Evening star., 1946-03-09
Gill Courteous 10 Staff
Till Confraband Was
Found Witness Says

Howard B. Gill, suspended SUPER
intendent Of penal institutions, al
ways was friendly and courteous to
his staff prior to the finding OF
contraband in District Jail and the
escape Of five prisoners, q witness
for the Board of Public Welfare
testified today in the case for re-
moval of Mr.. Gill
Pressed by Defense Attorney
John j. Wilson as to why Mr.. Gill
used abusive" language to mem
bers Of the staff on December 5,
Jesse r. Knight, superintendent of
the watch, said on that occasion
there was nasty looking pile of
metal" in Mr.. Gill's Office. Mr..
knight said it was "rumored" Mr..
Gill himself had found the metal in
an attic above the cellblock from
which the prisoners escaped on No
vember "a, after the staff had
failed to find it in search ordered
by Mr.. Gill. The witness insisted
Mr.. Gill did not say he had found it.
Mr.. Gill was suspended on Decem-
Der 6, and one of the principal
charges on which the Board of Pub
lie Welfare has based It's case for
his removal is that the language
he used December would make it
impossible for the staff to work with
him.
Had Not Signed Letter.
Although he had testified previ-
ously that it would be difficult for
him to work with Mr.. Gill, the wit
ness said he did not sign round
robin letter asking the Board of
Public Welfare to prevent the re-
turn OF the penal superintendent.
The Board of Inquiry hearing the
case sustained an objection to a
question on why the witness refused
to sign the letter.
In an argument between the de-
tense attorney and Assistant Cor
poration Counsel Chester H. GRAY,
representing the Welfare Board, Mr..
Wilson characterized as 80 much
eyeWash" a charge that Mr.. Gill
issued oral orders contradicting
standing written orders.
THE assistant corporation counsel
has offered nothing to show that it
was wrong for Mr.. Gill to issue oral
orders differing from the written
orders already issued by the Jail
superintendent" Mr.. Wilson charged.
Mr.. knight said Mr.. Gill told him
one hot night last summer to let the
entire kitchen detail out into the
yard, in spite of standing order
that inmates have to be on detail
for 80 days before they are eligible
for recreation.
Debate Over Orders.
will you state in your own Ian
guage what the jail orders were with
respect to recreation privileges in
the northeast yard?" Mr.. Wilson
asked the witness.
When Mr.. Gray objected to the
question, the witness was told to
leave the room while the defense
attorney explained his purpose in
asking the question.
Cant I develop that this witness
doesn't even know what the order
"oS' IVA w A2SOll dShCO.
The defense attorney was permit
ted to ask that question, but was
stopped when he asked for details
on just who was admitted into the
yard.
you are leading him into a
trap" said Walter M. Bastian.
chairman of the inquiry board.
And am I establishing a prece-
dent for cross examination" Mr
Wilson wanted to know. He drew
a laugh but did not win his point,
1t. Joseph H. Camden of the
guard staff at the Jail testified Mr..
Gill told him to take man out
of the basement control cells and
put him in the infrmary isolation
cell. One of the charges against
Mr.. Gill is that he abandoned the
control cells without substituting
any effective disciplinary measures.