Evening star., 1921-05-12
WARNED
| Of FBERGDOLL PLAN
Justice Department Told He
Would Attempt Escape,
/ Agent TestifieS.

\ warning that Grover 'leNtidHu
Bergdoll. Philadelphia draft dodger'
probably would attempt to escape
was sent to the Department OF Jus
tice while Bergdoll still was in Gus
tody. John r. OConnor, special agent
of the department, testified today be
fore the House investigating commit =
tee. SO far as he knew. ii never was
transmitted to the military authofl-
ties. OConnor said.
; \ letter from X G. LetiIngwru. who
was actinA Secretary of the Treasury
a the time of the B"rSd"il gold with
drawal. was presented to the commit
Tee. IL said that when the gold was
obtained tn. government embargo
against gold payments had been Ter
minated under general Treasury IN
struCtionS and that refusal OF the
gold would have been u violation OF
these instructions" He added that
"any inquisition concerning the rea-
sons for demanding II would nave
been unauthorized
. Asked t. Civ. Il word picture OF
Bergdcll, O'Connor declared that he
had long been Il daredevil but When
ii came down to war service he was
q coward.
Believes in stars.
ness said. but Bergdotl WAS victim
of the stars. He consulted them and
they told him. according to ms own
story. that if h- Went overseas he
would come back in Il box. He was
intenSely pro-German.
: When ne was arrested | took him
TO Governors island. but knowing
his type. handcuffed him 10 an in
telligence officer
Judge John W. Westcott of New
Jersey reappeared today at his own
request before the House committee
doll to reiterate that he had never
served at any time as counsel Tor
the Stacker.
Bringing his wife and son and other
witnesses. Judge Wescott said they
were ready to testify that after be
ing asked to assist the BergdOil de-
tense he consulted them and it was
on their advice that he refused the
offer of employment. made through
the late u. Clarence Gibhoney,
Philadelphia lawyer
Denies Any Connection.
Il want to say. regarding qu"S-
tions about my appearance before the
federal grand jury at Philadelphia.
tn. Judge said that Gibboney told
rue he went before the grand jury and
testified that l had no connection with
the case. and that il why / was not
called. Gibhoney told me he declared
TO the grand jury that any man who
attempted to drag me- in the case
ought to be shot"
The judge declared he had never
appeared in any .courtmartial pro-
eeedings and never consulted a singl.
witness in EergdolrS behalf
The judge sought the privilege of
reappearing before the committee in
view of testimony by Samuel T. An
sell and Edward :. Bailey that he was
counsel of record. which he indig-
nantly denied.
Sergeant Did Not Hear of Gold.
In giving first-hand account of the
escape of Grover Cleveland Bergdoll the
philadelphia draft dodger. Sergt. John
y Hare, who was in command of the
escort which started out with Bergdpll
from Governors Island for the noun
tains of Maryland. told the committee
yesterday that he had never heard
word about the buried pot of gold until
long after the prisoner had fled.
y Hare was positive in the assertion
that when he started out for the noun
tains the only instruction he received
from Col. John f. Hunt. his superior
officer. was TO oproceed with the prisoner
10 Hagerstown. Md, get eome money
from bank, take it to another bank at
philadelphia, and Return TO the bar
racks.
Refused to Permit Handcuffs.
There were no written orders except
to stop off at North Philadelphia meet
fhe late -. Clarence Gibboney BergdolPs
lawyer. and thereafter be guided by
what Gibboneyr said. the witness de-
S1ared with some emphasis in relating
his part IN the whole affair O'Hare
declared he wanted to handcuT his
prisoner. but that Hunt refused
III was by Gibbonry'S order he said
fhat the party halted at Philadelphia
vent for a long automobile ride. with
t5ergdoii al the wheel, visited a bur
lesque show and stopped at the Bergdoll
nome, from which the prisoner escaped
The sergeant told how RergdOH was
sent from the island in the full uniform
g an enlisted man. with q hat cord in
chcatins that ne belonged to the in
fantry branch of the service
y Tells Of Various Moves.
Step by step. he told Of various moves
up to the moment when Rergdon walked
1gto bathroom to answer the tele-
phone. He was never seen after that
and TO this daN. the sergeant said he
does not know how h" got out Excep,
for that single moment ne declared the
prisoner was never out Of his sight
tsTears filled the eyes OF the little Ser
geaRt as he told the committee of his
retDn to the island. empty handed
wfh barely enough money to pay his
fare. and Of his plea that he be per
roiited to go over to BROOKLYN to tell
his wife OF his misfortune before being
locked up. He was tried later by court
MARTA! and acquitted.