The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1933-06-29
Supports Evidence
Ciuet1 by Husband
Mrs. Gammons Corroborates
Statement That She Work.
ed For State Board
PAID FROM INTEREST FUND
Testimony Is Thursdays High
Light in Trial Of Embez-
Element Charges

Testimony corroborating that of
her husband, who is facing trial in
Burleigh county district court on a
charge of embezzling $500 in state
funds, was given by Mrs. John Gam
mons Thursday forenoon.
Mrs. Gammons followed her hus-
band on the witness stand as the de-
tense presented its case. The de-
PENDANT had been on the stand 10
consecutive court hours, most of the
time under rigorous cross-examina-
ton by Assistant Attorney General
Milton K. Higgins.
Mrs. Gammons testified that she
worked for the state industrial COM
mission, of which her husband was
secretary, from July /, 1928, until
Oct. 81, 1929, establishing a new
bookkeeping set-up for the soldiers
bonus fund.
For this work, she said, she was
paid at the rate of SITS a month for
full-time and 500 a month for part
time. She accepted the post only
after a formal resolution authorizing
her employment had been adopted by
the industrial commission. She said
she saw this resolution in the indus
trial commissions minute book.
Pay Came From Interest
Her pay, she said, according to
agreement, was to come from inter-
est accruals on the $4,000 military
history fund which the industrial
commission had placed In the Bank
of North Dakota on certificate of de-
post at three per cent per annum.
She was not paid for her work un-
til after interest became due, she
said, when her husband paid her,
sometimes by check and other times
by currency.
For each OF these payments, she
said, she saw In the minute books Of
the industrial commission signed
resolutions authorizing her husband
to pay her from the interest accu-
mutations.
She told John F. Sullivan Of Man.
dan, one of the defense attorneys,
that she was certain she received
about all" the money she had COM
ing in salary because she had kept a
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her and received.
In June, 1928, she said, after she
was fired" for political reasons from
her post as deputy and bookkeeper
in the motor vehicle registration de-
partment, she had conversations with
her husband regarding the possibility
of employment to establish book
keeping set-up for the soldiers bonus
account.
that he had conferred with both
former Governor George F. Shafer,
then attorney general, and former
Commissioner of Agriculture and La
Dor Joseph A. Kitchen, both members
of the three man industrial commits
sion, and that both were favorable to
employing her for the Job.
She then insisted that formal
resolution authorizing her employ
ment be adopted by the commission
before starting work.
Pay Arrangement Satisfactory
The question of her pay was dis
cussed, she said, and the arrangement
that 1t would come from the interest
accruals was satisfactory to her.
Mrs. Gammons took the witness
stand at 1880 q. m. and at noon the
defense attorneys, Sullivan and Scott
Cameron Of Bismarck, had complete
ed their direct examination and turn
ed the witness over to the state for
cross-examination.
At this point Judge Jansonius re-
cessed the court until 2 p. m.
Mrs. Gammons testified that she
has lived In North Dakota for IS
years. She has lived in Bismarck for
Continued on page FOUR