Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-01-25
MISUSE Of NAILS
CHARGED To FORMER
OFFICER OF GORDON
Gist E, 0gg Brought Here for
Trial This Week for Annoy
ing Prominent Carolina
Woman With Letters

A federal warrant for Gist e. Ogg,
former lieutenant at Camp Gordon.
charging use of the United States
mails for the transmission of OBJ
jectionable and annoying letters was
issued Friday along with statements
from postoffice inspectors which
barred details of weird case in which
the army officer is said to have writ
ten scores of letters to young wom-
an he had frequently seen but never
met-the daughter Of a wealthy bank
er Of Columbia, S. c., and the wife of
prominent Columbia lawyer.
The first communication was said
to have been mailed from Camp Cor
don early in 1918. The young woman
then was Miss Evelyn Robertson, the
daughter of E. w. Robertson, presi-
dent. of the National Loan and Ex-
change bank, of Columbia, and said
to be the largest owner of realty in
that city. She subsequently became
the wifi of J. M. Lyle, a wealthy and
distinguished attorney, of Wales-Gar-
den, Columbia.
Objectionable letters-many OF
them couched in improper language
then followed at the rate Of two or
three week for more than two
years the inspectors say. Tart COM
munications also were sent at regu-
lar intervals to A. E. Gonzales, edi-
tor and publisher Of the Columbia
State, and to the husband and father
Of the young woman, it is stated.
Ogg was not known personally to
any of the addresses, but appeared
to labor under the delusion, 1t is
said, that the girl loved him and
that the men were prosecuting him.
Although his military record was
good, Ogg's aged father, who lives
in Columbia, declares his son often
becomes mentally unbalanced. The
investigating officers are inclined to
accept this explanation as the prin-
cipal reason for the defendants al
legged erratic actions.
Gave Letter to Father
Deputy United States Marshal j.
Fl. Jones reached Atlanta with Ogg
late Saturday. He will be tried Wed
nesday or Thursday before Judge w.
1. Grub and a jury. His removal
to this federal district for trial was
due to the fact that the alleged I'M
proper letters were mailed from At
lanta or Camp Gordon.
Ogg's first letter to Mrs. Lyle,
written several month months pe1or sra nef
expressions of devotion and assur-
ances of his intention to marry her
Immediately following his separation
from the military service, the Or
sffcgrs say
mrs. Lyle was gut! quite p9sittivee, g she e
and passed the letter on to her faith
er, who filed it in his desk with the
statement that I'VE will wait ana
see if he writes again; maybe there
is some mistake" inspectors say.
In three days the next letter ar
rived; this one according TO tne m
spectors, containing no Objectionable
phraseology, but conveyed the IN
formation to Mrs. Lyle that her let
tiers were all that kept Lieutenant
Ogg alive"
This letter, officers say, moved Mr.
Robertson to write Ogg and request
that he refrain from writing to ms
daughter.
But still they came, at least twice
weekly, officers say, declaring that the
fact that his letters were not an
swered did not stop Ogg, as he con-
tfnued to write Mrs. Lyle that our
marriage will take place very soon.
Shortly after Mrs. Lyle's marriage,
Ogg, it is said, addressed a letter TO
her husband, denounclng him IN
strong terms and adding postscript
which read thus: Your wife loves
me and not you; I am very sorry
for YOU; YOU are wrong in the head.
or you would never have married
her."
Bitter letters to Editor Gonzales
and Mr.. Robertson followed, along
with additional communications to
Mrs. Lyle, the inspectors declare.
The postal department then took the
case in charge.
Ogg was interviewed, and on his
definite promise that he would ad-
dress no more annoying letters 10
Mr.. Robertson, Mr.. Gonzales, or Mr..
and Mrs. LYLE, he was allowed to
remain on duty with the Seventh en-
gineers at Camp Gordon.
After a lull of several weeks, Ogg
opened UP anew, say the inspectors,
and wrote several letters to Mrs.
Lyle which contained Objectionable
passages His arrested followed, and
he was placed under bond, when was
posted by his father. Two weeks ago
an Indictment in the case was return
ed by the federal grand jury.
PostofIice inspectors believe Ogg Is
mentally irresponsible. They sup
ported this opinion with several doz-
en- of Ogg's letters, all of which were
written in bold, neat hand.
Reference to the dates on the en-
velopes showed that Ogg once ad-
dressed two letters to Mrs. Lyle on
the same date. In one OF the letters
he declared he had never seen her'
and in the other he told her now ne
enjoyed the dinner party they hau
together when he was last IN 90
lumbia ON a weekend pass.
The last of the letters written by
Oeg to members of the Robertson
T,yie family was an application for
position in the bank OF Whlch MI
Robertson is president. 1t said:
"I can do any kind of clerical WORK
better than any man you have IN
your employ; indeed. can DO II pet
ter than you can. For references Z
Dffer the Standard Oil company, OF
honolulu, and the Chlna-Eastern |
railroad, of Pekin. Answer quick IL
YOU want a good man."
Another letter typical OF those
written by Ogg was the one sent IN
March, 1920, to Attorney Lyle whlch
read: III. ,, gov
you are crazy"
Relatives of Ogg have indicated
that he will waive trial and enter
n1aa, of guilty Mr.. and Mrs. Lyle
and Editor Gonzales