The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1909-01-22
JUDGE GORDON
WAS ARRESTED
FORMER COUNSEL OF GREAT
NORTHERN WILL HAVE TO
STAND TRIAL FOR ENfBEZZLE-
MENT OF COMPANY FUNDS.
Special to the World.

opCCldl W LuC VOi
TACOMA, Jan. 22.-Judge Gordon
was arrested here tonight on a war;
rant from the Spokane county su-
perior court, charged with embez-
Element He furnished $4,000
bond and was given his liberty. He
will leave tomorrow for Spokane to
arrange for his appearance in court.
II do not care to say anything con-
corning this case" said Judge Cor
don tonight THE case will be tried
in the courts, not in the newspapers.
That Judge Gordon was expecting
arrest is evidenced from the fact that
his bond for release was already pre-
pared, and as soon as the warrant
was served upon him he produced his
bond. No intimation was given
either the local police department or
the Pierce county authorities of the
impending arrest
In the recent investigation of
Judge Milo A. Root, who resigned
from the supreme bench of the state
of Washington after disclosures con-
Meeting him with indiscreet actions
in company with Judge Gordon, the
State Bar Association called upon
to make on investigation reported:
"Independent investigation brought
to the knowledge of the committee
the case of Sparrow VS.. Great North
ern Railway Company. The facts
were these: Sparrow, by Nuzum e
action in Spokane county against the
Great Northern for personal injuries
received in a railroad accident Cor
don, representing the company, on
May 2S, 1908. entered into written
stipulation with Nuzum & Nuzum.
The stipulation provided that unless
the company paid Sparrow or his at
torneys, on. or before July 80, 1908,
$4,000. Sparrow's attorneys, by fill
ing the stipulation, might have judg-
ment for that amount against the
company. ContempOraneously with
the signing of this stipulation, Spar
rows attorneys signed on behalf of
Sparrow a receipt for said sum,
acknowledging it to be in full salts
faction of all demands, and delivered
the same to Gordon. Gordon drew
draft for $4,000 upon the treas
urer of the Great Northern Railway
Company in favor of Sparrow. Spar
rows attorneys Endorsed the draft in
the name of their client, and at the
same time delivered it to Gordon.
On May 20 Gordon took the draft
so Endorsed to the Old National bank
in Spokane and it was cashed by that
bank and charged to the account of
the railway company. The draft was
on the same day transmitted by the
bank by mail to the treasurer of the
company at st. Paul. with advice of
it's payment The money not being
paid 20 Sparrow or his attorneys
within the time limited in the stipu-
lation, said attorneys filed the stipu-
lation and on August 8 took judy
ment for the amount named. On
August 81, after Gordons connection
with the company had ceased, the
company paid the $4,000 to Spar
rows attorneys in satisfaction of the
judgment, so that the company paid
the $4,000 twice, once to Gordon and
once to Sparrow.
Upon the transaction being called
to Gordon's attention he informed
the committee that it did not indicate
any misuse of the fund by him. for
the reason, as he claimed, that it had
long been customary in his handling
of company funds to draw money for
one purpose and use it for another.
The committee has been able to OBJ
tain no information as to the use
which was made of this particular
money"