New-York tribune., 1921-05-29
Mrs. Berg,doll
To Demand Aid
From Harding, 9,
~
Ii He Won't Help Her, She
viii Leave the Country,
She Says, Complaining
She Is Being Prosecuted
Asserts Som Has Funds
Grover, Fugitive i'm Ger.
many, Will Not Suf-
fer, Mother Declares
Special Dispatch to The Tribune


PHILADELPHIA, May 2s.-Mrs.
Emma c. Bergdoll, mother of the draft
evaders Erwin and Grover Bergdoll,
said to-day she would appeal to Presi-
dent Harding to keep government Of
ticials from continually prosecuting"
her. If this move fails to bring re-
lief, she said, she would leave the
United States.
Things could not be worse with
that Soviet outfit in Russia than thew
are here" she said. "In Germany they
are much better off than they are here.
IN Russia they wouldn't persecute a
poor woman like they are persecuting
me-"
Mrs. Bergdoll said she would try to
get passport if the PRESIDENT didn't
sccede to her appeal, but officials here
expressed doubt whether it would be
possible for her to get permission to
leave the country.
Seizures by the Alien Property Gus
todlan OF Grover Cleveland BergdolPs
properly yesterday, valued at S8O000O
and enhanced by further seizures to-
day, worried Mrs. Bergdoll a erear
deal. eN"'
Her Property Taken Also
The Alien Property Custodian also
selzed Mrs. Bergdolls property and that
OF her son Erwin. who is serving a
Term IN Aeavenworth, pending separa-
ton of Growers from that belonpinp
to other members of the family. She
denied reports that she would sue the
government agents who entered her
house, saying she knew they were only
following instructions that had been
given them.
She winked when some one asked her
what Grover, in Germany, would do for
funds now.
"Ah, if want to send my boy money
nobody will prevent me from doing it,
she said. "They can say they have my
money tied up in banks, but they are
foolish for thinking SO. Anyhow, no
matter what happens, my boy will get
money: He has money in many other
places"
AS for the Bergdoll "castle" in
Wynnefield, which was seized as Gro
ver's property, Mrs. Bergdoll announced
that she had $46,000 invested in itrand
that government agents could not
drive her out until she was reim-
bursed to that amount. The home, she
SAID, did not belong to Grover, al
though it was purchased in his name
~ bought the house at g sheriff's
sale February 8, 1915, for $4,000 in
cash and an $4,000 second mortgage"
she said. ''The mortgage in some way
was lost, but, anyway, still have
$4,000 and interest invested in the
house in Growers name. He wanted
to have it for his own some day.
Insists Home Ia Hers
"The government agents cannot and
will not drive me out until I am re-
imbursed. Either Grover must send
me the $4,000 and interest or the
Alien Property Custodian must give it
to me. The home was mine, is mine
and always will be mine unless the
money is forthcoming"
To-day Mrs. Bergdoll did not know,
she said in answer to question,
whether Grover had really buried pot
Of gold. Anyway, she said, that was
foolish question, for how should
she know what Grover did or didn't do =?
My boy is not an alien" she went
on. They always call him an alien.
He is a good American because I am
a good American. Have I not been in
this country forty years; since ] was
nineteen years old? Was not my hus-
band good American? We have
always paid our taxes.
My Grover ran away to Germany
because he wasn't treated fair. He has
written many letters to me in which
he has said repeatedly that he would
return to this country as soon as the
(contihued on page three)