The Detroit times., 1909-02-01
BOARD WILL Ac1
ON ARMSTRONG
SCANDAL
MEETING TO BE HEL oTHis A.
TeRNooN TO CONSIDER ~
MovAL OF WARDEN cHARoeo.
WITH ACCEPTING A sRlsE.

WITH ACCEPTING A BRIsE.
JACKSON. Mich, Feb. THE board ,
OF control OF Jackson prison meets
this afternoon 10 act on the case o.
Warden Allen ". Armstrong. who wn4s
arrested Saturday on q warrant sworn
out by Gen. Fred w. Green, OF Ionios ~
secretary OF the Adme Reed Furniture
Co. Warden Armstrong is charged
with having accepted a brfbe OF v100
from Gen. Green and with having
promised TO accept another bribe Is
90, 900 and 5000 a month while the
contract remained effective. The
Acme Reed Furniture Co. operates ~
contract plant In Jackson prison.
Warden Armstrong. who wac re-
leased on $4,000 bail. signed by Here
bert s. Reynolds ana A. ]. Peck, len
Jackson Sunday for Detroit TO have ~
Interview with Gov. Warner. Thomaos
j. Nayin, of Detroit. q member Of thu
prison board OF control. was on the
same train Mr.. Navin called mp 00Ys
Warner by telephone, informinf him
that Armstrong wanted to see him.
but II was stated the governor refused
tn see the warden personally. Arm
strong. however, talked with the gov.
ernor over the telephone, but the me-
ture OF the conversation was NOT
learned w
! Gov. Warner said he was shocked
greatly by the revelations. He refnsed
! TO say anything about his conyersation
over the telephone with Warden Arm
strong. Il cannot say just what my
powers are In regard to the removal
Of Armstrong" added the governor. ~
leave that for the encouragement 70
decide
Thep rinclpal stockholders OF the
Acme Reed Furniture Co. are M. M.
Reed. of.Ypsilanti: John Thwaites and
Fred w. Green. of Ionia. These men
operate a similar contract in the lonin
reformatory.
Walked Into q Trap.
The arrest OF Warden Armstrong
I was made after clever plan had been
devised to establish case against
him. Gen. Green had informed At
ltorney General Bird, in Lansing, that
fWaftien Armstrong had been pressing
him. for money In order that the con-.
cession Green asked might 60 through. \.
There are two charges against Arm
strong-,one that he accepted bribe
of 500 from Green at the Otsego ho-
tel. on Friday. Jan. 30. and the other
that he promised to accept bride OF
$4,000 I'm one sum, and $500 month
while the contract was effective. The
| consideration was that Armstrong was
Ito get the board of control OF Jackson
prison to permit the company to In
crease its capital and to permit the
substitution of fiber for reed In the
manufacture of chairs.
The cleverly-laid trap was set at tbs
hotel An entire suite of rooms was
secured by Green for the purpose. The
room selected for the conversation
was at the end OF hallway, ut the end
of one OF the wings. Armstrong met
Green there by appointment. Tha
warden, when he arrived In his car
riage. proceeded to the room, but be-
fore entering looked out of the hall
windows To see IL anyone was looking.
Entering the room, the warden went
over 10 the windows and looked out
again. He was In the room with
Green just 10 minutes.
Green Locks Door.
After Armstrong went into the room
Green locked the door. Two witnesses
were In the adjoining room and could
see the proceedings and hear most Ut
the conversation because the doors
had been left aiar for the purpose.
Armstrong got up and walked around
several times, being nervous, appar-
emily. Green told Armstrong that Mr..
Read tan officer Of Green's company
would not go into anything that would
injure the state. He told Armstrong
that the new work would be lighter
and you want IL 10 be successful.
when Green said the company had
lost money on the contract, Armstrong
said:
II you had come TO me two years
ago YOU would have made 10000, but
you always fought shy OF me. You
didn't understand what ] meant at
first Yesterday but you finally caught
on Green replied, II guess we under
stand each other
Armstrong said. You know I told
you yesterday | was not going TO
charge you $4,000 or half of II. Az
ter thinking II over last night l had
made up my mind to make one more
cut this morning. was feeling so
we'll said to myself. 1 will cut II
again In the middle
Writes Figures on Paper.
Then Green asked Armstrong to
write on piece OF paper what he
thought was right and Green would
do the same and exchange memoran-
dums with him. Both laughed and then
busted themselves writing. Green re-
marked that both had written the
same figure. let me understand
you said Green. you will give Us all
those little concessions that will make
our contract success Armstrong
replied. II will guarantee TO make
more for yop than | am setting"
Green remarked that he had little
money In his pocket The numbers oil
the bills had been taken. Then Arm
strong said. AN right" and got us
and left the room. walking down ths
hall lie did not look back. Two mer
were watching him. The memorandum
written by Armstrong wae torn up and
, thrown into the cuspidor. They piece