The New York herald., 1921-02-10

that the request for disinterment OF the
body was made by Clarence Gibboney,
Jr. son OF the attorney. Insurance
companies, IL was learned have refused
10 pay the policies Gibboney carr3ed. be-
lievfng there Is doubt of HIS death. ana
the relatives were said TO have made the
request for the return of the body In
order to obtain payment from the insur-
ance companies.
Meanwhile Mr.. Kahn and District At
torney McEvoy went over all papers in
the case preparatory to opening the In
quiry tomorrow Mr.. McEvoy will be
the first witness. Mr.. Kahn also made
public an anonymous letter postmarked
Philadelphia. which infers that Gibboney
Is not dead.
There Is no evidence In his posses
sion to indicate that agents or Bergdoll
attempted foul play against Gibboney,
Mr.. Kahn said. He reaffirmed there is
reason TO believe that a positive identi-
fication was not made OF the body and
that the committee will endeavor to get
TO the bottom of the matter. The first
part OF the committee inquiry probably
will be devoted TO a review OF the pro-
ceedings against Bergdoll. the chairman
said.
Reports have been received by COM
mittee members that Mr.. Gibboney went
10 Mexico with money from relatives or
Bergdoll, which he was TO send to the
draft dodger when he reached Germany.
and efforts will be made to clear up this
point.
The body said 70 be that of Gibboney
was buried hastily according to infor-
nation. but this may be accounted for
by the fact that Mexican sanitation
laws require immediate burial.
There is growing curiosity to learn
how War Department officials. at
torneys ana others could have been de-
ceived by. the story of the mythical pot
of gold which enabled Bergdon to OBJ
tain a release from Fort Jay and to
escape from lis guards at Philadelphia.
state Departments Statement.
The official announcement Of the State
Department follows:
The Department Of State has tele-
graphed to Mexico for any further In
formation regarding D. Clarence Glib
honey of Philadelphia and others Of his
party who were reported to have been
drowned in the Bay or Campecne on
December IS. 1920.
'srhe department has advised d. Clar-
cnce Gibboney, Jr., of Philadelphia that
the State authorities of Campeche have
authorized the immediate disinterment
of the bodies of Gibboney and others.
conditional upon compliance with the
sanitary regulations which require that
the bodies IL transported must be In
metal caskets. The entry OF the bodies
into the United States is subject to the
rules and regulations OF the Treasury
Department"
To this announcement the following
explanatory note was appended:
"The State Department announced
early last month the drowning of d.
Clarence Gibboney. Frank w. Shriver,
John r. Markley and Lawrence Markley.
The departments advices were that
these men left Champion. Campeche,
December % In a small sailboat that
they were overtaken by violent storm
and were wrecked about p. NJ on De-
cember 2S and their bodies found on the
shore of the bay at point near Cham
potion The bodies were then taken to
Champoton for burial Four Mexicans
also lost their lives in that storm, the
American Consul at Progreso reported"
The anonymous retter received by Mr..
Kahn bore no marks Of Identification.
1t follows:
February Z. 1921.
Hon. Juiirs Kahn:
"Sir: This hint while anonymous, is 40
for personal reason, but mot from
shame or fear, The disappearance and
reported drowning Of Clarence Glbboney
was timely. 1t was n good time to dis
appear II one had foreknowledge Of
Bergdoll's abiding place. 1t was good
time for the disappearance Of his COM
panions. But disappearance is no proof
of death. yet Only the identified body
would prove death. and II found now
would probably be Beyond recognition"