Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1921-06-02
Be RGDO[L RICHES
SEIZED BY j. 5.
Harding Orders S!acker's Prop
erty Taken Under Wartime Act.
PROPERTY CUSTODIAN ACTS
Realty and Cash Taken by Presidents
Order Amounts to About $85O,OOO
May Force the Stacker to
Go to Work.

Philadelphia, May 2S.-Al of the
property in this city of Grover Cleve-
land Bergdoll, convicted draft evader.
now in Germany, valued at about
$S5O.GOO, was seized by Col. Thomas w.
Miller, alien property custodian. The
property consists of real estate and
money in four banks.
The seizure, Colonel Miller an
nounced, was by direction of the Pres
ldent, and under the authority of the
trading with the enemy act. 1t was
the first seizure since June, 1919.
The property was held by Mrs. En-
ma G. Bergdoll, Growers mother, I'M
der power of attorney.
"BergdoiI Castle" Is Seized.
Accompanied by Maj. Vincent A.
Carroll, his personal attorney, Colonel
Miller seized the "Bsrgdoll castle" ON
the outskirts of this city, where Mrs.
Bergdoll lives. This property was left
to Grover by his father, Mrs. Bergdoll
owning a residence in the city in a
section locally known as Brewery
town."
"Well, when do l have to mover
said Mrs. Bergdoll when served with
the seizure notice.
Colonel Miller end Major Carroll
then proceeded to the Peoples Trust
company, the Northwestern National
bank, the Real Estate Title Insurance
and Trust company and DreXel &
he
ton of all property standing in the
name of Mrs. Bergdoll until the inter-
est of Grover in the funds in the
banks could be aScertained.
President Schmidheiser of the Berg
doll Brewing company was served
with a similar order tying up
Growers holding in that company
All mortgagors to Grover and the
tenants in his properties will be
served likewise, Colonel Miller an
nounced.
1t is expected the seizure will cut
off all funds Grover may be receiving
from the United States and throw
him upon his own resources in Ger
many.
Custodian Explains Seizure.
Washington, May 28.--Grover Cleve-
land BergdOll, by reason Of his escape
to Germany, is now held by the Amer
lean government to be an enemy"
within the meaning of the trading
with enemy act. This is explained in
a statement made public at the office
Of Thomas w. Miller, alien property
custodian.
The alien property custodian issued
the following statement:
Eat the personal direction of the
President of the United States and in
accordance with an opinion of the
attorney general, l have gone to Phila-
delphia to seize such property belong
ing to Grover Cleveland Bergdoll as
has been reported to the alien proper
ty custodian as being his own prop
whatsoever, whether owned and adj.
ministered directly by him or through
power of attorney given to any men,
Der of his family.
''This move has been in cOntempla-
ton for several weeks and has been
the subject of conference between the
President, the attorney general and
the alien property custodian. The
State department has amended the
general war trade board license of
October 2, 1920, which permitted Berg
doll to enjoy the benefits of his prop.
erty in this country.
"Bergdoll, in addition to his other
crimes against this country by reason
of his evasion of the draft laws and
subsequent escape, is today an enemy
under the trading with the enemy act.
'The intention of the alien property
custodian is to administer and operate
the property seized from Bergdoll as
that of any other enemy's held by
him, until congress directs what dis
position is to be made of the enemy
property in the hands of the Gus