The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1909-02-05
A PRISON CONTRACT
SCANDAL ARISES
WARDEN ARMSTRONG CHARGED
WITH TAKING A BRIDE IS
ARRESTED.
HE is OUT ON HEAVY BAIL
The Story As II Stands With No Ex'
PLANTATION From the Warden Is As
founding His Friends.

Allen N. Armstrong, warden OF the
Jackson prison, was arrested by Sheriff
Bean, of Jackson county, late Satur-
day night, on warrant sworn to by
Gen. Fred w. Green, OF Ionia, the al
legation in the warrant being that
Armstrong accepted from Green a
bride in connection with a prison
contract in which Green is interested.
The payment by Green to Armstrong
of this money was trap pre-arranged
! by Green in conjunction with Atty
Gen. John r. Bird, who had been for
several days cognizant of alleged at.
tempts on the part of the warden
to eXtort money from Green's com.
pany. In a corridor in a local hotel
on the outside of a pair of double
doors leading into a room in which
the money was paid were stationed
two witnesses, who claim TO have
distinctly heard discriminating sta:e-
ments from Armstrong. 1t was on re.
ceipt of all this information that the
encouragement caused to be issued
the warrant. On the person of Arm
strong when he was searched after
the arrest was found money identi
fed by Green as being that which he
had paid to the warden. This money.
| 500 in bills, the denominations Of
Is Of which were S. and one OF $40,
was shown Mr.. Gilmartin, of The De-
troit Free Press, and A. ID. McBierny,
who took the numbers of these bills
and a description of them.
Mr.. Green says: Our firm. the
Acme Reed Furniture Co, began it's
relations with Jackson prison about
three years ago, when Alonzo Vincent
was warden. We entered into a con.
tract for the manufacture of round ia.
bles, but it was a very Improbable
venture and just as Armstrong became
warden we changed the contract, en-
tering into the manufacturing of reed
furniture.
Under the new arrangement we
made some money the first year but
the panic coming on seriously affected
our business, and we realized that il
would be necessary for us to enlarge
our capital stock. We therefore took
in three new partners and enlarged
the capital stock for the purpose OF
manufacturing chairs of reed and pa
per fiber January 10 we came here
to notify the warden of the change,
but he was not in the city"
Mr.. Green met Armstrong at the
prison and talked over a change in
the contract as new men and more
capital had been added to the com
pany. On leaving Mr.. Green says: al
went out of the door of the prison and
the warden followed me. When we
were half way to the street he stopped
me and told me plainly that | could
never get any changes made in our
contract unless he favored them
which he said he did not intend to
do. He also stated that there would
be no early meeting of the board.
said / could not understand why he
should talk that way, and he said
Why don't you do business with me-?
He followed this with the stace.
ment: Now, you must understand
what / mean To which nodded.
"He said: I have been trying to
do business with you for two years
and you get away from me every
time without seeming to understand
what / mean. There is no injury to
the state in this proposition and
know i can be OF great service to
YOU II you had made a deal with me
| could have made you at least $40.
900, but you were too thick-headed. f"
This led to the forming of the trap
into which Armstrong walked. AS il
is stated the warden wanted $4,000 in
cash and 5000 per month during The
| life of the contract On this basis
the 500 which figures in the case
was handed over.
Governor Warner and Armstrong;
| friends generally are astounded at the
revelations as they stand and immedi-
ate action will be taken as to the re-
| tirement of the warden which will
probably be the first result of the scan.
| dal
The Jackson Citizen-Press says:
Warden A. n. Armstrong will not re-
sign. In answer 10 a question the
warden replied: Resign? Not In
thousand years. am going to defend
my position and fight for my honor.
Armstrong added he could not talk
to his friends as he would like al
this time, preferring that matters
should take their regular course
Armstrong; friends. discussing the sit
uation today, intimate that there may
be sensational developments before
the investigation is ended