The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1921-08-18
Disbarment of Ansell
Recomm e n d e d and
Other Participants In
All e g e d Conspiracy
Brought In for Censure
-Discontinuance Of
Col. Hunts Annuity
Suggested

Washington, Aug. 1S.-Samuel Til
den Ansell, former acting judge ad
yocate general of the army and o
the prisoner S legal counsel; Col
John K. Hunt and Col. c. G. Cresson
were charged with conspiracy in con.
rection with the escape of Grover
Cleveland Berdoll, the draft dodger
in report signed by three of the five
members of a special investigating
committee, filed today with the Whit,
House.
Characterizing Ansell as 1.-The mas
ter mind in the plan by which Berg
doll was released from a military
prison under guard to dig up a pot OF
gold. the majority report recommend
ed that he be disbarred from practic.
ing in the courts of the nation "above
whose safety and integrity he has
placed gold
A minority report filed at the same
time held, however, that there was nc
testimony to support the charge thai
Ansell, through whose efforts as coun-
sci the prisoner was released, con
spjred to effectuate his escape" OF
that his motive was improper.
Republican Sides With Democrat
One Republican - Representative
Luhring of Indiana-and two Demo
Gratis, Johnson of Kentucky and Flood
of Virginia, signed the majority re-
port. The minority views were pre-
sented by Chairman Peters, Maine
and Representative Macarthur, Repub-
licans. The majority finding was the
first of the many investigation reports
submitted to the house since the close
of the war, where a Republican mem
Der joined with Democrats and en-
abled them to file majority views.
Col. Hunt Responsible
The majority held that Colonel
Hunt, commander of the barracks at
Governor Island, from which Berg
dol set out on his errand, was di-
rectly responsible for the slacker's es-
cape through failure to handcuff him
OF to provide an adequate guard. The
minority, after declaring that no of
ficer of the army knowingly parti-
cipated in the conspiracy" found
grave dereliction of duty on the part
of Hunt" as it criticism of Col. CreS
son, the majority report said that ''as
ugly as are the many phases of the
whole matter, none is more. defense
less than the conduct of Col Cresson
in his pretense of prosecution of Col
Hunt" tried by court martial in con-
Eection with the Bergdoll scandal. Nc
reference to Cresson was made by the
majority. -n.-.+
Campbell EXOnerated
Major Bruce P. Campbell, accused
6y Bergdolls mother of having ac-
cepted $4,000 to help obtain freedom
for the prisoner, was exonerated by
the 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 neces.
sary to the end that Campbell may
be exonerated, if not found guilty"
Dismissal from the department oi
justice of Earl B. Wood, in charge OF
the correspondence in the Bergdol
case for failure to transmit to the wal
department warning from a specia
agent that the prisoner was planning
majority.
Minority Scores Gen. Harris
Major General Peter C. Harris, ad
jutant general of the army, who au
thoriezd Hunt to send Bergdoll under
guard to the Maryland mountains t
search for the gold was charged by
, the minority with primary responsi
bility for the situation which made
possible the escape Asserting ,tha
Gen. Harris did not attempt to evadt
responsibility, the minority held there
was mo question of improper motive
on his part adding that it "was ap
parent his mind was readily overcome
by the strong statement of Ansell'
that he would stand responsible fol-
safe return of the prisoner. The mi
nority criticized General Harris foi
suggesting to Hunt, instead of order
ing, that a command officer accom-
pany the expedition.
The majority reported that the es
cape was the direct result of the pro
position submitted by Ansell to Gen
eral Harris and that "even if Ansel
did not conceive the plan, he present
ed 1t and pursued it to it's accomplish
ment.''
Taking up alleged connections will
the Berkdoll case of former Judg
John w. Wescott, one time attorne
general of New Jersey, the majorit
held 1t unimportant whether he at
tually had legally represented Berg
doll. The report declared 1T wa
clear" that Ansell undertook to us
Judge Westcott's name foruthe pur
pose Of bringing to1bean5a politica
iIfluence upon anybody in the ad
n.inistration who might be needed /