The Bismarck tribune., 1934-04-26
St. PAUL OFFICIAL
IS SUSPENDED FOR
HELPING D|LL|NCER
City Health Officer Treated
Noted Desperate for
Wound on March Il
WAS HIT IN BANK RAID
Lieutenant, Also Injured, Was
Given Assistance at Same
Time, Police Hear
WAS HIT IN BANK RAID

st. Paul, April 26.-(R1S Suspension
Of st. Paul's city health officer
Thursday revealed that both John
Dillinger and his first lieutenant,
John Hamilton, were shot and wound
ed while raiding the First National
bank Of Mason City, Iowa. last
March Is.
The officer, Dr.. N. g. Mortensen,
was suspended by John Mcdonald,
commissioner OF public safety, after
federal agents disclosed that DR..
Mortensen had been forced to dress
wounds Dillinger and Hamilton suf-
fered in the Mason City robbery.
U. 8. District Attorney George +.
Sullivan said he would present the
matter to the federal grand jury Fri
day.
Both Dillinger and Hamilton have
been sought for various crimes but
this was the first time they had been
definitely connected with the Mason
City holdup which netted seven ma
chine gun bandits $52,344 and result
ed in the wounding Of q bystander
when the raiders sprayed the towns
main street with bullets in their get
away.
Visited at Home
DR.. Mortensen told authorities that
q day after the robbery, early on
March II, three men came to his
home. He said one carried q ma
chine gun and told him that they
wanted him to dress wounds two Of
the men had suffered.
Dr. Mortensen said that Dillinger
and Hamilton had been treated for
shoulder wounds. He said he changed
the bandageS and told the visitors to
meet him at his office the next day.
They did not do SO. DR.. Mortensen
told authorities he had planned to
notify them when the outlaws came
to his office.
Dillinger also was wounded here
March 81 when he and at least two
associates blasted their way out Of q
police and federal trap in Q fashion,
able st. Paul apartment.
DR.. Mortensen, who Is prominent
In American Legion circles and Is
president Of the state board Of health.
was named city health officer about
two months ago.
In statement at the time Of his
suspension, DR.. Mortensen said the
men, whom he later identified from
photographs as Dillinger and Hamil-
ton, were brought to his home by q
man he had treated at various times
at st. Paul address.
He said he examined the wounds,
In each case in the shoulder, which
he was told were the result Of q gun
fight In Minneapolis, and found they
were not dangerous. Putting back
the original dressings, without treat
ing the injuries, he asked his visitors
to come to his office the following
morning for treatment. One Of the
men felt faint, he said, but soon re.
covered, without aid.
Spled Machine Gun
II had no thought that these men
were criminals or belonged to any
gang or underworld group until they
were departing" the physician said
In his statement. Then I caught
sight Of machine gun under one Of
the mems coats"
It was not until Z week or 10 days
later, he added, that he had any idea
the men were wanted as escaped con-
victs. He received no fee for his
service.
II recognized the picture Of Dill
linger when I was called to the fed
eral building Friday, April 20," the
ekokAvsaAv4t ansanI,.A>l U~.A >1s~ go
ogniSed another man with him as
Hamilton. AL this information have
given to federal officials"
While first indications were that
Dillinger and Hamilton had been shot
during the Mason City robbery, It
later developed that they might have
been wounded ct Sioux Falls when
the sheriff's posses exchanged fire
with the raiders after they had fled
into the open country. The uncer.
tainty centered around Dr.. Morten-
sens apparent confusion Of dates. He
thought he might have treated the
eunmen before tho Mason City hold
up.
Army Still on Guard
A great circle Of men blocking high.
ways and stopping Ill suspicious ap-
pearing persons. still was swung Tor
hundreds Of miles around Mercer. Wis,
to prevent the escape Of tho gun.
man: yet even q the circle frightened.
there came reports that the desper-
ado had slipped through.
Federal men. burning under such
critic1Sm - seldom Il made Of gov-
ernment detectives. were masGing
somewhere IN the vicinity Of 81. Paul,
Mimi, believing Dillinger 70 b II
that neighborhood and that = fight 70
the finish With him Was Imminent.
From other sections Of the cotin-
try, however, q far south . vir-
giniA, came reports that Dillinges
Continued on PaSe III
RAILROAD WORKER DIES
kinot, n. D.. April 26.-(P1-D. q
Hahn, 62, Great Northern dispatcher
died Thursday In llinot Is result a
heart trouble and asthma. He hAc