Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1946-04-09

policeman on duty In
the death house had allowed a police
sergeant, who was not on duty, to
hand an unlnspected package TO
Joseph Medley, convicted SLAYER, who
last week escaped with Earl McFar-
land. another condemned murderer.
Medley was recaptured.
When he upbralded the policeman,
Mr.. Gill said, the officer replied that
the sergeant was his superior officer.
Mr., Gill said he then relieved the
policeman from duty and notified
the late Col, Edward J. Kelly. then
superintendent of police
While the package turned out 10
contain no contraband Mr.. Gill said
he thought the practice was ex-
tremely dangerous and he gave the
captain of the guard. a man of 19
years experience, 3 dressing down,
Jail instructions we're violated
when the sergeant who was off duty
was allowed in the death cell with
Medley, Mr., Gill said, adding If
instructions had been followed on
April 2, those Young policemen
wouldn't have been playing cards
with Medley and Mcfarland,
Tells of Shakedown.
On December 3. a few days be-
fore he was suspended, Mr. Gill re-
lated, he called in the Metropolitan
police to make thorough shake
down of the jail, They found very
little contraband, he said One dis
covery was some pieces of q hack
saw blade which prisoner had
placed IN his hat band, Mr.. Gill ex-
planned this prisoner had been
transferred from Lorton, a prison
without cells, where he had been al
lowed to use the saw in his hobby
work"
Apparently, Mr.. Gill explained
the prisoner had carried the saw
away with him, and then, instead of
turning 1t in, had broken up the
blade.
Was saving bars his hobby?'
asked Representative Simpson,
There was laughter.
Asked by Mr.. Hebert If he knew
there we're no bars on the ventilator
outside the death house which Med
ley and Mcfarland used to escape
Mr.. Gill said he did not. While he
was in direct supervision over the
jail, he added, there we're no pris-
oners in the death house.
The House subcommittee proceed
ed swiftly during the opening day
OF the probe yesterday. hearing the
corporation counsel, the three Com
missioners, three members of the
Welfare Board and, as a final wit
ness, Mr.. Huff.
The welfare director accepted re-
sponsibility for the lack of bars over
the ventilator outside the deathhouse
through which Medley and McFar-
land escaped last week. He was
ne explained, penal superintendent
when the jail was remodeled in 1941
Takes Blame on Bars.
Il should have seen that bars were
placed across the ventilator," he
said But we planned to keep
condemned persons in the cellblock. "
Mr.. Huff said he preferred keeping
condemned prisoners in the cell
blocks because sometimes they
stayed there as long as two or three
years and the cellblocks do not
have the depressing effect of long
isolation in a 6eath cell"
Mr. Huff said he recommended
Mr.. ellis dismissal previous to the
action now pending against him.
Mr.. Huff said his reason was entirely
administrative, because of Mr.. ellis
refusal to Justify" his Jail budget
after being ordered to do so.
Asked if he agreed with Edgar
Morris. welfare board chairman
that the Federal Bureau of Prisons
should take over the administration
of District penal institutions, Mr..
Huff said he was not prepared to
indorse this transfer or to oppose it.
IF the Federal Bureau of Prisons
did operate the District prisons" he
said, they'd be well operated.
He added. But q lot Of neonIe