Evening star., 1946-03-31
Gill Says He Reported
Regularly TO Huff on
Jai|break Inquiry

Welfare Director Ray l.. Huff was
kept constantly informed of devel-
opments in the investigation of the
escape of five prisoners from the
District Jail November "a, Howard
B. Gill, suspended penal superin-
tendent, asserted yesterday in reply
to a charge he failed to submit
report on the jailbreak.
Besides reporting to members of
the Board of Public Welfare on No.
vember 26, November % and Deem
Der 4, Mr.. Gill said he regularly tele-
phoned Mr.. Huff as new develop
ments occurred.
Members of the Welfare Board
have testified before a board of in
qulry hearing charges against Mr.
Gill that they felt they were not
getting all the information about the
jailbreaks and ordered Mr. Gill to
submit a written report by Novem-
Der 30. Mr. Gill has testified he re-
ceived no such order and was not
allowed to make a verbal report No
vember 80.
Offers Notes on Interviews.
After tthe Welfare Boards insti-i
tutions committee requested details
on the escapes November %, Mr..
Gill said he spent six hours with
FB1 agents interviewing a guard
The questioning resulted in the
guards arrest that night on charges
OF carrying sawblades to prisoners,
he added
Fighting for reinstatement, the
suspended penal superintendent Of
fered a heavy sheaf of notes on in
terviews he had with guards and
Jail employees in an effort to place
responsibility for the jailbreak. Some
of the information contained in
them is known only to the police and
Is alive" in cases still under con-
sideration, he said
Mention of insecure features at
the jail, including Iron bars you
could cut with a butter knife"
brought up an old argument about |
public discussion of improvements
needed at the Jail.
Assistant Corporation Counsel !
Chester H. Gray charged that Mr.. |
Gill was discussing escape proceed
ures" and said steps to be taken to
prevent escapes should be presented
In executive session. The District |
commissioners have ordered public /
airing of all testimony unless it in
wolves public safety"
Later Executive Session Likely.
The inquiry board, which already
has held one executive session at
the request of Mr.. Gray, indicated
1t would hold another by ruling that
Mr.. Gray could withhold until an
executive session a report requested
by the defense on the care and
custody OF condemned prisoners.
Describing the safe CUSTODY of
prisoners as "the most important
issue before the public in this case"
Defense Attorney John j. Wilson has
contended that strife between the
welfare Board and Mr.. Gill deyel-
oped after Mr.. Huff refused to SUD-
port his requests for improvements,
captain of the Guard James 3,
Murphy and Lieutenant of the
Watch Jesse R. Knight, who testi-
he'd against Mr.. Gill, committed four
serious breaches of duty, he said.
When they failed to search a bag
gong to death-house prisoner
1alled to report the finding of con-
traoand in the cell, permitted an
unauthorized police officer inside the
cell and permitted him to take the
contraband from the Jail.
Wastebasket Story Told.
Mr.. Gill also got his chance to
tell his side of the story of the
Wastebaskets. Guards testified he
walked IN to the Office of Claude
0. Botkin, resident superintendent |,
december 4, jumped up and down
on wastebasket and cursed, Mr.
Glil explained that he had repeated
ly ordered fibre wastebaskets re-
moved since they could be used bv
prisoners as escape weapons.
L kicked the basket. intending
10 destroy it, Mr. Gill said. In
stead, l caught my foot in it. r.
stood there on one foot irving to
snake the other loose. 1t was a
ridiculous situation. I didn't curse
anybody. I might said Damn it,
I was annoyed"
Hope of completing the case this
week dimmed when the inquiry
board recessed the hearing until
$50 am. Wednesday before Mr.. Gill
mad completed his testimony. The
defense is expected to call four more
witnesses. No session will be held
Monday or Tuesday.