Evening star., 1948-01-27
uff'sLeavePa
Is Held Up for
Probe Of Relief
Auditor Reports
Illegal overpoyments
TotoIine $200, 900

District Auditor A. r. Pilkerton
has frozen $4,000 in leave pay that
had accrued to the account of tile
late Ray L. HUFF, District welfare
director, because Of 5000, 900 in i'm.
proper relief payments which MIR.
Pilkerton said were made before and
during Mr.. Huff's administration.
John Hughes, special assistant 10
the auditor. Is making an investi-
cation Of 400 relief cases involved,
Mr.. Pilkerton said today, to deter
mine to what extent they were made
with Mr.. Huff's approval.
During Mr.. Huff's administra-
tion," Mr.. Pilkerton said, these
illegal overpayments were made.
They are not necessarily attribu-
table to Mr. HUFF, but the law makes
him responsible.
Revealed Last Year.
The overpayments were first re-
vealed last June at hearings on the
Districts 1948 appropriation bill,
when Frank Gray, business manager
of the Welfare Board, told the House
subcommittee handling the appro-
priations measure that 7l3 overpay-
ment in all categories since 194i
totaled $141, ,683.
When told of the action, Raymond
r. Clapp, acting welfare director,
said:
Mr.. Huff did not participate In
the decisions on these cases. They
were made up by the supervisor and
case workers In the normal routine.
The cases are of long standing and
the facts available at the time indi.
Gated the grants were justified How.
ever. later facts indicated they
were not"
Some Maryland Residents.
The payments include some made
to residents of Maryland, cases OF
persons receiving both relief and
unemployment compensation and
cases in which the applicants made
fraudulent statements to welfare
Investigators.
The $500 that had accrued TO
Mr.. Huff's credit when he died on
December 81 represents 90 days
leave he had not used, plus a weeks
salary Mr.. Pilkerton emphasized
that the money due Mr.. Huffs es-
tate is being held up temporarily"
until I'VE get this matter straight
ened out"
Mr.. Pilkerton said the Comr1is-
sioners had not requested him 10
take the action.
The payments were certified TO
me as proper by Mr.. HUFF" the au-
ditor said. He pointed out that
Mr.. Huff did not personally in
vestigate all applications for relief.
He said Mr.. Huff naturally had
to rely on the reports Of the
welfare Investigators and that some
times fraudulent statements were
accepted by these investigators In
good faith.
ID. c. Heads to Get Report.
Il will report my findings to the
Commissioners" Mr.. Pilkerton de-
clared, las soon as Mr. Hughes
completes his study of the 400 cases
involved"
One case, he said, involved FAM
lily living on Eastern avenue NE.
where that street parallels the
Maryland State line. Only $3.50
was paid to the family involved.
Mr. Pilkerton said. when 1t devel-
|oped they actually were residents
of Maryland.
But that is illustrative he
added.
Mr. Huff, who was appointed di-
rector of the District Department Of
Public Welfare in 1943 at the height
Of his stormy career in public Of
flee, fought with Mr. Pilkerton-
and even members of his own STAN
to establish central business
Office to handle finances for all well
fare institutions.
A nucleus of such a central Of
flee finally was established, 1t was
recalled, but even that was turned
down by a House Appropriation
Subcommittee in the 1948 budget.
Last April, Mr.. Pilkerton said, he
was ordered by the Commissioners
to make report Of the welfare
benefit overpayment situation. At
the same time, he said, draft was
prepared of legislation designed 10
relieve "all of us" Of the burden Of
financial responsibility for overpay-
ments.
Corporation Counsel West said
today he had not had q chance to
draft the legislation. He explained
it would be written to absolve Dis
trict employees from responsibility In
such cases except in instances Of
bad faith or outright dishonesty.
II IFL