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

Kelly declared this morning he
would take no action on Attorney
General John r. Dethmers' report
OF conditions In the State Prison
Of Southern Michigan until he
was convinced that the state cor
rsetIons commission was falling
to act In the matter.
Lansing. july 24-AP-Ripping
the lid from the worlds biggest
prison." Attorney General John r.
Dethmers charged today that the
State Prison OF Southern Michigan
was a "veritable cupid club for love
lorn inmates that ring Of big
shot" convicts had wide control in
side the prison and that the insti-
tuition was torn with dissension,
maladministration and corruption.
Dethmers gave to the newspap-
ers the first OF four reports he
plans TO make this week on the re-
suits Of an investigation of the
prison by his department, the state
police and the state corrections
department. t
More than fulfilling weeks of
hints of sensational disclosures
about Michigan's major peniten.
tiary. Dethmers said the evidence
showed "the existence of a ring
exercising serious and improper
control in the prison :"
He asserted that members Of
the ring or inmates favored by
members were able to secure fav-
orable assignments and details out
side prison walls.
He charged that women we're
imported into the prison or into
prison officials quarters for the
"solace" OF big-shot criminals.
5ookies There Too
He charged that "at least 10
bookies" operated in the prison,
that there was widespread gamb-
ling with as much as $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 pris-
on and that It was struggled in
from outside for the use Of both
convicts and prison officials.
In later reports, Dethners said,
he would cite the part played by
Individual cfficiels. The allese9:i
Ins61Nrlnidistf al III 1Hl x6dld MAKE
recommendations for corrections
commission action.
In a number Of Instances, the
Investigation turned up. Dethmers
said. angles linked with the Hoop
er murder conspiracy trial.
Ruling Clique
The list Of "big-shot" convicts
whom he named a. belonging to
the ruling clique included: Joseph
d. Medley. whose escape last No
vember eventually led TO the in
vestigation and who now Is under
sentence Of death In Washington,
d. c., for murder; Henry Luks,
who testified at the Hooper trial
last week that after he left prison
he was propositioned to kill Sen
ator Warren @. Hooper: Raymond
Fox. whose release from prison
by Judge w. Mckay Skillman OF
Detroit touched off a feud with the
state parole ooarc; ana Mike Sc
lik, one Of the men now on trial
In Battle Creek accused of plot
ting to murder Hooper.
In addition, he cited, without
Identifying them, Erwen Schaner,
John Wakefield, Harold Johnston,
Chester Jurczyszyn,. Hugo Biagini
and James Buchanan.
Run Of Prison
These and their fayorites, Deth-
mers said, had the run OF the
prison, were permitted to be en-
tertained at parties outside the
prison and To come back late at
night, left unattended and without
guards on the streets of the city
of Jackson, TO visit shows or such
places az they chose to go, allow
ed to go to other cities alone and
stay in the best hotels, to go to
county fairs. ball games in De-
troit, to travel to Detroit In prison
or officials cars, to buy liquor and
choice foods and return same to
the prison or to an officials home,
and to 60 to resort cottages of a
prison official for week ends"
Dethmers said his Investigation
showed a system whereby con-
victs could buy choice assignments
from employees or other inmates.
Prices ranged from So to $50, he
said.
ArIstoerats
He said cell blocks S, IL and Is
were "aristocrat cell blocks" and
that one inmate paid $50 for such
quarters to Fox. who then was the
assistant deputy's chief clerk. Med.
ley. also held that post, he said.
The attorney general said men,
bers Of certain criminal gangs had
favorable situations" arranged
for them Immediately on their ar.
rival in prison, that some prisoners
went direct from quarantine to