The Ekalaka eagle. [volume] (Ekalaka, Mont.) 1909-1920, 1911-09-15
BICKf0RO CASE IS UP AGAIN
ASK R~EHEARING OF EMBEZzLE,
MENT CHARGES.
Former North Dakota Treasurer
Confident Of Reversal of
Verdict.

Washburn. n. D., Aug. 31.-Thurs.
day was set for hearing of the new
trial motion or for the sentencing of
G. l.. Bickford, the former ~reaurer of
North Dakota convicted last June of
the ENLIGHTENMENT of $54.65,
In the June term it was brought out
that Bickford was the president of the
First State bank of Bowbells at the
time he took Office, Jan. 4, 1909. His
brother was cashier and his wife vice
president. these three being the only
stockholders. The bank was qualified
as a state depository for $1,000, hav.
ing given a bond for $4,000.
There were three items that made
up the e~mbezzlement charge. The
first was the Barnes county deal. In
March Bickford received $~25,215.26
from Barnes county to pay a balance
due the state from Barnes county for
school fund collected in that county
as per a draft drawn by the state au-
ditor and turned over to the state
treasurer for collection. Bickford sent
the entire sum to his Bowbclls bank
that month without making any record
Of it in the books of the office, and
without taking any certificates or re-
ceiDt from the bank. He did the same
with other collections from the Barnes
county treasurer, giving the BOwbells
bank the use of 500 900 of state money
while the bank only paid interest on
$4,000 which the books showed was
there.
The second was the insurance
money. In October, 1909, Bickford
took $4,000 cash which was on de-
post with the state treasurer as Sc
curity for the Waseca Hail Insurance
company. He turned this over to his
bank without making any record or
taking any receipt for it.
Carried as Cash for Year.
Certain deposits or checks made up
the third item. Twenty thousand two
hundred and thirty dollars of state
money. in addition to the $1,000 al
ready there, was deposited in the Bow
bells bank shortly after Bickford went
in office. A certificate of deposit for
the O lay in the cash drawer
and was carried as cash for I'VE ayear.
Meanwhile the state drew no interest
on this amount. Other sums of money
were put in other banks on certificates
Of deposit bearing interest. which were
carried as cash items and the interest
collected and retained by Bickford.
In the trial each of these three
items was shown tn no clearly 6afnod
and separate from the other. The
claim the defense will make tomorrow
is hat under the North Dakota law
it is not legal to try a man on three
separate criminal onenses at the same
time, alleging that. as a matter of fact,
he information does not allege three
different offeuses. While there is only
one general charge.
Another point on which the defense
will make a Tight is that on which the
verdict Of Eniity was returned. In
the process of the trial there was an
item admitted as evidence tending to
indicate motive in BiCkfOrd's part
relative to alleged crookcdness in the
administration of the affairs Of the
office. This particular item was one
for "A little more than $J4. and it is
the one ON which the jury returned a
verdict of guilty.
Defendant Is Confident.
The defendant is confident that the
supreme court will reverse the lower
court and order abandoned all proceed