South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-08-19
SAY OFFICERS
AIDED ESCAPE
OF BERGDOLL
Committee CritiCizes Act of
Army Officials Urge
Hunts Dismissal.
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charges that he had received $4,000
from Mrs Bergdoll in connection
with ner sons escape, was com
pletely exOnerated in both reports,
while the majority commended
Thomas w. Miller, alien property
custodian, for the seizure Of the
BergdoH property. 1t was recon-
mended in the majority report that
Gen. Ansell be barred from future
practice before any government de-
partment, before any court martial
or in the courts of the District OF
Columbia or the nation above whose
safety and integrity he has placed
past gold"
Col. Hunt" the majority report
stated, within the next two months
after he has participated so Grimm
lily in the escape of Bergdou was
promoted from major to colonel and
Immediately retired on the pay Of
$500 a year. 1t becomes a serious
question who is 10 pay this life long
reward for his perfidy. An outraged
nation has the right to demand that
Col. Hunts annuity be discontinued.
Dismissal from government service
of Earl b. Wood, who had charge
of the Bergdou correspondence in
the department of justice and who
was charged with concealing certain
important letters was recommended
with the additional suggestion that
he be forever disqualified from hold
ing any appointive position with the
government the majority of the
committees did not charge directly
that any one received money.
Cause Is Money.
The eye of man is far more easily
/ deceived than is his mature reason
| ing and calm judgment" the COM
mittee stated. Money may pass
from hand to hand in an instant and
at some obscure place and not be
/ SEEN. While the passing of it may
be proven beyond doubt the con-
sideration for which it did pass may
/ be successfully disputed On the
/ other hand the full performance 10
/ be rendered may be fully established
still the passing OF money in pay
ment OF the service may be proved
only by appeal from the eye to the
mental consideration Of a chain OF
/ established facts
Aga that is the case.
However. no witness willing to
tell the whole truth has seen the
money actually pass. but everybody
who heard or has read the testimony
should be able 10 see an effect
which could not have been produced
/ by any cause except money.
But with the advent into the
case of him who. by his partner. has
been moderately declared 10 be the
/ highest authority in this country on
military law We find sorcerer-like
/ deception practiced upon the trust
ing. Next we see a palsied old man,
+ overlooking with that generous
/ spirit OF acquisience and lack of re-
sistance that always accompanies
those who grow old beautifully.
/ placed and replaced in artist-Lke
fashion whenever his name could
/ best be commercialized.
(This reference - TO Judge John
. W. Westcott, New Jersey lawyer.)
Review Case.
Then we find the activities trans
ferred TO Washington and TO Gov
. ernOr's Island. This transfer to
I Washington and Governors Island
was so absolute that even an official
letter OF warning sent from Philadel-
phia 10 Washington forecasting
BeIgdolrs escape within two weeks
was hidden away in a pigeon hole.
never 20 find Us way 10 BergdolVs
prison, that he might be properly
guarded
We see the commandant Of the
prison turn deaf. dumb and blind TO
every direction that might hinder
Bergdolrs escape. Finally. and as a
fitting sequel 10 this sordid tale, We
find the dereIict commandant Of
/ Governors Island was prosecuted by
one whose shame was measured only
by his days. Following the flimsy
pretense-Only a pretense-at prose
cution the commandant's fate was
given 20 a court composed Of milf
tary officers who found him not
guilty
] 'Bergdou. escaped through the