Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-03-06
ROntig Is Accused
in BergdOU Plot

Continued from Page One
declaring him sane, Bergdolls counsel
began building n new line of defense
on cross examination of army medical
officers who examined Bergdoll.
Captain Campbell sought to de-
vclop that the Stacker was suffering
from constitutional psychopathic in
feriority and was afflicted with alb
bility and abnormal suspiclousncss
His questions were directed at Major
Amos r.. Baker, who, with Colonel
Douglas L. Duvar and Colonel Elmer
A, Dean. constituted the medical board.
Major Baker did not agree that Berg
doll suffered from abnormal credulity.
abnormal suggestibility and abnormal
suspiciousness.
judgment Poor, Ho Says
He believed Bcrgdoll showed faulty
judgment. His Judgment was poor, he
added, when he would not return to
face prosecution for desertiop.
Captain Campbell, who, with Vein
berger, is bearing the brunt of the
legal work of the defense, also ques-
toned Colonel Duvar, president OF the
medical board. and Colonel Dean.
He developed that neither was an ex
Baker was the only psychiatrist on the
board.
Colonel Dean said he was a grad
uate of the University of Pennsylvania
medical school and a specialist in gen.
eral surgery.
Captain Campbell also brought out
that the defense medical experts were
not permitted to testify in person before
| the board.
Erwin's name was injected into the
testimony when evidence of DR.. Walter
NJ. L.. Ziegler was read.
Doctor Iiegler, the Bergdoll family
physician, was quoted as tcstfying be-
fore the medical board which held
still q. fugitive and is being sought as
draft dodgcr, had a reputation as
''hyaway."
erwin is somewhat like Grover"
testified Doctor Ziegler. "He is nerv.
Gus and reticent ] do not think Grover
is well balanced, but l don't think he is
insane"
All Philadelphia witnesses. who went
home when the court martial was post
poned Thursday while the writ of ha-
beas corpus was argued. were absent
today because Of storm delayed trains.
/ A few who stayed in New York were
uplt W itu'u NOlplu
Fight Against Snow
Witnesses on their way to the court
martial had to struggle through two
snow drifts and against singing
wind.
Bergdoll, detected figure. trudged
through the snow from his cell in Castle
William before guard of two armed
soldiers. The Stacker has lost all the
assurance he seemed TO have when the
court martial opened.
Mrs. Bergdoll reached Corbin Hall
few minutes before her son. They en-
braced and kissed when they met.
Mrs. Bergdol was accompanied by
Romig. They left South Ferry for
Governors Island on the ferryboat Gen
eral Hancock at 9 ~ o'clock.
Passes must be obtained from guard
sergeant ut South Ferry to gain access
to the island. The ferry is operated by
the army.
Romig Fills Out Passes
The sergeants fingers were stiff from
cold and he requested Romig to fill out
passes for himself and Mrs. Bergdoll.
The slacker's mother nestled her face
in her big ermine muff as she walked,
head down, to the ferry.
! Mrs. Bergdoll wore the same black
dress and sealSkin coat trimmed with
crmine and black hat which she wore
yesterday. She wore the same large
bunch of violets WHICH she had on yes
tcrday.
After Mrs. Bergdoll met her son the
two sat together in the hearing room
until the court martial was called to
order. Mrs. Bergdoll was then asked
to leave the room as no witnesses are
permitted to view the proceedings.
In the anteroom she was Joined by
d. Clarence Gibboncy. Philadelphia at
torney. associated in the defense.
Romig's testimony before the army
sanity commission was read into the
records.
He testified at that time that he had
seen Bergdol virtually every week from
the time of his birth until the Stacker
ran away. He acted as guardian for
Grover and Erwin after the death of
their wealthy father.
Grover Prosecuted. He Says
Grover was prosecuted by suburban
police around Philadelphia. he said.
and then pocketed the fine without max
ing return to the state.
| Tcstifying as to the patriotism Of the
Bergdolls, Romig told the commission
that Mrs. BerGdoll had offered her cs-
tate of 100. 900 acres at Chevy Chase,
Washington, u. c., to the government
free of charge during the war
Grover. Romig testified. had turned
his forty acre suburban flying field into
u big war garden.
Colonel Cresson then made an error
when he apparently read from the tcs-
timOny:
"Grover was working on an airplanr
engine which he planned to offer the
Germans. That certainly was not pro.
German"
Captain Campbell objected He de-
mandcd the testimony be reread 1t
was, and the testimony said that Berg
doll had planned to offer the engine to
the United States Government.
Then Bergdoll did not plan the en-
gine for the Germans?" Colonel Alairc.
president of the court, asked Colonel
Cresson.
81 won't say as to that" was the
reply. but the testimony certainly
does not show that he did
."Shy Since Boyhood'
The reading of Romig's testimony was
resumed. He said there certainly was