Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-05-29
~BERGDOLL MAY
HAVE FLED IN A
WILMINGTON CAR
One Stolen From A. Raymond
Jackson Found Abandoned
Near Scranton, Pa.
USED BY MYSTERIOUS GANG

The automobile belonging TO \. Kay
mond Jackson of 90l West Seventh street T.
stolen Nav ;, was brought back to thus
city this morning by Mechanic Harry
Foreman and Detective Johnson OF the
local police department, after II had
been found abandoned some days ago
near Scranton, Pa.
This ear figured in an exciting episode
: last Friday night and a few days follow
ing, when it was thought that Grover
Cleveland Bergdoll, who escaped from ms
home in Philadelphia. lad been using u !
Accordingly, the entire countryside III the
vicinity of Throop, short distance from
Scranton, was aroused and joined IN
general chase.
Although many of the people Of Throop
think that one of the three mysterious
visitors who camped in n tent on n tarn'
there. week ago last night, was Grover
Cleveland Bergdoll, escaped draft evadcr,
Chief of Police Fred Fabrctti of lhroop
seems satisfied that the strangers were
members of gang of automobile thieves
who fled and deserted their stolen car
and camping outfit when hard pressed.
II was jackson car that they abandoned
They evidently stole it here or took Il
from the person who did.
4 report that a man, believed 10 be
Rergdoil. who escaped from two army
guards in Philadelphia a week ago Thurs
dav, spread like wildhrc and during the
excitoment the district attorney office
and police headquarters at Scranton were
notified With visions Of picking up the
$500 reward offered for Bergdoll : cap
ture. county and city authorities hurrl ed
10 tht, scene with the hope of picking up
RergdoIl and his outfit.
.,f +h1 strangers
whose actions stirred the people Of lhroop
is that last Wednesday night two men N
an automobile asked PERMISSION To pltch
a tent on farm. explaining that they we're
expecting a third man t. JON them on
Thursday or FRIDAY night and that they
were going to the coast when the third man
joined them The men were well supplied
with money and offered to pay IN advance
for camping privileges. The two strangers
pitched their tent. set up two new cots
and cooked meals Thursday and Friday.
Friday evening they disappeared, lut hy
midnight were heard returning and three
men were seen getting out Of tho auto
mobile. They remained hut a short tune
and then started away. Saturday morning
al ) O clock one of the trio was seen coming
hack to the tent, where he got a suitcase,
and then started toward Olyphant. That
was the last seen Of the party.
A significant feature of the entire affair
is that the escape Of Bcrgdoll was report
ed about the time Of the arrival of the
first two strangers at Throop. who may
have been expecting the escaped draft
evader. How the Wilmington automobile
became mixed up in the affair Is not
known. however. as this machine belong
ing TO MIR. jackson. disappeared from this
CITY Nav ). several weeks before Berg
doll away. The jackson car disappeared
from Fifth and Market streets, between
O and 10 o'clock In the evening. Nobody
appearcd to sec il driven off or who took
t.
The Scranton police arrested 2 man by
the name Of Dllgan. the first name un-
known bv the local authorities, on the
charge Of tho larceny Of an automobile
from NiIkes-Barrc. Pa He Is beng held
bv the PENNSYLVANIA authorities and on
next Tuesday his case will be disposed Of.
following which the local authorities viii
probably lodge a detalner for hln1 on the
charge Of larceny Of the Jackson auto
mobile. The Scranton police have not vet
furnished anv information 10 the local
authorities about Dugan Int this Is
expected in the course OF . few days
When Mr.. jackson. the owner of the
car. received it 1ou1N 1ttiit titt t'thitt it
was much gratifed 1T IS through the
efforts of Chief Black and his men, Mr..
jackson said. that the car was recovered.
want 10 say also that it Is IN remarkably
good condition, considering what II has
been through. The night il was stolen,
NAV 81 had parked II at 9l0 0 clock in
front of Buffers store. on Market street
below Fifth. then went to the Queen
theatre and when came out, shortly
before ii o clock. the ca- was gone.
q learned that the man under arrest
in Scranton, who, ] presume, is the one
who stole my car. is about IS wears old
and belongs in Baltimore. He drove my
ear to Scranton, where he seems to have
stolen another one and changed the tires
from nv machine to the other one,
abandoning mine for the time being.