The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-05-11
BergdoIl Declares He'll Never
Be Taken to United States. 4
Snaps His Fingers at General
March's Declaration.
SAYS U. S. HONOR BOUND
YankS Sleuths Released Under
Promise, He Declares.
Says His Safety in Germany
Was Made Price. i,

Eberbach, Germany, May Ii
Grover Cleveland BergdoIl, arch draft
dodger, defied the United States gov
ernment today.
Informed of the statement of Chief
of Staff March that the war depart
ment is determined to get Bergdoll out
of Germany, "at any price, the
Stacker said: 'fYou can tell the world
that we won't be captured in Ger
many" :.
He Claims Immunity. II
Bergdoll asserted that American
representatives signed an agreement
when two United States soldiers were
released after an attempt to kidnap
him, not to molest him or his chauf-
feur, Eugene Stecher. and that the
United States is honor-bound to leave
him alone.
Bergdoll snapped his fingers over
the investigation being held at Wash
ington. He showed no concern over
the grilling to which his mother was
to be subjected by a congressional
committee.
Lives Life of Ease.
Living a life of ease here and
looked up to as brave man who de-
fies a powerful government Bergdoll
and his chauffeur are enjoying them
selves.
1.-The Baden government released
those fellows-Neuff and thinner
on the sole condition that the Ameri-
cans should promise not to molest US
again. Bergdoll said.
"At Karlsruhe when the men were
released from Jail, American repre-
sentatives signed an agreement guar
anteeing the safety of myself and
Stecher in Germany.
Says U. S. Honor Bound.
whether Americans possess any
sense of honor or whether they think
an agreement is only scrap of pa
per, remains to be seen"
Bergdoll held the ability of United
States authorities lightly. He indi-
Gated that he would be willing TO put
his own ingenuity against all at
tempts to seize him.
you can tell the world" he said
defiantiy, that in any event we won t
be captured in Germany"
Immunity Is Denied.
! Washington, May 1.-THE claims
of Grover Cleveland BergdolI at Eber-
bach, Germany; that American repre-
sentatives have agreed not to molest
him in the future. will be investigated
by the special house Bergdoll commit
tee. Chairman Peters said today. Pc
ters and other members of the COM
mittee manifested great interest in the
dispatch, which will be placed in the
record.
At both the state and war depart
ments today, it was officially denied
that any agreement not to modest
Bergdol had been signed by American
representatives.
American representatives signed no
agreement whatever and would have
no authority to do So said Secretary
Weeks. I'VE are, going to get Berg
doll" he said. emphatically. Il don't
know whether or not we will get him
while 1 am in the department, but we
will get him.
Part of Peace Terms.
Surrender of Bergdol1 will be made
one of the conditions of the proposed
peace treaty with Germany, il Con-
gresham Julius Kahn of California,
chairman of the house military af-
fairs committee, has his way.
"Bergdoll must be brought back
from Germany" said Kahn today. Il
am sure that we can secure his sur
render by the German governmnet."
Kahn stated he knew nothing of the
| Illegal agreement made by American
representatives. not to molest Bergdoll-