New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-05-03
Harris Takes
All Blame for
Bergdoll Trip
Adjutant General of Army
Tells House Inquiry He
Released Draft Dodger on
the Plea of Gen. Ansell
Sanction Given by March
Secrecy Was Invoked, Wit
ness Testifies, to Spare
Feelings of the Family

WASHINGTON, May 2.-Major Cen
eral Peter G. Harris, adjutant general
Of the army, told House investigating
committee to-day that he alone was re-
sponsible for the release under guard
of Grover Cleveland Bergdoll, convicted
draft dodger, to 20 out secretly and
hunt for pot of buried gold in the
mountains Of West Virginia.
Bergdoll was permitted to start on
the golden chase, but never returned,
escaping at Philadelphia, where he
had stopped over on his way from Fort
Jay, N. Y, to the mountains, to visit
his mother, now awaiting sentence for
conspiracy to aid him in evading the
draft.
It was on the plea Of Samuel T. An
sell, formerly acting adjutant general
Of the army, General Harris testified,
that the prisoner was let out. The Gen.
eral said he had been assured by Mr..
Ansell, attorney for Bergdoll, that the
story of the hidden treasure was true,
and that he would be sent back to Fort
Jay as soon as he had climbed the hills
for his gold.
Says March Approved Trip
Under ordinary circum stances, Cen
eral Harris said he would have acted
on the request himself, but because Of
the publicity given to the prisoners
cscapades he showed the Ansell letter
to General March, the chief of staff,
who only glanced at it,"
General March asked me if I knew
OF any objection to granting the re-
quest" the witness testified, "and l
replied that Mr.. Ansell thought that
Bergdoll had actually hidden ABOUT
$4,000 in. gold, and General March
feet. did not go to the chief of staff
for authority to act. The order was
written by my assistant, and l APP
proved it,
Former Brigadier General John Fl.
Sherburne, of Boston, counsel for the
committee and members, wanted to
know why the expedition was sur
rounded with such secrecy and why
efforts were made to avoid publicity.
The general said he assumed at least
that the prisoners family was re-
spectacle and that he would be humili-
ated if seen travelling under military
guard.
Wanted to Spare Family
II wanted to spare the feelings Of
the prisoner and his family"
"Was there any sympathy year
ago for this draft evader" asked Mr..
Sherburne.
There was no sympathy for hirn.
believed he was entitled to the same
consideration as other prisoners"
"Tlen there was no suggestion as to
why the authorities were directed to
avoid publicity, except to spare the
feelings of the Bergdoll family 2"
Chairman Peters asked,
The general replied that if the news
papers had got hold of the facts they
would have given the trip considerable
publicity.
The name of John w. Wescott, of
New Jersey, described as the man who
ination at the Baltimore and St. Louis
conventions, was brought into the hear
ing as one of Rergdoll's lawyers. Ref
erence to Mr.. Wescott's part in the case
was made by Representative johnson,
Democrat, of Kentucky, while conduct
ing the examination. Genera. Harris
had testified that when Mr.. Ansell first
urged him to permit the release of
Bergdoll he said that he had discussed
the story of the gold with D. Clarence
Gibboney, now dead, and MIR. Wescott,
the other attorneys, and that they be-
lieved it.
Wescott Interviewed Baker
previous to Bcrgdoll's escape and
while the lawyers were preparing to ap-
peal from the five-year sentence" Gen
eral Harris testified, "Mr. Ansell told
me the Secretary Of War would re-
member Mr.. Wescott, as he had NOM
mated President Wilson. This was
DONE. suppose, merely to show his
prominence as an attorney. / did not
see Wescott. did see correspondence
between the Secretary and Wescott re-
lating to the latter's call in reference