Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-09-24
"|DUR|EDT THEGOLD,"
SAYS MRS. bERGDOLL
Is Buried Yet, She Declares, and
Son Doesn't Know Where
1t Is.
nv Associated Press TO Every Evening

NV Ae~ttttftu Ift>S tp fNtrN ENtnitik
Philadelphia, Sept. 2A.1Alrs. Emms
&. Bcrgdoll, en- trial In Federal Court
here charged with conspiracy 10 aid hel
military draft law, Yesterday blasted the
pot Of gold story told by Grover TO gain
hls release from Governors Island, New
York. to hunt for buried treasure IN
Maryland.
IT Is true" she said, "that | went to
Washington with James ;. Romig and
that we drew SiO5,oO0 IN gold from the
treasury. But that gold was not for
Grover. hut for me, and still have it..
Mrs Bcrgdol testified in her own be
hall and also for Charles \. Braun, one o
her sons, Romig, Harry Schulz, a friend
of the family, and Albert Mitchell, an
automobile dealer.
After Grover g. Bergdoll had been
sentenced 10 five Years for evading the
draf, he was brought 90 this city on his
way "a Maryland To dig up gold, which
BE- had buried when he was<a fugitive.
While ia this city Jhe escaped and has not
hccn found since.
Yes. | got the gold, said Mrs. Berg
doll IN tears. Il still got it. Not one five
cents did Grover get
And why did YOU want this gold?'
demanded United States Attorney Nc
Avoy. conducting the prosecution for tho
government
Il thought il good for a ra ny day"
sobhcd thu woman II read books to
that effect and got the notion in my
head Sure, | got IL and buried 1T |
buried il myself, alone. | do lots of work.
| make repairs on cement work and on the
chimneys and on the roofing. ! go on TO
the roof myself do carpenter work. 1t
was no Job to bury the gold
Mrs Bergdoll, as Well as her CO
defendants, Charles \. Braun, her son;
former Magistrate James l.. Romig,
Albert Mitchell and Henry Schulz took
the witness stand in person 10 deny they
had gwen ASSISTANCE 10 Grover and Erwin,
the two Bcrgdoll draft dodgers, in their
efforts 20 ovade arrest. \ particular effort
was made hv them 10 weaken the testi-
monv Of Thomas +. Furey and Fitzhugh
l.. Crccdon, the former companions Of
Erwin and Grover. who on Wednesday
gave damaging testimony against them.
John Pfreidschmidt, former chauffeur
for Braun. made the only slip-up in the
dcnials of the defense He failed TO
agree with Braun and Mrs. Braun in a
most important particular, the hour Of
the arrival II Furey at the Braun home
the day new motorcar was delivered
60 Erwin
United States Attorney McAvoy closed
the prosecution before the luncheon
recess with last bit Of evidence from
Ftrcy 60 show that Mitchell called upon
him IN Baltimore and attempted TO find
out what Furey had told the grand jury,
advising him % stick 20 his story and
asking him how he was fixed for an
attorney and for money.
Mitchell denied this later and while
admitting stopping 20 see Furey in
Baltimore, said he was there on bust
no~ and simply dropped in with an
hour 90 while away.
Mrs Bcrrdoll wrpt on the stand,
complaining she had been harassed
for three years. her mail opened. her
telephone tapped snd her life made
miserable by tho persecution Of the
government agents and police.
~he denied she had ever given Grover
or Erwin any assistance, financial or
otherwise. and swore Grover was pre-
pairing 70 give himself up when he was
captured last January.