Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-05-26

Cnauneur. VINO declares she does
not believe "her Gene Is fleeing
will, escaped draft dodger
ceivcd the impression was retained by
Mr.. Gibboney. but that was untrue.
"Mr. Ansell. in his letter TO the War
Department, had no right to bring my
name in as counsel. / merely discussed
different points in the case with Mr..
Gibboncy. with whom ! have been as
sociatcd in various other legal matters.
IL was in that way that Mr.. Gibboncy
came to discuss the Bcrgdoll case with
mo.
After this meeting received a letter
from Secretary Baker. acknowledging
receipt of my letter with Mr.. Anscll's
brief incloscd.
Would Have Asked Large Fee
Il would not have connected myself
with this case without having demanded
a large retaining fec" Mr.. Wcscott
continued, switching his trend of
thought.
ATTEMPTS were made to have mo be.
come counsel for Bcrgdoll. I refused
all ovcrturcs. objected, my wife
objected. ] had son in the army.
! am good patriot. and I didn't care
to connect myself with the case of a
Stacker. Now that my name has been
mentioned in this way. / am going to
night. | resent the insinuations made
because of the effect on my family
name.
Here the former judge turned back
to the letter he sent Baker.
The fact of securing Bergdoll's re-
lease from Castle William" he declared.
''wuS g.
been retained in an advisory capacity
would most certainly have put nv
foot down on such plan. Understand
ing the idiOtic tendency of this Berg
doll boy. l would not have approved
of such a thing.
Called On Mrs. BergdolI
Anothcrs reason why | would not
enter the case was that I am seventy
two years old and l felt that the Berg
| doll case, when | was asked to take it,
was too much for me to bother with.
early in the case Mr.. Gbboney
asked me to see Mrs. Bergdoll That
was When he was trying to get me into
the case. | consented to see Mrs. Berg
d0ll. ] consented to tell Mr.. ,Gibboncy
what my opinion Of the woman was.
was Informed / would be paid for my
home"
Then the only way you were con.
ncctcd with the case was when YOU
were paid for going out to the Bcrgdoll
hOmeE Mr.. WeScott was asked.
lcs, he replied. 81 at no time
received any retaining fee as advisory
counsel. On my visit to Mrs. Bcrgdoll
! was surprised TO. find her so kindly"
Mr. ,WCScOtt said that when Glib
honey told him Mr.. Wcinbcrgcr had
been retained as trial lawyer for the
court martial he commented to Glib
honey:
"You have fellow who will antag
onize your case instead of helping you"
The former judge closed his discus
sion with the remark he did not believe
Bergdol was given "a square deal. "
lie said there was no proof that Berg
doll had received notice from the draft
board and that he was given only eight
days notice. instead Of the legal ten
days, before being classified as a
descrter.
The WestcOtt Letter
A copy of the letter Judge, Wescott
sent to Secretary Baker follows:
"My Dear Secretary beg to in
close you n brief in the case of Grover
G. Bergdoll.
This brief is exhaustive and conclu-
sivc. There is not the slightest doubt
in the world but that the war authori-
ties made mistake. | am enormously
interested in the situation and want. if
possible, to have it kept out of the
courts. There is very little question
that the judge advocate general will
properly dispose of the case.
'T hope that you are well. 1t has
been a long time since last had the
pleasure of seeing you, but | have kept
a very interested gaze upon your work"
Department of Justice agents, led by
Leo German. assistant superintendent
of the bureau of investigation. and J.
j. OConnor. who was accredited with
Bergdoll's capture in January, invaded
the Bcrgdoll home last night.
Believing the escaped convict might
be in hiding at his mothers home, the
agents procured a search warrant and
made a minute inspection Of the Over
brook home. They found no trace of
the draft dodger.
Tip to Watch Border
BCrgdoll may be expected to cross the
Canadian border any time according to
information received by the bureau of
investigation of the Department of Jus
tiCc here.
The information comes from mem
Der of the American Legion, but the
possibility of patrOlling 5000 mile
border appears stupcnd0us to the au-
thortcs who will wait for more definite
directions.
j. W. Brock. treasurer of the Penn
sylvania American Legion, called on Leo
German, assistant supervisor of the
bureau of investigation, this morning,
and turned over to the authorities re-
port from a member of the Legion, con-
Cerning the whereabouts of Bcrgdoll
The report indicates that the fugitive
is making his way to the Canadian