Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1921-08-18
T. ANSELL
SAID TO HAVE LET
GROVER GET away
Washington, D. c. August l6.-Samuel Tiden
Ansell former acting Judge advocate general of the
army and of the prisoners legal counsel, Colonel


John f. Hunt and Col. G.
{. Cresson were charged
with conspiracy in con-
nection with the escape Of Grover
Cleveland BergdolI. the draft evader,
in report signed by three of the five
members of special investigating
committee filed today with the house.
CharactoriZing Ansell as tho mas
ter mind in the plan by which Berg
doll was released from a military
prison under guard, to dig up pot OF
gold, the majority report recommend.
ed that he be di3barred from practic.
ing in the courts of the nation, above
whose safety and integrity he has
placed gold"
minority report filed at the same
time held however, that there was no
testimony to support the charge that
Ansell, through whose efforts as coun.
sci the prisoner was released, con.
spired to etfcctuatc his escape" or
that his motive was improper
One Republican Representative
Luhring Of Indiana-and two Demo.
crGts--Johnson of kentucky and
Flood of Virginia-signed the major.
ity report The minority views were
presented by Chairman Peters OF
Maine and Representative Macarthur
of Oregon, Republicans. The major
ity findings is the first of the many
investigation reports submitted to the
house since the cloee of the war
where a Republican member joined
with Democrats and onablcd them to
file majority reports. The majority
held that Colonel Hunt, commandant
of the barracks at Governors Island,
from which Bcrgdol set out on his
errand, was directly responsible for
the slackers escape through failure
to handcuff him or to provide an ade-
quate guard. The minority, after de-
claring that no officer of the army
knowingly participated in the con.
spiracy,' found grave dcreliction of
duty on the part of Hunt" As a basis
for its criticism of Colonel Gresson
the majority report that as ugly as
are the many phases Of the whole
matter, none is more dcfcngCloss than
the conduct Of Colonel Grcs3on in his
pretenSe Of prosecution Of Colonel
Hunt tried by couct-martial in con-
nection with the Bergdoll scandal. No
reference to GrCssOn was made by the
minority
Major Bruce II. Campbell, accused
by Bergdolls mother Cf having ac-
cepted 5000 to help obtain freedom
Tor the prisoner, was cXOnerated by
tho majority. The minority reported
that there was no evidence that Camp
bell was in any way connected with
the escape, but assumed the proper
military authorities would institute
such investigation as may be nece3-
sary to the end that Campbell may
be eXonerated if not found guilty"
Dismissal from the department OF
justice of Earl b. Wood, in charge Of
correspondence in the Bergdoll case,
for failure to transmit to the war de-
partment warnings from special
agent that the prisoner was planning
TO escape. was recommended by the
majority.
Major General Peter c. Harris, adj
jutant general of the army, who au-
thOrized Hunt to send BcrgdOll, under
guard, to the Maryland mountains to
search for the gold, was charged by
the MINORITY with primary RESPONSE
bility for the situation which mads
possible the escape"
Asserting that General Harris did
not attempt to evade respc visibility,
tho minority held there was mo ques.
tion Of improper motive on his part
adding it was apparent his mind was
readily overcome by the strong state
ment of Ansell that he would stand
responsible for safe return of the
prisoner" The minority criticised
General Harris for suggesting to Hunt
instead Of ordering that a commission
cd officer accompany the expedition.