Evening star., 1921-08-18
Hunt and CreSSOn
Charged With
Conspiracy.
MINORITY FAILS g"
TO BACK CHARGE
Gen. Harris Flayed-
Disbarring of Ansell
in Courts Urged.

Samuel Tilden Ansell. former acting
and Of the prisoners legal counsel;
Col. John E. Hunt and Col. c. c. Cres-
son were charged with conspiracy In
connection with the escape OF Grover
Cleveland Bergdoll, the draft dodger,
in a report signed by three of the hve
members of special investigating
committee. filed today with the House.
Characterizing Ansell as "the mas
ter mind" in the plan by which Berg
doll was released from a miiitaf!
prison under guard to dig up pot oil
gold. the majority report recommend
ed that he be disbarred from practic-
ing in the courts of the nation, above
whose safety and integrity ne mas
placed gold.
Minority Report Diners.
A minority report filed at the sene
time held, however. that there was no
testimony to support the cnaaEe nanzss 'n as
Ansell. through whose eno,te
counsel the prisoner was reieaeee:
"conspired to effectuate his escape
or that his motive was improper,
One can-Representative Luh-
ring of Indiana.-and TWO oem0cia
Ill
Virginia,-signed the majority fePo.t.
The minority views were presented oy
Chairman Peters. Maine, ana nepfs
sentative Macarthur. oregon, repup-
licans. The majority nnoine wa" a
first of the many investigating reports
submitted to the House since the close
of the war where republican mem
Der Joined with democrats and enaoieo
them to file majority views
The majority held that Col. HUNT
4 1,ar- vi
ernors Island. from which bergooh
set out on his errand, was directls re.
sponsibie for the slackers escape
through failure to handcun MIN OF 20
provide an adequate guard. ne
minority. after declaring that .,n;- NO U
pated IA the coaspiracy," found crave
dereiiction Of duty on the part "i
Hunt"
Trial Called PretepsA
Al q basis. Tor itsacrifieaem ct cei
Cresson. the majority report saad that
"as ugly as are the many phases OF
the whole matter, none Is more 1S,
fenseless than the conduct OF Sol.
c. ea Huaa In hi: sred By
in connection with the BergooI
scandal. No reference to Cresson was
made by the minority.
Mai Bruce R. Campbell, accused
by BerRQOllS mOtHcf VI hosEae
cepted $4,000 to help obtain freedom
for the prisoner was exonerated by
the majority. The minority reported
that there was no evidence that
Campbell was in any way connected
with the escape. but assumed nne
stftute such investigation as may De
necessary to the end that Campbeil
may be exonerated. if not found
guilty.
Dismissal OF Employe Asked.
Dismissal from the Department of
Justice of Earl B. Wood. in charge
of correspondence in the Bergdoil
War Department warning from a
special agent that the prisoner was
planning to esca pc. was recommene-
ed by the majority.
Maj. Gen. Peter c. Harris, ad1utant
general Of the Army, who authorised
Hunt to send Bergdoll under guard
to the Maryland mountains to search
for the gold. was charged by the
minority with primary responsibility
for the situation which made POSI-
Harris did not attempt to evade re-
sponsibility, the minority held there
was mo question of improper motive
on his part" adding 1t was apparent
his mind was readily overcome by the
strong statement of Ansell." that he
would stand responsible for the safe
! return of the prisoner. The minority
criticised Gen. Harris for suggesting
| to Hunt. instead of ordering. that Q
| commissioned officer accompany the
expedition.
The majority reported that the es-
cape was the direct result OF the
proposition submitted by Anseli to
Gen. Harris" and that "even IL An
sell did not conceive the plan he pre-.
| sented 1t and pursued it to its accom-
plishment."
wescott's Name Used.
Taking up alleged connection With
the Bergdoll case Of former Judge
John w. Wescott, one-time attorney
general Of New Jersey. the majority
ally had legally represented Bergdoli.
The report declared sit was clear
that Ansell undertook to use Judge
Westcott's name for the purpose OF
bringing to bear a political influence
"upon anybody in the then adminis-
sure Of the gold-hunt release. which
| at last spelled Bergdolrs escape"
The majority report commended the
seizure of the Bergdoll property by
Alien Property Custodian Miller. and
urged that he make every effort to
Mrs. Emma c. Bergdoll from the
; Treasury Department and alleged 10
! have been buried on her farm near
Philadelphia. This was put in at the
tinsistence Of Representative LuhrinE,
who declared the withdrawal Of the
gold was the foundation stone Of the
whole conspiracy
i Fiads Ne Bribery Charge.
! The minority held that while 'un-
questionably conspiracy existed to
not find that any officer "receiyed any