The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-08-18
Ansell Charged
 With Conspiracy.

Continued From Page 1.) | at Governors Island, from which | Bergdoll set out on his errand was d1- rectly responsible for the slacker's escape through failure to hand-cun | him or to provide an adequate guard The minority affidavit declaring no officer of the army knowingly partici- | pated in the conspiracy found grave | dereliction of duty on the part of Hunt,
 | As basis for it's criticism of Col. Cresson. the majority report said that "as ugly as are the many phases Of the whole matter. none Is more de fenseless than the conduct of Col. Cresson in his pretense of prosecution of Col. Hunt" tried by court martial in connection with the Bergdoll scan dal.' No reference to Cresson was made by the minority.
 Major Bruce R. Campbell, accused | by BergdolIs mother Of having ac- cepted $5,000 to help obtain freedom for the prisoner, was exonerated by the majority. The minority reported Campbell was in any way connected with the escape. but assumed the proper military authorities would "in- stttute such Investigation
 may be necessary to the end that Campbell may be exonerated. if not found guilty"
 Dismissal from the department of ! correspondence in the Bergdoll case, for failure to transmit to the war de- partment warning from a special agent that the prisoner was planning | to escape, was recommended by the | majority.
 l Major General Peter C. Harris, ad- 5utant general of the army, who au- thorized Hunt to send Bergdo1l under guard to the Maryland mountains to search for the gold, was charged by the minority with primary responsi- bilfty for the situation which made possible the escape" Asserting that evade responsibility, the minority held | there was mo, question of improper motive on his part" adding it was | "apparent his mind was readily over | come by the strong statement of An sell.' that he would be responsible for the safe return of the prisoner. The minority criticized General liar ris for suggesting to Hunt, instead of ordering that commissioned officer accompany the expedition. | The majority reported that the es- | cape< was the direct result of the proposition submitted by Anse1l to l sell did not conceive the plan, he presented 1t and pursued 1t to its accomplishment"
 Taking up alleged connection with John W. wescott. one time attorney general of New Jersey, the majority held 1t unimportant whether he ac- tuallv had legally represented Berg doll. The report declared "it was clear" that Ansell undertook to use Judge Wescott's name for the pur. pose of bringing to bear political | influence upon anybody in the then to make sure of the gold hunt re- | lease. which at last spelled Bergdolrs escape"
 The majority report comme ended by Alien Custodian Miller and urged | that he make every effort to produce s105.00 in gold. obtained by Mrs. Emma c. BergdolI. from the treasury | department, and alleged to have been buried on her farm near Philadelphia This was put in at the insistance of Representative Luhring. who declared | the withdrawal of the gold was the foundation stone of the whole con | spiracy.
 | The minority held that while ''un- questionable conspir lcy existed to ef- | feet the escape =, Bergdolf' it did not find that any officer received any bribe or was ,pr raached with view to bribery" but that the conspiracy was participated in by Grover Berg doll, the late D. Clarence Gibboney, a formerly Philadelphia magistrate. and friend of the Bergdo1l family, Ike Stetcher. the Bergdoll chauffeur. "and possibly Mrs. Bergdoll." On this point | the I1dJOT1Cy uecldIed CnaC NIlDDOney and the Bergdoll group conspried to effect the slacker's release, but in order to successfully accomplish it, it was absolutely necessary to have Bailey Edward s. Bailey his law partner) and Colonel Hunt for without the aid of these latter, Berg doll could not have left Governors Island"
 From the moment Bergdo11 left Governors Island and the conditions surrounding him. said the minority became apparent, he saw he could | depart when ready and without vio- lence. That such a condition existed Is of course a scandal. Less than ordinary precautions to prevent escape were used"
 every happening-whether of act or omission-resulted in Bergdoll's ben eft and not one to his real detri- ment.'
 Colonel Hunt, within the next two months after he participated so crim- inally in the escape" said the major ity, was promoted and retired.
 "An outraged nation," it added, Hunts annuity be discontinued"
 Anybody who has seen and heard all of those associated, directly in directly, with the plan and manner of report, mot only must recognize An sell the master mind of them all. but also as their dominating and con- trolling spirit
 The minority declared that the escape was seriously to Ansell' S pecuniary disadvantage" in prevent ing him from obtaining a larger fee for appealing a court martial sent ence, and added:
 But the letter and personal pres sure upon his former associate, Gen | era1 Harris, were a very important 1 factor in gaining permission for the trip and the fact that Ansell did noth- | ing to carry out his guaranty that Bergdoll should not get away un- doubtedly contributed to the escape