Evening star., 1921-05-10
Warming LETTER
IN BERGDOLL CASE
Army Officers Told to Keep
Careful Watch, Col.
Hunt TestifieS.

| Military authorities at Governors
! Island. New York. were cautioned
against Grover Cleveland Bergdoll
prior to his escape, according 10 eFl-
i dence today before the House lnVes-
| lgatlng committee.
During the examination of Col. Johr
/ T.. Hunt. retired. comma ndant OF the
disciplinary barracks from wnich
Bergdoil set out on his gold hunulls
expedition, letter from Col. william
Weisel, chief of staff of the beparl-
msnt of the East, warming oiicers
against Bergdoll, was read. ihe IN
formation relating TO Bergdoli was
obtained, Col Weisel wrote, from tIe
Philadelphia police. Col. hunt r.
Gently was acquitted by court-mar'lal
on charges of failure TO pro'loe an
adequate guard for Bergdoll during
the trip to the Maryland mountains.
THE disciplinary barracks were
precisely exempted from cohurol ~
the department commander; III
Hunt said Il was told by Col. hum
phrey. my executive oihcer. tna' the the
letter actually was written oy inc
Judge advocate who was Trying
Bergdoli at the time. and was take n
by the judge advocate to the cniel
Of staff. Who signed it:
"But if it was signed by the cn'el
of staff theree was no reason not 10
comply with the warning, sald
Chairamn Peters.
"Eut nc had no jurisdiction over
mo " said Col. Hunt. who added, how
ever. that the Bergdoll guard was
increased.
Gold Obtained From Treasury.
The fact was established yesterday
through w. l.. Alexander. clerk IN
the Treasury Department, that the
mother of the draft dodger and a
oh IL
gold from the Treasury in the faii
of 1919. But from there the tran
was not uncovered by the committee
to the buried pot in the mountains
of Maryland.
James Romig, formerly police
magistrate of Philadelphia ana now
awaiting sentence on convection OF
conspiracy to aid Bergdoll in evad-
ing the draft, was the agent. Alexan-
der said, through whom $45, 900, the
first batch of gold. was obtained and
carted away. On his second trip to
Washington Romig was accompanied
by Mrs Emma C.. Bergdoll. also
together they drove to Philadelphia
with 100000 in gold tucked safely
beneath their feet.
Three weeks after his first visit
Romig returned with Mrs. Bergdoll
1t was brought out that at the very
-
ury big posters were displayed
everywhere offering a reward for the
capture of Bergdoll. the deserter.
What became of the treasure after
the Romig- -Bergdoll party left WASH
ington was not brought out at the
six-hour session yesterday. The off,
hand view was expressed by Alex
ander that Treasury folk who had
discussed the withdrawal the big
gest certainty in their recollection.
agreed that Romig and the woman
were foreigners who feared the
American government might be over
thrown and hence were eager to
hoard their fortune.
The gold chapter was related just
after Maj. Gen. March, chief of staff
of the Army, had given his views on
the subject of getting Bergdoll back
from Germany to serve his fve-year
sentence, and had declared that diplo-
matte moves now were under way to
get him. Bergdoll was described as
q bad specimen of deserter" by the
general. who frankly stated that he
would not have apelogized had
Americans succeeded in their efforts
to kidnap him on German soil.