The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-05-10
MUCH GOLD PASSED BEFORE ESCAPE OF GROVER BERGDOLL
Investigation Into Escape of Draft Dodger Seems to Show Several Parties Are Try
 ing to Pass the Buck
Rx Associntod Prees

Washington, May s.-The fact was es- abolished today through W. l.. Alexander, clerk in the treasury department, by the House committee investigating the escape of Grover Cleveland Bergdoll that the mother of the draft dodger and g friend actually obtained sl05,Qo0 in gold rom the treasury in the fall of 1919. But from there the trail was not uncovered hy the committee to the buried pot in the mountains of Maryland
 James Romig, formerly police rnagis- trate of Philadelphia and now awaiting sentence on conviction of conspiracy to aid Bersdoll in evading the draft was the agent Alexander said, through whom $i5,oo0, the first batch of gold was ob- tained and carted away. On his second trip to Washington Romig was accom- panied by Mrs Emma C. Bergdoll also awaiting sentence for conspiracy and to- gether they drove to Philadelphia, with s6o,o0o in gold tucked safely beneath their feet.
 When he made his visit to the treas ury Romig found clerks unwilling 10 turn over even $20,000 their own re- sponsibility, and, Alexander said, he tuned and fretted about the corridors until his application was laid before R. c. l.effingwejl, then an assistant secretary, and approved. This amount was given in exchange for gold certificates but once it had been placed within an automobile il the shadow of the treasury building, Roinig went back for more. There was some delay, according to the witness, Jerks refusing to make a second ex- change on the one order, but in the end Romig got it.
 EMBARGO ON GOLD
 There was no embargo at that time on the withdrawal of government gold, but the policy of the department, as ex- plained by Alexander was to keep it in the vaults by placing diplomatic onsta- cles in the way of people seeking it.
 Three weeks after his first visit Romis returned with Mrs Bergdoll. it was brought out that at the very moment the woman was at the treasury, big posters were displayed everywhere offering re- ward for the capture of BergdoH, the de- serter.
 Romig. satisfied with the results of his first trip, pushed a bundle of bills, almost as big as a boy, through the wicket window and after some delay Alexander, said. and with the approval of the 1reasurar, struggled down the cor riders with more gold than stevedore could lift o.ooO, mostly eagles
 What became of the treasure after the -Bergdou party left Washing ton was not brought out at the six hour session today. The offhand view was expressed by Alexander that treas ,Iry folk who had discussed the with erawal as the biggest certainty in ther 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.
 Council for Bergdo2l already had told the committee they had checked on the trail of the gold and were convinced It had been taken from the treasury and buried. and that they were impressed with the sincerity of the deserter that he wanted to recover it.
 THE GOLD CHAPTER
 The gold cha pter was related 1ust after Major General March, chief or stan of the army, had given his views on the subject of getting Bergdoll back from Germany to serve his rive-year sentence, and had declared that dipio- ratic moves were under way to get him. Bersdoll was described as bad speci- men of deserter' by the general, wno frankly stated that he would not nave apologized had Americans succeeded Tn their efforts to kidnap him on German E soil.
 Other witnesses during the day were Edward S. Bailey, law partner of Sf nel T. AnselI, former acting judge Ao- vocate of the army and counsel TOT Bergdoll, and Col. Julius A Penn, as sistant to Major General Harris, ad- iutant general of the army.
 Mr. Baily, in concluding his testimony. reiterated that former Judge John w.
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