The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1945-07-24
Prison

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honor blocks and that private
conferences were permitted In pri.
son offices between "big-shot In.
mates and visiting gangsters and
hoodlums."
Thus, he said, Mike Selik and
other known Purple Gangsters were
permitted to come from outside and
visit In private CONFIDENCE inmates
also known TO belong TO mat gang.
Some of these men are now on
trial for a conspiracy to murder
which was entered into at about the
time OF that visit" (He referred to
the Hooper easel.
Permitted Privileges
Some inmates" Dethmers con.
tinued, were permitted the solace
of wives or sweethearts in screen.
ed hospital beds"
He explained that for a dollar
paid TO nurse an inmate could
be admitted to the hospital, by US.
ing blankets and a hot water bot.
tie could Increase his temperature
to the point where he could be list.
ed DIS having a fever, and then a
female visitor could be brought TO
him and a sheet would be hung
over the door for privacy.
Some inmates" Dethmers said,
were transported by prison EN-.
ployes TO houses OF prostitution in
the city OF Jackson. Inmates ties.
titled to being taken, and employees
had admitted taking inmates to
such places. Some stole prison
produce with which TO pay prosti.
tutes for their services. One testi.
fed that for two bushels OF pota.
toes, the best prostitute could be
obtained"
Dethmers said inmates were tax.
en- for week end party with WON.
en- to the resort cottage of a pri.
son official"
"One big-shot criminal inmate"
he said, was made house boy in a
prison officials home and this in
mates sweetheart was allowed 10
stay at said officials home at that
same time"
Had Runners
The bookies operating in the pri.
son had other inmates acting as
runners for them, drumming up
business inside the walls, Dethm-
ers said.
He declared that Medley admit.
ted having had as much as $1,000
in his possession at one time In pri,
son, that a raid OF cells netted ST..
500 once. An inmate transferred to
Narcotic Branch Prison had 1894
in his possession when searched at
Marquette. he said.
"Spud Juice"
Dethmers said intoxicating H.
quor called "spud juice" was man
ufactured ION a large scale" in the
prison Irvine mill and power plant.
He said one witness testified to
cleaning out bushels" of empty
whisky and rum bottles from the
sewers Of the trusty cell block.
Testimony also shows" he said,
use OF prison cars and the cars of
prison officials by inmates for the
purpose of picking up whisky at
O'Larry's bar in Detroit and re-
turning to the said officials home
where it was consumed by inmates
and others"
OLarry's bar has figured in testi.
mony Of the Hooper trial as the
place where the original plot to slay
Hooper was laid.
Dethmers said there was much
perversion" among inmates and in
sufficien segregation and control.
He said former prison psychia-
trist, Dr. Woodward, resigned az
ter attempting fully to improve con-
ditions and that the prison officials
gave hin no help.
He said more than $500 prison
chickens were stolen or given
away, that hold-ups and hi-jacking
TOOK place within the prison, that
inmates lived in fear OF others, that
the prison store had been robbed
more than once.
Convicts operated pawnships and
loan businesses within the prison
and charged exorbitant interest
rates, the attorney general said.
Had Monopolies
Dethmers criticized granting mono.
poles for concessions and the
manufacture of certain items to Ger.
tain inmates, asserting the aggre-
gate OF such business was more
than 100000 a year. He said re.
Gently the permissible profit allow.
ed an inmate has been reduced to
$1,000 year.
Dethmers declared that inmates
sold their monopolies to other in.
mates when they left prison and
that prison officials helped by max.
ing mortgage arrangements.
Testimony shows" the attorney
general said, many instances OF
prison officials entertaining in
mates in their homes for dinner,
weddings and noisy parties from
which inmates came back to the