The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1933-02-03
JOHN GAMMONS IS
Held UNDER BOND
IN CRIMINAL CASE
Is Accused of Diverting interest
on Soldiers Fund to His
Own Pocket
SUCCESSOR FILES CHARGE
Defense Attorney lntimates He
Expects Additional SINH
lar Counts

John GammonS. Bismarck, former
secretary of the state industrial and
securities commissions, was bound
over to Burleigh county district court
shortly after noon Friday on a charge
OF embezzlement growing out of his
connection with the industrial COM
mission.
Specifically charged with embez-
cling 5000 of industrial commission
funds, Gammons waived preliminary
examination before Edward S. Allen,
Bismarck police magistrate.
BY arrangement, Gammons met
Joseph l.. Kelley, Burleigh county
sheriff. in the magistrates office at
1907 p. m, and the warrant for his
arrest was served on him at that
time.
Accompanying Gammons as coun-
sci was Charles Simon, former assis-
tant attorney general. Responding
to a telephone call from Gammons,
Gordon Cox, of the O'Hare, Cox and
Cox legal firm and former state rep
resentative from Burleigh county, ap-
Feared in court few minutes later
TO assist as counsel for the defendant.
Defense counsel Immediately waived
preliminary examination and Magis-
trate Allen bound Gammons over to
district court.
Bond was set at $1,000 and Gam
mons was released when bail was
furnished by w. S. Graham, motor
vehicle registrar. and w. F. Harris.
Bismarck.
Bond Question Settled
A statement that he expected more
charges of the same nature might be
placed against Gammons In the ful
ture was made by Simon when the
amount Of the bonds to be furnished
came up.
George S. Register, Burleigh county
states attorney, when asked what
amount Of bonds he would recon-
mend; referred Magistrate Allen to
Attorney General A. J.. Gronna, Jr.. .
the states attorney saying that the
attorney general was In closer touch
with the situation since he SUPER
vised the investigation into the de-
PENDANTS accounts.
Gronna recommended that q cash
bond OF $1,000 or personal bond Of
$4,000 be asked by the court for Gam
mons freedom pending his appear
ance in district court.
Simon replied that the defendant
will not run away from this charge
nor any other charges that may de-
velop' and said he believed the bond
recommended too high for the speci-
fic charge. However, he said, II this
bond. by agreement of all parties, is
made to cover any future charges
which may develop in this connec-
ton, the defense will not object to it.
Such an agreement was reached
Immediately and Graham and Har-
rlS presented the bail.
Neither Attorney General Gronna
nor counsel for Gammons would
make any statements following the
Grief court session. although defense
counsel indicated a statement might
be issued after the charge had been
studied closely.
Mulloy Signed Complaint
The complainant in the case was
James Mulloy, New Rockford, who
succeeded Gammons as secretary of
the industrial commission and the
state securities commission, and the
warrant for arrest was issued by
Magistrate Allen.
States Attorney Register, Attorney
General Gronna and Mulloy went In
to conference on the case at 10
o'clock Friday forenoon in Registers
office.
Shortly before IL o'clock, Gronna
and Mulloy left, presumably crossing
the street to the magistrates office
to have the warrant issued. Return
ing to the courthouse about 1880
o'clock, Gronna and Mulloy again
went into conference with Register
and the warrant was turned over to
Sheriff Kelley.
Gammons, Simon, Gronna, Mulloy,
Kelley, Graham and Harris all sat
through the court proceedings with
their overcoatS on, the magistrates
office In the basement Of the city
hall being cool. Magistrate Allen
smoked cigar throughout and Cox
soon lit up a cigarette.
Waiting for Cox to put in his ap-
pearance, Simon and Gronna chat
ted about the attorney generals Of
flee. I'm getting along much quick
er than I had expected" Gronna re-
piled to Simon's opening query, "al-
though all OF us are burning plenty
Of midnight OIL"
you'll find plenty of work in the
office and will have an opportunity
to burn midnight oil often" Simon
said.
An investigation of Gammons' ac-
counts got under way shortly after
he was succeeded by Mulloy.
Mulloy, on taking office. brought
to the attention Of the industrial
commission some Of the Gammons
transactions, and the commission re-
commended they be probed.
Interest Check Involves
The charge against Gammons In
wolves . $500 check issued BY the
Bank Of North Dakota In 1891 to nay
interest on . certificate OF deposit Of
$4,000 In the World War soldier his
tory fund, for which the industrial
commission was custodian.
The $4,000 deposit in the hank r.
suited from profits In making pay
ments Of soldier bonuses on . dis
counted basis. The legislature author-
lied its use for compiling Z history 81
North Dakota soldiers Who served n
.ths Word WaE -