The daily monitor leader. [volume] (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1942-19??, 1945-07-24
Shocking Graft
Apparent in
Penifentiary
Attorney-Generol
DiseIoses Results
Of Investigation

Diseloses Results
Of Investigation
BY JACK I. GREEN
LANSING, July "a -
(AP) - Ripping the lid
from the worlds biggest
prison." Attorney Gensrol
John R. Dethmsrs charged
todoy that the State Prison Of
Southern Michigan was .
"veritsbIe cupid club for love-
lovn inmotes" thot q ring Of
"bis-shot" eonviets had wide
control inside the prison ond
thot The institution was torn
with dissension. maladministra.
ton and corruption.
Dethmers gave to the news
papers the first of four reports
he plans to make this week on
the results Of an investigation
of the prison by his department,
the state police and the State
Corrections Department.
More than fulfilling weeks Of
hints of sensational disclosures
about Michigan's major peniten-
tiary. Dethmers said the EVIL
dence showed "the existence Of
a ring exercising serious and
improper control in the pris-
on X X"
He asserted that members Of
the ring of inmates favored by
members were able to secure
favorable assignments and de-
tails outside prison walls.
ENTERTAIN WOMEN
He charged that women were
imported into the prison or in
to prison officials quarters for
the "solace" of big-shot GRIM
inals.
He charged that Eat least 10
bookies' operated in the prison.
that there was widespread
gambling with as much as ST.
500 in crap game stakes and
that inmates were allowed to
keep large sums of money inside
the walls.
Dethmers declared that liquor
was manufactured within the
prison and that it was smug-
gled in from outside for the
use of both convicts and prison
officials.
In later reports, Dethmers
said, he would cite the part
played by individual officials in
the alleged maladministration
and would make recommends
tons for Corrections Commits.
sion action.
In number Of instances, the
investigation turned up, Deth-
mers said, angles linked with
the Hooper murder conspiracy
trial.
RULING RING
The list Of "big-shot" con.
victs whom he named as be.
longing to the ruling clique in
cluded: Joseph D. Medley, whose
escape last November eventual
ly led to the investigation and
who now is under sentence Of
death in Washington, D. c.. for
murder; Henry Luks, who testi-
fled at the Hooper trial last
week that after he left prison
he was propositioned to kill
Senator Warren G.. Hooper:
Raymond Fox, whose release
from prison by Judge w. Mckay
Skillman of Detroit touched OF
feud with the State Patrol
Board; and Mike Selik. one Of
the men now on trial in Battle
Creek accused Of plotting To
murder Hooper.
In addition. he cited, without
identifying them, Erwen Schan-
er, John Wakefield, Harold
Johnston, Chester Jurczyszyn,
Hugo Biagini and James Buch-
anan.
These and their favoritoS,
Dethmers said. had the run q
the prison. were permitted - 10
entertained at parties outside tho
prison and to come back late q
night, left unattended and with
out guards on the streets q ~
city Of Jackson, 10 vislt dhowD
or such places - to- ehooo - q
70. allowed to 60 - ooGDg o111o 4!
alone and say II ~ ~ ~
Eels. 10 60 70 county lAir1 rs
games In Dotreit, - oBnyu
Detroit Ia peiooo - q
:ars, to buy Nquse 60 60 q