THE DEATH WATCH

It is very apparent from the proceedings in the Governor's chamber yesterday that Governor Ely and Commissioner Dillon find little to comfort them in the present settup of the Gill inquiry. The body of the attack was originally to have centered in the report of Francis X. Hurley, state auditor. That report was, for some, a distinct disappointment. Intelligent public faith in it was destroyed by the press fanfare which accompanied the confidential investigation and which derived its information from "authoritative sources in the State House;" to a great many the whole business looked like a publicity stunt, designed to build up a promising young politician. And, as if this were not enough, the report itself was inept; when it was not incredibly violent it shied away from the point; as Gill's counsel insisted and demonstrated yesterday its information was derived from everyone except those who knew anything about the situation; it wheedled, and babbled.

Since Mr. Hurley has left town on a vacation, Mr. Dillon has been compelled to come forward, deleting the most ridiculous of Hurley's assertions, and adding some of his own to make a full roster. As the official who authorized the sorry investigation, Governor Ely must apparently put the best possible face on the matter and see it through. This is no pleasant task. His chair in the executive chamber is of the tall straight variety; the testimony of a sincere man defending his name against abuse is bound to be lengthy and tedious. His desire to expedite matters, to confine argument to the Dillon charges, and to exclude the general public merits sympathy. And if three hundred of those excluded sign a petition wanting to know why the hearing is not quite as advertised, he may rest unperturbed. His secretary solved this problem when he told the crowd, "Caesar does not have to answer why."

It appears that Mr. Ely and Mr. Dillon, uncomfortable and bored as they may be, have little to fear from the present farce. But one is inclined to worry about the status of Mr. Gill. He is a capable, honest, and intelligent public servant. In his report to Governor Ely on January 24, Mr. W. Cameron Forbes, an unbiased observer, stated that the Gill administration at Norfolk was "the one creditable page in the history of prison administration in Massachusetts." His answer to the allegations presented yesterday were as satisfactory as any reasonable man could desire, and the indications are that this will continue to be the story. And yet Mr. Gill's political goose is probably cooked, simply because it is very difficult to rehabilitate a reputation once it has been shattered by a hostile press and because the state will hesitate long before withdrawing. It's a cold deck.