Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1909-05-06

~ men muicleu ana maze public fOl
/ lows
ALLEN N. ARMSTRONG, ex-prisor
warden.
JOHN c. WENGER, acting warden
Jackson prison.
MILTON DAILY, agent for binder
twine machinery, lis Dearborn street
Chicago.
J. A. EMMINGER, president Hoov
er & Gamble Co, Irvine machinery
manufacturers. Miamisburg. Ohio.
CLYDE b. ELWOOD, agent for q
brick company, Jackson, two indict
ments.
CHARLES A. ELLIOTT, well dig
ger, Jackson.
! FRED SNYDER, swill dealer. Jack
son.
GEO. J. MAlNO, boilermaker, Jack
son.
M. J. NORRIS. grocer. Jackson.
CARL G. TRUMBLE, druggist
j. j. DOWSETT, J. II. MAHONEY
LUTHER III. NEWLY, LUTHER A.
NOWLIN. J. F.. MURRAY. SEBAS
TIAN j. WRIT, WILLIAM WRIT
and w. j. BELL, all members of the
so-called plumbers trust of Jackson
ONE OTHER MAN, formerly OF
Jackson, indicted for a Jackson city
matter. name known, but withheld
till warrant can be served.
Some of the comments in the jury's
report are here given: Most OF the
time OF the jury was spent in investi-
eating the affairs of the Michigan
state prison. This institution is un-
der the control of a board OF three,
appointed by the governor. The mem
bers of the board receive no compen-
sation for their service. II meets
once month and spends few hours
hearing reports, allowing bills and
transacting other business. Our in.
vestigatiOn disclosed the fact that the
members OF this board performed
many of their duties in a perfunctory
manner, and for this reason their
judgment to the state was of little
value i'm purchasing materials, allow
ing bills, or even in the enforcement
OF their own rules. Bills have been
presented before this board and have
been allowed and paid without any
one in connection with the institution
having actual knowledge of the cor.
rectncss of the claim. Responsibility
was divided and shifted from one to
another OF the employees, showing a
lack OF system in receiving and ac-
counting for material and supplies
which would not be the case If proper
methods were adopted and enforced
throughout. Lumber was purchased
and the bills paid, and afterwards the
hA
600 feet short, showing that the meth
cd for accounting for lumber distri-
button was wrong. or that the lumber
was never received.
Purchases by the warden of all sorts
Of supplies have been made and con-
tracts awarded for them without adj
vertising for bids.
Our investigation disclosed con-
spicuous lack of proper system in
nearly all the departments OF the pris-
On, and in the methods of the various
boards connected with it, There ap-
peared to be a general lack of knowl-
edge OF the law and rules under which
members of boards and officials are
supposed TO perform of1icial duties.
Pardon board members to whom i'm.
portant matters were referred in
volving the liberty OF inmates of the
prison have delayed filing their report
or opinions, apparently consulting
their own convenience, instead of
promptly and energetically perform.
ing their duty.
We found one instance of a mem
Der of the prison board using his
official connection for the purpose of
assisting himself during the late finan-
cial depression. Currency was scarce
and hard TO get in the small town
where the official conducts a bank.
Unable to secure currency himself on
drafts made upon Detroit banks. he
did not hesitate to invoke the aid of
the warden to get his drafts convert
ed into currency. and he rather naive
Nv admitted that II did not make any
difference to him. even If state funds
were used. so long as he got the cur
rency. State funds were used, and
while no loss - the state occurred i'm
his instance. we call attention to ID
20 show how easy IL is for some men
n Official positions. even with honest
intentions, to mix the public business
with their own.
At the beginning CT our inquiry into
state matters. we were delayed by the
almost universal disposition on the
part Of witnesses to deny knowledge
NJ anything wrong with the purchas-
ing OF the binder twine plant. Every
one connected with that matter insist
ed that IL was new machinery and
some of those who participated in it's
purchase seemed very hard to con-
vince upon this point.