Evening star., 1946-04-10
Jail Probe
Continued From First Page. }

Adams actually was involved. Nev-
erthelesS, Mr.. Botkin told the COM
mittee that Adams had been fired
before the investigation of Nc
Glynn was started
Mr.. Hebert referred to the testi-
mony Of Mr.. Gill yesterday that
there were parties, involving liquor
and women, at the jail to which Ger
tain privileged prisoners were in
vited." The chairman asked Mr..
Botkin if his investigation had dis
closed any such ''orgieS."
Statement Unsupported.
mo, sir" Mr.. Botkin answered.
But something was mentioned in
the statement of one prisoner about
two women who visited one of the
prisoners. This was a statement by
prisoner who had been associated
with Fuller but fell out with him.
We simply had the prisoners un-
supported statement about the
party. There was no other evidence
on that point"
Mr.. Botkin testified that the num-
ber OF guards at the District Jail
was inadequate to guard the struc-
ture securely. He pointed out that
there were 68 custodial officers or
guards at present and an additional
IA have been provided in the 1947
budget, although that would merely
take up the slack in the transition
from a 48-hour week to 40 hours.
Mr.. Botkin said it would take 126
guards to provide an adequate force
at the jail.
After Mr.. Botkin admitted he had
no knowledge that Joseph Medley
and Earl Mcfarland, condemned
murderer, who escaped last We'd
nesday, had been moved from the
regular cell blocks to the death cells,
until just after last Novembers jail
break, Mr.. Hebert demanded:
DO you mean to say that this in
dictates that you are master of your
Jail? Why, the way it looks to me
now is that there is an utter break
down of discipline there and an ut
ter disregard OF high authority"
Didn't Find Source of Order.
Mr.. Hebert asked the witness if he
made any attempt to find out who
gave the orders to have Medley,
Mcfarland and two other con-
demned prisoners transferred to the
death cells. Mr.. Botkin said he
had not, declaring he had assumed
the order had come from Mr.. Gill
or some other official.
Don't you think that it was your
duty to find out about that and keen
lnformed?" asked Mr.. Hebert. Mr
Botkin gave no direct answer to this
Representative Simpson, Repub-
llcan, of Illinois joined with Mr.
Hebert in questioning Mr.. Botkin
about a round robin petition signed
by the guards at the Jail which de-
manded Mr.. Gills dismissal.
Did you check into this?" asked
Mr.. Hebert.
Mr.. Botkin replied that he did not
Discipline Challenged.
do you call that good super
vision?" asked Mr.. Hebert. Does
that make for good Jail discipline?'
i have no control over the action
OF the guards after hours" Mr.. Bot
kin replied.
Suppose they went out and got
drunk and engaged in various orgies
after hours. Wouldn't you do some
thing about it them" Mr.. Hebert de-
manded.
Yes, anything that would tend to
bring discredit to the JAIL" Mr.. Bot
kin replied.
Questioning by Mr.. Simpson
brought out that the two doors lead
ing from the death cell to the serv-
ice corridor through which Medley
and Mcfarland escaped could be
opened by one key. Mr.. Botkin first
said he didn't see anything wrong
with that situation and added that
the key had been taken away from
the turnkey in charge since the two
murderers escaped.
Admits Practice Is Bad.
"1f there isn't anything wrong
about having one key fit in two
doors, why does the turnkey nc
longer have the key" asked Mr.
Hebert.
! Mr.. Botkin then said he didn't