New-York tribune., 1920-03-01
Bergdoll Spies
Seen Plotting.
u. S. Aid Asserts
Overlook Draft Board
Chairman Tells of De-
tectives Watching Women
Attaches of His Office
Friends 'Shadowed' Them
Prisoners Relatives Accused
of Using Every Effort
to lntimidate Witnesses
Special Dispatch to The Tribun,


PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 29.-John P.
Dwyer. chairman of the Overlook
draft board which declared Grover c..
Bergdoll q deserter, asserted to-day
that private detectives engaged by the
young draft dodgers mother had been
ruthless in their attempts to obtain or
build up evidence assailng those who
must be witnesses against the young
man.
The objects of attack, he said, were
himself. Marie Gibbs, chief clerk of
the draft board, and Gertrude and Mar
garet Ruanc, her assistants. Thanks
to the protection afforded by counter
spying, Dwyer continued, the efforts
of the detectives were fruitless, as
every conversation and incident in the
daily lives of himself and the three
women had been watched by friendly
observer as we'll as by hostile spy.
Attaches Doubly "Shadowcd"
If counsel for Bergdoll was putting
reliance in the affidavits of the private
detectives, said Mr. Dwyer, he had bet
ter compare them first with the reports
of the same events made by govern
ment detectives who were "shadowing"
members and employees of the draft
board for their own protection.
Edward Dyer, the second private de-
tectivc to be arrested in the case, was
Herman Fox Davis, who was arrested
yesterday, Dyer was an employee of the
Burns Agency when retained by Mrs
Bergdoll. He lost his job in the whole
sale dismissals that took place when
William ]. Burns was notified that
some of the witnesses in the Bergdoll
case were complaining Of the activities
of his men.
Mr.. Dwyer said that though Captain
Bruce R. Campbell might be Bergdoll's
counsel of record, the young mans
mother was not relying on the army
officer alone and had employed D.
Clarence Gibboney, of this city. Nor
did the collateral defense of Bergdoll
stop with the employment of outside
counsel, said pwyer.
He asserted that the secretary of an
important city official was Il runner"
for Gibboney and had been used in the
Bergdoll case to dig out old newspaper
files in search of information bearing
on the matter.
There had been times, he said, when
even local Federal authorities seemed
to hesitate to proceed. contrary to the
interests of the Bergdoll defense.
Three days had elapsed. he said, be-
tween his filing Of the evidence against
the two former Burns detectives with
United States. Attorney Francis Kane
and the issuance OF the warrants for
the arrest Of the private detectives.
interviewed Federal Official
After one OF the prisoners had been
examined at length by special agent
to the case from Washington, said Mr..
Dwyer. the private detective had has
tened to an Office in the Federal Build
ing, where he had sought and obtained
an interview with one Of the Federal
authorities.
"Bergdoll is manifestly not insane" )"
said Dwyer, "having been found of
sound mind in this state several years
ago. Should he be adjudged a lunatic or
feeble minded by an army board he
would be sent at once TO the army in
sane asylum, which is just as bad as
prison, and that is what Bergdoll, aid
cd by his mother, is now trying to
dodge.
ut was evident that Mrs Bergdoll
her son and others interested III the
for delay. The case against the king
of the draft dodgers was simple and
clear. There could have been only one
motive. therefore, in delaying the case
by the luracy farce, and that motive
was that Bergdolls representatives de-
sired once more to use the power of
money"