The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-03-26
BERGDDLL IN
GERMAN COURT
DeScrter TeStifies i'm Case
Against Americans

MoSDach, Eadcn, March % (By the
Associated Prcss) .-Grover c, Berg
doll, descrtCr from the American
army, took the stand today in the
! trial Of Carr NCuf and Franz Zim-
mcr, the two Americans, who, with
the aid of four Germans, attempted
TO arrest Bergdoll at Eberbach last
January. PcrgdoIl testified that Zim-
mer leaned against the automobile
and pointed Il revolver at him.
Neuf, he testified aimed his revolver
at him and fired the first bullet, hit
| ting woman, Lena Butt, and the
second entering one Of the tires. Zim-
mcr denied having drawn weapon,
but said he would have fired had he
done SO.
Ncuf made a long statement detail
ing the nature Of his activities as u
detective for the American military
forces at CODlenz. He asserted that
he had succeeded with the aid Of the
German authorities in apprchendinS
numerous American deSerterS in
various sections of Germany. He had
been on Bcrgdoll's trail for long
time, and he said he had sought Il
German police wise for his American
passport in order TO avoid complica-
ton at Eberbach. He had sought 10
kldnap the American Stacker in order
to forestall escape at Stuttgart as
Neuf believed that the German police
Ut Eberbach were disinclincd to as
SiSt him despite the fact that the
police authorities at Coblenz had
SivCn him credcntia.S which he un-
dcrstood entitled him to operate IN
unoccupied parts of Germany.
Two German police officials from
Coblenz testified that the German au-
thoritics were frequently called on TO
cooperate with the American military
authorities and that Ncuf had often
made trips into unoccupicd sections
OF Germany with their knowledge
ana consent in order to seize Ameri-
can fuRitivCs from justice. The Ger
man police officials who worked with
Neuf spoke in comendatOry terms
of the American detectives
! Six representatives of the American
forces in Coblenz are in attendance
on the trial for which 35 witnesses
have been summoned.
Washington. March - Ny the AS
|
war department take prompt and de-
ciSivc" steps to secure the return
from Germany Of Grover G. Berg
doll wealthy Philadelphia draft
evadcr, is made by the American
Legion national legislative commit
tcc, to Secretary Weeks, made pub
: lie today by the committee. The let
ter which was sent at the direction
Of National Commander Galbraith
and the lcSiOn's executive committed
also requests the new administration
to secure the release from Il German
Jail of the two American army ser
ScantS, Iimmcr and Neuf, who were
arrested when they attempted TO cap
tur" BcrSdOll on German soil
: THE Bcrgdol case as it now
stands the letter says, lis a disgrace
TO the government of the United
States and a cruel and undescrvcd in
suit TO the 100000 men who served
America in the world war While
itlGdoll, army dcScrter and criminal
refugee speeds ut will over the roads
OF Germany in 4 high powered auto
mobile, two young American boys
are this very day on trial before a
German court because single handed
and alone they attempted to bril-, =
Bcrgdoll TO the justice he SO ricil,y
deserves"
Cork, March 23.-SiX civilians were
Killed in the Blarney district i'm a
atli" when crown forces fired on a
farm house, while searching for
wanted men.
Dublin, March 23.--A police in
ptclhr ana eight mon were ambush
"I near Dinglc. \ three hour fight
ended disastrouSlr for the attacking
party, eight being killed and twenty
wounded. Three OF the police were
slightly wounded.
Belfast March 23-Tclcgraph
wires b' tween fCliaSt and Dublin
were cut last evening. The authori