Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1921-08-18
CHARGE GEN, ANSELL.
COL. HUNT AND COL.
CRESSON AS PLOTTERS
House Report Says They Aided
BergdOIPs Escape
tBy The Associated Pre4s)


WASHINGTON, ID. c., Aug. 49,
Samuel Tilden Ansell, former acting
judge advocate general Of the army
and Of prisoners legal counsel, Col
cnel John Nj. Hunt and Colonel G. c.
Cresson are charged with conspiracy
IN connection with the escape Of
Grover Cleveland Bergdoll in a re.
port signed by three Of the five MEM
bers Of the special investigating com
mlttee. filed today in he house.
Ansell Is characterized as the "mas-
ter mind" in the plan hy which Berg
doll was released from the military
PRISON under guard IT, dig for pot
Of gold, in the majority report.
TIE majority report rccommeded
thar Ansell be disbarred from practi.-
ing in the courts of the nation "above
whose safety and integrity he placed
gold" The minority report filed
AZ the same time. held. however, that
there was no testimony to support
the charge that Ansell effectuated
his escape or that his motive was inn
proDer.
The majority held that Colonel
Hunt, commandant Of the barracks at
Governors Island. was directly re-
sponsible for the slackcr's escape
through failure to handcuff him or
provide an adequate guard.
The minority. after declaring that
no officer of the army knowingly
participated in the conspiracy"
found grave dereliction of duty on
The part of Hunt"
As p basis for its criticism Of Col
onel Cresson. the majority report
said that CAS- ugly as are many Of the
phases Of the whole matter, none in
more defenseless than the conduct of
Colonel Cresson in his nretense Of
prosecution Of Colonel Hunt" tried
nv court martial in connection with
the Beredoll scandal. The minority
report made no reference to Colonel
Cresson.
The majority report exonerated
Major Bruce Campbell. accused by
Berrdoll's mother Of accepting
$4,000 to help obtain the freedom Of
the nrisoner.
The majority renort recommended
the dismissal from the Department Of
Justice of Earl Wood. in charge Of
the CORRESPONDENCE in the Bergdoll
case. for failure to transmit to the
War Department warning from n
snecial agent that the prisoner was
planning 10 escape.
Major General Peter G. Harris.
adiutant general Of the army, who
authorized Hunt 10 send Bergdoll
under guard to the Maryland noun
tains in search n the gold. was
charged by the minority with "pri-
marv responsihiliiv for the situation
making possible the escape"
The majority renort commended
the seizure of the Bergdoll property
BY Alien Property Custodian Miller
and urged that he make every effort
to produce Sl05. 1000 in gold obtained
BY Mrs Bergdoll from the treasury
department and alleged TO have been
buried on her farm near Philadel-
phia. This was put in az the insist.
ence Of Representative. Luhring who
declared the withdrawal Of the gold
was the foundation stage OF the
whole conspiracy.
Colonel Hunt. within the next
two months after he participated 30
criminally III the escape. was promot-
cd and retired" said the majority
report. adding Fan outraged nation
has right To demand that Colonel
Hunts annuity ne discontinued.
After the reports were represent
"a Anscll's firm issued statement
attacking Representatives Johnson,
Flood and Iuhring.
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