The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-09-13
A STATE PRISON STORY
CHARGE THAT URIAH GILBERT
OWNED STOCK IN A COMPANY.
The Latter Employed Convict Labor
stock Transferred to His Wife
Two Resignations.

The report was current yesterday that
ex-State Senator Uriah gilbert, a member
of the board Of control of the State Prison
al Michigan City, owns five shares Of stock
worth s., 900 in the J. s. Ford-Johnson Com
pany. which makes chairs by convict labor
in the prison. Under law of 1897, relating
to the appointment of the board of control
of the prison by the Governor, it is unlaw-
full for a member of the board to be inter
ested. either directly or Indirectly in any
branch of business carried on in the prison
or to be related to or have business rela-
lions with a contractor engaged in business
in the prison.
The report also gained currency that
David A. Coulter. of Frankfort, another
member of the prison board, signed the
bond given by the Allen Manufacturing
Company several years ago when 1t got into
financial straits and transferred to j. S. &,
j. G. Mott. coopers. the Ford-Johnson Chair
Company and the Lakeside Knitting Com
pany its ten-year contract for convict
labor.
Mr.. gilbert was called up last night by
telephone at his home in Michigan City,
and asked as 20 the truth or falsity of the
report that he is a stakeholder in the Ford
Johnston Chair Company
Il am not" he said.
pany?'
Il did own five shares in it. but have had
no interest in 1t since last April
Have you said TO any one that you
transferred those shares to your wife?"
Il might have said such thing"
Is II a fact that those shares have not
actually been transferred vet or that the
transfer has not been recorded"
The transfer is made the back of
each ceruhcate and 1t is there stated that
the purchaser may have such transfer
recorded on the books of the company
when he so desires. So that / can say that
| do not have any interest whatever in
the company. knew / could not hold the
stock and be member of the prison board,
so | got rid of the stock"
Warden Shideler also asked about
the matter by telephone, but declined to
discuss ii.
1t is understood that the way Senator
Culbert acquired his stock in the Johnson
Ford Company was by being a stakeholder
In the Hitchcock Chain Company, which,
with Ford & Johnson, the Western Cane
seating Company and the j. s. Ford Com
pany, of Chicago, was consolidated into the
j. 5. FOrd-Johnson Company.
a son of Mr.. Culbert is employed as a
machinist by the Ford-Johnson Company.
When Governor Durbin was asked about
the Culbert matter he said: IF Mr. Culbert
owns stock in that company il is all news
TO me- L never heard of it before"
Were you and the attorney general dis
cussing that story this afternoon" the
Governor was asked.
I'VE were not" he replied
What do you intend to do about the mat
ter?''
II don't know. / can't say until II is
brought before me properly"
Who Is the proper person to bring it be-
fore your"
II don't know that. 1 have not looked al
the law. AS l have said, the thing is en-
tirely new to me-"
Attorney General Taylor also declared
that he had not heard of the gilbert story
before and declined TO discuss IL.
Concerning the report that Mr.. Coulter is
on the Allen company's bond. Mr.. Coulter
said that he had signed the bond originally,
but that he was relieved of liability on the
bond some time ago.
Mr.. Taylor said that, even If Mr.. Coulter $
name is on the bond, the contract would
not be invalidated. because IL was made by
a board OF control that was in existence