South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-05-14

SIaCker,S S Mother
Says Grocer Has
Lots of Company
Tells Committee "There Are
Thousands of Slackers
Nearer Than Germany

~ tHNffith thNFA AEfrHs
WASHINGTON. May 13-Not one
dollar OF tho sos. 600 in gold OBJ
tanned from the treasury was put
In a pot for burial in the mountains.
Mrs. Emma G. Bergdoll Of PhiladeI-
phia, testified Friday before a house
committee investigating the escape
Of Grover G. BergdoH, her Stacker
son.
Again picking up the trail Of the
treasure, the committee found and
then lost it. Tor Mrs. Bergdon frank
ly declared that she had buried il
somewhere around Philadelphia.
that nobody else knew the spot. and
that it was just where she placed it
nearly two years ago The draft
dodgers mother was positive in the
statement that she never took it TO
Hagerstown. Nd. where il was sup
posed to be.
Find Many kinks.
In trying 20 clear up some Of the
many kinks in the testimony. the in
vestigators got into others. one of
which concerned the wOman's de-
claration that Lieut.. Bruce Camp
bell. who had taken part by direc-
tion of the military authorities I'm
the court martial Of Bergdoll. had
suggested that former Judge John
w. Westcott OF New Jersey. be kept
in the background as one Of the de-
fense lawyers. At the same time
she testified that she did not regard
the judge as one Of BergdOlIs coun-
sci. who, with doctors and others
had cost her upwards of 100000
! since his escape.
Answering an appeal for help,
Mrs. Bergdoll declared that less than
a week ago she had sent Grover,
who is in Germany. $4,000.
What is Growers intention about
staying in Germany" John II. Sher-
burne. counsel for the committee,
asked. and Mrs. BergdolTs eyes
sparkled.
As soon as the armistice is signed
he is coming home" The laughteI
| infuriated her
Lots of Others"
We'll there are thousands OF
other slackers and they never men
tiOn anybody's boy but mine," she
cried. There are plenty of them
in Philadelphia-nearer home than
Germany"
Asked how much Grover was
worth. Mrs. Bergdoll made a quick
mental calculation. -and--answered.
Half a million"
There was some questioning as to
whether she owned any Liberty
bonds. and on her answer in the neg
ative "A member asked:
DO you own any2"
Yes. but 1 didn't buy any; I got a
couple OF ffties the other day in a
trade for a house"
In giving a detailed account Of the
| two trips to Washington for the gold
and returning with it to Philadel-
phia while James f. Romig. a for
mer police magistrate drove the car.
I Mrs. Bergdoll denied that she was
acting for her son.
1T was mine. TO do with as !
| pleased" she said. Nobody can
| find II, and Grover didn't get any of
it-nOt nickel"
She declared she never heard a
word about any buried treasure un-
til after the escape and that the late
| u. Clarence Gibbony. her attorney.
had told her her son had been let
out 10 pay her a visit. None OF her
money, Mrs. BergdOll testified was
turned over TO Grover for use In
getting out Of the country.
Follows ROmic.
Mrs. BergdOll was called after
Romig. her sonfidential adviser, who
\ like the mother. is awaiting sentence
for conspiracy 10 aid Bergdoll in
evading the draft. had been put
through four hour grilling. Romig
stuck 10 his story that he never saw
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