The Washington herald., 1921-02-13
GENERAL HARRIS
REVEALS LAXITY
in STACKER CASE
ohcer Says Bergdon Was
Released" on Word
Of Counsel.

Laxity on the part of the War DE.
partment in allowing Grover Berg
doll TO be released under guard"
Tor his notorious pot of gold" ex-
petition was shown yesterday in an
interview with Maj. Gen. P. C. Har-
ris, Adjutant General Of the United
States army.
Throughout the three-quarters Of
an hour of the interview Gen. Harris
spoke with apparent freedom. and
ne revelations that came from his
lips were of such startling Charac-
Ter that one would wonder at the
generals freedom of speech.
His Word Accepted.
Among those things revealed were
the following:
Neither Gen. Harris nor any other
war Department official ever inves-
Igated the personal character OF
Bergdoll before permitting him to
go out for the pot OF gold"
No one ever questioned the story
mat the pot Of gold" had been hid
den in the West Virginia hills, and
the War Department did not make
the least effort to verify the story.
Maj Hunt, commandant OF the dis
eiplinary barracks at Fort Jay, Gov
ernors Island. was warned on three
different occasions that Bergdoll in
tended to escape if allowed to leave
the prison on any pretext whatso-
ever, but Maj. Hunt never communi-
rated the warnings to his superiors.
The Department OF Justice re-
ceived a similar warning. but never
communicated 1t to the War De-
partment.
To Protect Bergdon.
Gen. Harris was reminded by
Samuel T. Ansell, Washington coun-
self for the Stacker. that Judge John
W. Westcott, of Haddonfield, n. J.,
bad twice nominated woodrow Will
son as the Democratic candidate for
President OF the United States.
The complete secrecy thrown
prompted by the desire to protect
the feelings Of Grover Bergdoll"
from publicity that might result.
When laxity in regard to the man
ner in which Bergdoll was guarded
in leaving Governors Island was
mentioned. Gen Harris Immediately
passed the buck" to Maj Hunt
and placed all responsibility for
events following the issuance of or
uers by Gen. Harris for the exPedi-
tiOn upon the soldiers of the com
rlandant of Castle william.
In the very beginning of the in
trrview Gen. Harris accepted full
personal responsibility for the or
ders allowing the pot of gold" ex-
CursiOn
Was Not Released.
But in the very beginning Gen.
Harris objected to reference to the
ordSrs as being for the release" OF
BerEdOll from Governors Island.
That is using the word release
in wrong sense" objected the Ad-
jutant General "BergdolI was not
released He vas sent out under
guard. You cannot even say that
a. was allowed to leave his cell on
Governors Island. He was sent out
under guard"
Secretary Baker was never con-
suited in the matter and. so far a,
] know. knew nothing Of the re-
quest that BergdOn be sent out un-
der guard to search for the hidden
gold.
Gen. March. the Chief of Stan.
was consulted by me in only an
informal way. I took to him the
letter Mr.. AnseIl had sent to me
requesting that BergdoH be allowed
to go on the expedition.
No Investigation.
Before issuing the order for
BergdOlIs release" the general was
asked. did you or any other officer
under you or any official of the
War Department investigate Berg
dolls personal character as shown
by his past defiance of all law and
order"
No. We did not" was the answer.
Then you had not been apprised
of. the desperate character of this
man who was to be released to look
for hidden treasurer" was the next
question.
No" said the general. Il con-
sidered BergdolI to be the half
witted son of millionaire.
I gained that impression only from
what little l had read in the news
papers about him. That was very
little, because about the time ali