The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-08-19

vestigating reports submitted to thu House since the close of the war where republican member joined with democrats and enabled them to file majority views.
 Hold Hunt Responsible The majority held that Colonel Hunt, commandant of the barracks at Governors Island, from which Berg doll set out on his erranG, was di. rectly responsible for the slackers s escape through failure to handcuff him. or to provide an adequate guard The minority after declaring that no officer of the army Knowingly par ticipated in the conspiracy" found grave dereliction of duty on the part of Hunt"
 As basis for it's criticism of
 Colonel Cresson the majority report said that "as ugly as are the many
 phases of the whole matter, none is more defenseless than the con duct of Colonel Cresson in his pre- tense of prosecution of Colonel Hunt" tried by court-martia1 in connection with the Bergdoll scandal. No refer ence tc Cresson was made by minor ity.
 Maj. Bruce B. Campbell, accused by Bergdolrs mother of having accepted S5,000 to help obtain freedom for the prisoner was exonerated by the majority. The minority reported that there was no evidence that Campbell was in any way connected yith the escape, but assumed the proper mili- tary authorities would institute such investigation as may be necessary to
 the end that Campbell may be ex onerated if not found guilty" Dismissal from the department of justice of Earl B. Wood, in charge of correspondence in the Bergdoll case, for failure to transmit to the war department warning from spe- cial agent that the prisoner was plan ming to escape, was recommended by the majority
 No Improper Motive Maj. Gen. Peter C. Harris, adjutant general of the army who authorized Hunt to send Bergdoll under guard to the Maryland mountains to search for the gold, was--charged by the minority with primary responsibil- ity for the situation, which made pos- sible the escape" Asserting that Gen. eral Harris did pot attempt to evade responsibility, the minority held there was no question of improper mo- tive on his part" adding that it was apparent his mind was readily over come by the strong statement of Ansell," that he would stand respon- sible for the safe return of the prison CT. The minority criticized General Harris for suggesting to Hunt. in- stead of ordering, that a commits stoned officer accompany the expedi- tion.
 The majority reported that the escape was the direct result of the proposition submitted by Ansell to General Harris,' and that even + Ansell did not conceive the plan, he presented it, and pursued it to it's accomplishment"
 Taking up alleged connection with the Bergdoll case of former Judge John w. Wescott. one time attorney general of New Jersey, the majority held 1t unimportant whether he act ually had legally represented Berg doll. The report declared "it was clear" that Ansell undertook to use
 Judge Wescott's name for the purpose of bringing to bear political 1n- fluence upon anybody in the then administration, who might be needed to make sure of the gold hunt re- lease, which at last spelled BergdoHa escape.
 Commend Property Seizure
 The majority sTtpOlt CohiA'ShuSN the seizure of the Bergdoll property by Alien Property Custodian Miller, and urged that he make every effort to produce $105,o00 in gold, obtained by Mrs. Emma c. Bergdoll from the treasury department and alleged to have been buried on her farm near Philadelphia This was put in at the insistence of Representative Luasfng, who declared the withdrawal of the gold was the foundation stone of she whole conspiracy. sss
 The minority held that while "un- occasionally a conspiracy existed to effect the escape of Bergdoll." 1t Gid moot find that any officer received any bribe or was approached with a view to bribery,'' but that the con spiracy was participated in by Grover
 Bergdoll the late D. Clarence Glb- boney. a Philadelphia lawyer: James F. Romig. formerly a Philadel,hia
 magistrate and friend of the Berg doll family; Ike Stetcher. the Berg. doll chauffeur. and possibly Mrs. Bergdoll" On this point. the major ity declared that Gibboney and inc
 Bergdoll group conspired to effect the slacker's release. but In order to successfully accomplish 1t, it was ab-