Sard,
chief clerk and deputy superintend-
ent of the Jail, said the program
entailed added duties for guards,
who complained that they already
were overworked. An activity room
established for prisoners in cell
block 3 made it necessary for one
guard to control two areas, he added.
When Mr.. Gill took over, he an
nounced he intended to carry out
the recommendations of the Rover
report for improvements at the Jail
and would make it his policy to
establish decent routine, normal
conditions and significant case
work" Mr.. Sard reported.
Prisoners Studied.
Mr.. Gill established a committee
including representatives of the
Council of Social Agencies and the
Bureau of Rehabilitation to study
five prisoners, diagnose and reasons
for their crimes and prescribe treat
ment, the witness said. Two guards
were requested to report on "signifi-
cant actions" by the prisoners, he
testified. The penal superintendent
also put guards on a committee to
discuss with prisoners their prob
lens, he said.
Mr.. Sard testified that Mr.. Gill
once, criticized him for making q
remark critical of the penal super
intendent during an interview with
a prisoner. The witness did not
know of any instance in which
Mr.. Gill violated prison procedure
by granting interviews to prisoners
without going through channels.
One Of the charges is that Mr.. Gill
encouraged prisoners to interview
him without the prior knowledge of
officers in immediate charge.
The Board of Public Welfare has
based IA out of 16 charges of in
efficiency and incompetency filed
against Mr.. Gill on the contention
ne violated regulations issued by the
Welfare Board to govern the penal
superintendent and inmates of the
Jail.
Defense Attorney John J. Wilson
told a board of inquiry hearing the
case yesterday that there is no evi-
dance the Board of Public Welfare
ever adopted such regulations. At
the request Of Assistant Corporation
counsel Chester H. Gray, the in
curry board admitted as evidence a
list OF the regulations on the ground
Mr.. Gill did operate under them.
Charges Illegal Proceedings.
I'm face of that ruling, I take the
position the board of inquiry is pro-
ceeding Illegally" Mr.. Wilson said,
Under rules for inmates, Mr.. Gill
is charged with violating regulations
governing mail, visits, privileges and
interviews. Under the rules for the
general superintendent, he is ac-
cused of failure to issue instructions
needed to preserve custody.
Declaring that Mr.. Gill preferred
to meet those charges directly. Mr..
Wilson said he accepted full respon-
slbility for the contention that the
charges are based on an illegal set
of rules.
Mr.. Wilson pointed out that the
of the Board of Public We'll
fare for September %, 1887, say the
Welfare Board voted to approve a
proposed revision of the rules but
that neither the revisions nor the
rules are part of the minutes. He
charged that memorandum of the
rules, clipped to the minutes, OBJ
viously was written recently by Ray
L. Huff, director of welfare, in view
OF the color of the paper and the
ink. Another copy, he said, contain
ed SO many pencilled delineations
that it was impossible to tell
whether those were rules adopted by
the Welfare Board.
May Call Huff.
IF Mr.. Gill is challenging the
regulations at this late date" said
Mr.. Gray. "he has given the Board
Of Welfare a false sense of security
by having accepted them when he
went in and having operated under
them"
Mr.. Wilson said he reserved the
right to call Mr.. Huff to the stand
to question him on whether the
regulations were validly promul-
gated. Mr.. Gray previously said he
did not intend to call Mr.. Huff to
the stand.
Mr.. Sard testified yesterday that
Mr.. Gill opposed resorting to
control cells in order to dis
cipline juveniles held at the jail
pending court action. Instead, he
said. Mr.. Gill interested the public
schools and the District Recreation
Department in providing a program
Of activity for them. Discipline i'm
proved for while but again became
unsatisfactory, he said.
One of the charges is that Mr.. Gill
neglected to impose discipline on
juveniles "after they had committed
bodily assault upon one another"
Mr.. Sard said that one juvenile gave
another ''hot foot" while he slept,
causing serious burn. Another
started a fire under a Juveniles bed,
he added.
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