University Finds No Evidence Of Racial Slur to Holcombe

The University has informed Sherman Holcombe, shop steward of the Radcliffe dining halls, that it has found no evidence that the manager of the dining halls used a racial slur during a discussion with Holcombe last October.

William A. Lee, personnel administrator for Buildings and Grounds, who conducted a four-month investigation into the complaint by Holcombe, said in a letter to Daniel Steiner '54, general counsel to the University, dated last Wednesday that "based on all the evidence I have been able to obtain, I cannot conclude that a racial epithet was used as charged by Mr. Holcombe."

Holcombe alleged that after a closed-door discussion with Frances Sweeney, the dining halls' manager, on October 19, Sweeney referred to him as "a damn nigger."

He filed a grievance with the dining halls' management later that day and called for Sweeney's dismissal. Edward W. Powers, director of employee relations, later referred the grievance to Lee for investigation.

Holcombe yesterday called the outcome of the Lee investigation "outrageous" and said he will continue to push for further investigation of the grievance "up to and including final and binding arbitration."

Sweeney reinstated Holcombe last week after an eight-day suspension which followed an argument between Holcombe and Richard J. Montville, assistant manager of the dining halls

Alleged Slur

The letter which Steiner made public yesterday states that because there were no witnesses to the alleged slur by Sweeney "It is difficult to be certain what happened."

Sweeney emphatically denied that she ever called Holcombe "a damn nigger."

Holcombe, however, said, "She called me a nigger, and I'll say it until the day I die."

The letter cites disparities in the representation of the incident to Lee during Lee's investigation by Holcombe and Charles Norwood, one of Holcombe's co-workers.

According to the letter, Holcombe told Lee that he had informed Norwood of the "exact racial slur" immediately after Sweeney used it.

Norwood, the letter continues, told Lee in November that Holcombe had merely informed him that Sweeney just "insulted me" and had not actually named the slur. Finally, according to the letter, Holcombe told Alan Balsam, chief shop steward of Local 26 of the Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Employees' Union, of the incident the day after it happened. Balsam, in turn, apparently informed union leaders of the incident the same day, but failed to mention any 'racial slur' until two days later.

'Charley'

Norwood could not be reached for comment yesterday. But last Sunday he said that when Holcombe emerged from his meeting with Sweeney, "He looked really shook up, and he said 'she called me a damn nigger, Charley.'"

Holcombe said yesterday that he and Norwood "both told the same story to Lee."

Lee could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Holcombe said he will request a leave of absence from Harvard until the investigations of his pending cases are completed.