Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-10-29
MRS. BERGDOLL
TRIES PLEADING.
SIackers' Mother Turns Sensi-
tive and Sends Thinkers
Of City" Appeal
SHIFTS BLAME FOR PLIGHT

Tho "poCkct nerve of the family ot
Grover Bcrgdoll, fugitive Stacker. is
far more sensitive than was Bcrgdoll,
the draft dodgcr. TO the patriotic appeal
that brought thousands Of men into the
army during the war.
This was shown today with the cir
culntion Of printed sixteen page
pamphlet, ostensibly written by Mrs.
Emma G.. Bcrgdoll, mother of the fugi q.
tive Stacker. now hiding abroad. and oil
Irwin Bcrgdoll. now in a Federal prison
for dodging the draft.
Tho document was called might vs..
Right. an Appeal for Fair Play. The
manner in which tho Alien Property
Custodian seized the estate Of Grover
Bcrgdoll apparently led Mrs. Bcrgdoll
10 fear Philadelphia is about to be
prussanizCd.
"Whether you are favorably disposed
toward mo or not, whether you incline
10 Justice for me or not, ! ask each ot
Won. the thinkers Of the city to whom
this is sent" concludes tho appeal
signed by Mrs. Bergdoll, "to picture the
conditions under which your children
and your wards will live tomorrow IT
Might is Right today"
Seems to Blame Newspapers
II would seem from a reading OF tho
phamrlet that Mrs. Bergdoll blnmcs the
newspapers for her sons draft dodgng,
a violation of the law that resulted in
an army court martial, an escape from
army guards and n congressional In
vestigatiOn.
because years ago when my hus-
band died ] chose to live a simple. plain
lite," the phamplet continues, doing
some Of my own work with my own
hands rather than aspiring through my
wealth to society that w"uid nave
been as distaStcful to me rs | do it tpoS'
sibly misprnt for Il to it,. the news
papers watched my every move and pub
lished rs news facetOus vivid accounts
thereof.
but | ask you. the clergy and pro-
fossiOnal mon to whom copies OF TINS
appeal have been sent, you, tho thinkers
Of tho community, whether or not the
pCrson who prefers to live In tho plane,
TO which MI conditions point a con-
forming happiness, is not to be com
mondcd rather than condemned and
ridirulcd.
Il myself laughed then at some OF
tho absurd news in the full security
that all those who really knew me knew
they were false reports, the pot boilers
of some half starved reporters. Little
did | realize what my silence meant
until now it has developed into a tragedy
that has wrecked three lives.
She Claims "Persccution"
4 fair presumption seems to b" tha
Grover Rprgdol fled from the draft anl
| roamcd about the country in disguise
| because the newspapers had nriute,
| facts about his speed mania which haC
made him a target for police of numcr'
I Gus communities.
| The appeal attributed to Mrs. Berg
doll goes on to relate that because q
these "pcrsecutions" she is sued fu'
| damages even if her dog barks and tina
| il a lawyer charges her $4,000 for pro
! fcs~iunal services the courts uphold tn
claim.
In the pamphlet is a detailed lis
rurrorting to show the property O
Grover Bcrgdol which Mrs. Bcrgdol
turned over to the Alien Property Gus
todian. The total value of this propert,
is placed at $749, ,SS2.72 and include
u 500 Liberty bond and $50 Iibert
bond, bought. apparently. at tim
when others, far from the millionair
class. were buying all Liberty bond
they could afford.
In a list showing expenditures b
! Mrs. BergdOll Is an item of $1,000
which, it is said. was given to Grove
Rorgdoll "whiIc he was confined at Gov
crnor's Island.
A. the time when tho $4,000 was give
70 tho imprisoned Stacker the Govern
mont wns paying his board and lodging
md Mrs. Bcrgdoll and others wer
bringing food, clothing, books and deli
caCies TO him.
Gives List Of Lawyer Fees
Tho list Of expenditures also disclose
that ST., 800 was paid in counsel fee
to y. Clarence Gibboney, now dead
$500 TO Thoodoro Lane Bean; $lO,25