Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1921-05-05
BERCD0LL PROBE
GETS EXCITING;
THAT GOLD CACHlE:
Investigation Of Rich Phila-
delphia Draft Dodger Like
ly to Reveal Just How He
Got Away.
ANsELL AGAIN ON STAND


Washington, May 4 Samuel T. An
sell, former acting Judge advocate
general of the army, who as counsel
for Grover c. Bergdoll, escaped Phil
adelphia draft dodger was instru-
mental III obtaining Bergdolls re-
lease under guard from Fort Jay
New York, to search for a pot Of
gold", was subject to further cross
examinatio today before house in
vestigating committee
Doubt as to where the pot of gold
was hidden was cleared. up to some
extent by Ansell's explanation and
mountainers OF West Virginia might
as we'll give up the search. Bergdoll,
it was said, told his lawyers that the
burial place was somewhere in the
mountains of Maryland.
Ansell insisted that his first knoWl-
edge OF the $'50,000 in gold obtain
ed from the treasury by Bergdolls
people came from the late D. Clar-
ence Gibboney, Of Philadelphia, Of
counsel for Bergdoll. He said he
never investigated the story by ask
ing treasury officials if it were true.
Washington, May 8 A. sharI
Question Of veracity Hrising between
Samuel T. Anseli, former acting
Judge advocate general OF the army
and former Judge John w. Wescott
of New. Jersey, created intense ex-
citement today at the investigate
by a house committee OF the escape
of Grover Cleveland Bergdoll, Phila-
delphia draft deserter
! Called to the stand before Mr..
Wescolt, who is 72, flatly denied the
details, and declared with great en-
,phasis there was no word Of truth
in the report that he had been en-
gagged as associate council, as Ansell
had stated, to help get Bergdoll out
of prison after he had evaded the
draft for nearly two years.
AS the judge went back to a seat
in the corner of the committee room,
Mr.. Ansell, who had heard part OF the
denial, reiterated under oath that
every word Of : his testimony was
true. just as his examination was
about to shift to other channels,
Chairman Peters, turning to the
judge asked il he desired to the
heard q
Witnesses Quarrel
The Judge was on his feet instant
ly. Moving over toward the table
across from which Mr. Ansell sat,
and refusing to be seated. Judge
Wescott for five minutes let loose a
torrent of denial declaring that An
sell lacked the physical, mental and
moral courage to step outside and
make the same charges to his face.
In the midst of the verbal attack
Mr.. Ansell broke in with the demand
that it it was to be debate he
wanted the right to speak.
Seeing possibilities of an impend-
stopped the controversy, but not un-
ing clash, Chairman Peters quickly
til Judge Wescott had fired few
more shots. Then, picking up his
hat, the latter walked out, with
courteous and smiling 'well, good
bye gentlemen"
kncw Nothing of Gold Cache
First denying that there was
shred of truth in the statement by
the late D. Clarence Gibboney of
that he had been en-
ployed in the Bergdoll case and paid
$1,250 for his services, Judge Wes-
colt declared he never went to see
of War Baker in Berg
dolls behalf, as Mr.. Ansell had tesri-
fled, and that he knew nothing what
ever Of the story Of Bergdoll buried
gold until he read of it in the news
papers after the prisoners escape.
Earlier in the day Mr.. Ansell had
testified that Judge Wescott ,as one
Of the defense attorneys, had dis
cussed with Gibboney and himself
the question of urging tn ewar de
partment to permit the draft dog
gers release under guard to go out
and find it.
Good Friend of Baker
H The fact was mentioned that the
Judge was a warm friend Of Secre-
tary Baker and the man who
had placed Woodrow Wilson in
nomination for president, both at the
and St. Louis conventions
Judge Wescott declared his only part
in the case was the sending to Mr.
Baker Of a, letter, inelosing the An
sell brief in the Bergdoll appeal
which he regarded as brilliant doc
ument and one which should have
the secretary's personal considera-
ton,