Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-07-26
COL. HUNT DEFENDS
BERCDOLL GUARD"
Denies Cibboney Was Given Au-
thority to Direct Pot of Gold
Search in Maryland
SAYS HE IS PROSECUTED


Inside facts Of Grover Bcrgdoll's per =
nit to leave the military prison here to
recover his buried "pOt Of gOld' were
told today by Colonel John T.. Hunt.
Mt his court martial for neglect of duty
in connection with BcrgdOll's escape.
During his testimony in his own de-
fcnSc. Colonel Hunt fatty contradicted
some of the evidence introduced against
him and cleared mp some matters which
have been in doubt
The two armed Scrgrants from whom
Bcrgdoll made his spectacular escape
May 22 in his mothers Philadelphia
lome, Fifty second street and Wynne.
field avenue. Colonel Hunt said con
stituted the ''mOSt secure guard ever
assigned a prisoner leaving the institu-
tion.
The court martial Is expected to con.
clude today. Great Importance was at
tnched to Colonel Hunts testimony and
virtually all the officers not on duty Mt
the post crowded the court room in
Corbin Hall to hear his story.
Scores His Prosecutor
Following his testimony Colonel
Hunt. whose promotion to that rank
from lieutenant colonel was announced
today. charged he was being prosecuted
az a sop to public opinion and to sat
isfy the aspirations of publicity seek
ing judge advocate"
Colonel Hunts testimony furnished
the first official clue to the location of
the S150,000 Grover said he had buried
and to recover which he was allowed
to leave his cell in Castle William.
Colonel Hunt said that dispatchc.
from Adjutant General p. G. Harris
had placed the location of the buried
fortune as within five or six hours
walk of Hagcrstown. Md" the hidden
place on n lonely hillside. according to
the information given Colonel Hunt, he
said.
The accused officer gave the lie to
testimony that Bcrgdoll. before his es-
cape. had been allowed to go about the
island with insufficient guard. Bcrgdoll
he said. was guarded at all times. but
was given the same small privileges
Afforded other prisoners for exemplary
conduct.
Il told Sergeant John OHarc. in
charge of the gold hunting expedition,
that he was to take orders from no one
and was to terminate the expedition at
the first suspicious circumstance, "
Colonel Hunt testified.
II told him to use his own Judgment
in cas-" of an emergency and that
would hold myself available to telc-
phone calls at all times while he was
away, 10 that could aid him if some
thing untoward did crop up.
Want Trip Kept Secret
In the letter from the adjutant gen
eral | received orders that the mission
was to be accomplished in absolute
secrecy Handouts on the prisoner
would have done away with all thought
Of secrecy
I'm addition. If Bergdoll had been
handcuffed to one of the guards, il
would have made the defense weaker If
the party was made the objective of a
concert attack by crowd of six or
eight persons.
The witness then went on to say the
BcrCdoll expedition left the island and
caught the O'Clock morning train from
New York to Philadelphia. May 20.
AT North Philadelphia station the es-
,ort was 10 be met by ID. Clarence
ii5honNy, Bcrgdoll's lawyer, who would
IDENTIFY himself by letter previously
shown to Sergeant O'Hare. and then
'ent to Gibboncy.
Gibboney and Bergdoll. Colonel Hunt
'aid, were To act az guides to the "pot
If gold, the start being made from the
station with no provision for stop at
n" Rergdoll home. and the sergeants
we're to take no orders from the lawyer.
The court martial, scheduled to begin
t II O'Clock New York time) did not
ct under way until almost noon be-
aMse of activities in the Erwin Berg
Cptains James Ettridge and Samuel
}. Shackfor, both veteran prison of
cials at Castle William, testified Col
mel Hunt was doing what any army
rison official would have done when
e allowed Grover to leave the Jail
'ithout handouts, thus providing an
ppOrtunity for Grover to escape later
his mothers home, Fifty second
treet and Wynnefield avenue, Phila-
elphia.
Speedy Trial for Erwin
he ways were CREASED for the early
curt martial of Erwin Bergdoll, mil
0naire Philadelphia draft dodger and
lacker, by a series Of conferences here
Jday.
Captain John VI. Weir, military
Ounsel for Bergdoll, conferred wlrn
he prisoner In Castle William, the
uardhouse here. at II o'clock, and after
caring Bergdoll's story Immediately
cyan preparing the defense.
Captain Weir held short conference
18th Lieutenant Colonel Charles G.
trial judge advocate, who will
Erwin, and they agreed on
tentative date for the trial
The young Stacker probably will go
0 trial next week. J. J. O'Connor,
elphia, was notified to line up wit
osaau In tbat citv .nA hava them berp