The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-09-11
GUARDS REAPED
RICHES SELLING
TO PRISONERS
Cigaret Papers, Liquor and
Street Walker Sold,
Is Charge.
Continued From Page Onel

Is Charge.
Continued From Page Onel
Times that he had nearly 500 in
his possession while in prison which
was given him BY friends although
Il was expressly a violation Of
prison rules.
Dice games on top Of cell-blocks.
and in secluded corners Of the in
stitution in which guards partici-
pated we're not uncommon. The
Times vas told.
Huge still Found
Stories that a guard brought a
street walker in the prison. selling
her services TO inmates. we're re-
lated.
Discovery Of a hfteen-tWenty-g gall
lon still in an abandoned elevator
shaft in the prison Aug. ! caused
ironic laughter throughout Indiana.
But Times InformantS point out that
this is trihing compared 20 other
derelictiOns Of duty on the part Of
incompetent and unscrupulous
guards.
These are but a few OF the ex-
smples Of inefficiency related TO
this writer during his investigation
Of conditions in Indiana penal in
situations that could be erased
st--~..-t. -~,-s Iced rorfroT of7d tho
selection Of officials and guards on
a basis of their competency. ex-
perience and training rather than
upon qualifications Of political faith.
One Times informant, a former
trusty OF the institution. declared
he frequently made trips into the
business section Of Michigan City
where he ate meals and kept
dates"
Easy To Smuggle
He said 1t was his custom to
bring back underwear. socks and
other articles to the prisoners.
Many a time" he stated. Il
walked in with four or five suits of
underclOthes on me and some of the
guards would do the same and then
sell the articles to the prisoners.
Why, 1 could have brought
machine-gun into that prison with
out much trouble" the former con-
wet declared. It's easy when you
know the ropoe. The guard - the
gate only frisked' searched TRUSTEES
with a couple Of quick touches on
the sides.
I could have stuck = machine
gun down my back inside my coat
and I'm sure no one ever would
have discovered it. That's tNe way
the old guards sometimes brought
liquor into the prison. Tied the
neck of the bottle around their
shoulders and carried it in"
Perfects Rouge Checks
Former inmates and convicts es-
timated that there were several
hundred perverts among the pris-
oners. They told Of group who
ALWAYS we're at ball games in the
prison yards with rouged cheeks
and smelling of cheap perfume.
Deputy Warden Schumhl admitted
the presence of degenerates IN the
prison. but declared that no large
institution was free from this type
of prisoner. He told of Selling a
quantity of powder, compacts, rouge
and perfume from such a group.
When We find them We attempt
to suppress them" declared the
deputy warden. YEARLY shaking his
head.
A parole selling racket is alleged
to exist in the prison, but the re-
porter could find no evidence to
substantiate it. Wayne Coy, state
official. denies the existence of any
racket in paroles.
Coy Defends Board
The present parole board and the
clemency board in the state has
not taken a dime, I am convinced"
said Mr.. Coy.
L know of one case under the
old order where $4,000 was paid 70
obtain parole for prisoner in the
state prison. but those days are past.
I have been approached only once
since I have been associated with
state prison work. and that was
several months ago when a petty
chiseler attempted to offer me $50
TO aid in obtaining a parole. Need
less TO say I laughed at him."
Civil service Is the only answer
70 real reform in the prison."
former convict who has made good
since his release several years ago
told The Times. Until the per-
sonnet Of the prison guards is put
on a merit system. where honesty
and experience and intelligence de-
termine whether a guard keeps his
Job. incompetency and worse among
guards will exist.
Right now" he said, about so
per cent Of the guards are Of the
old order and the rest recent po-
litical appointees who are green and
therefore incompetent"
This concludes Basil Gallagher'S
series of articles on conditions in
side the walls of Michigan City
prison.
BLIND SCHOOL EMPL0YE