Great Falls tribune., 1921-05-12
0'HARE POSITIVE
WRITTEN ORDER.
NOT GIVEN HIM
Wanted to Handcuff
Prisoner, But Superior
Officer Baked.
Evader Is Sent From Is
land in Uniform of In
fantrynan, He Ayers.

Washington. May lin giving q
first hand account of the escape OF
Grover Cleveland Bergdoll, the Phila-
delphia draft dodger, Sergeant John
O'Hare, who was in command of the
escort which started out with Berg
doll from Governors Island for the
house investigating committee We'd
nesday that he had never heard word
about the buried pot of gold until long
after the prisoner had fled
O'Hare was positive in the asser-
tlon that when he started out for the
mountains the only instructions he re-
ceived from Col. John e. Hunt, his
superior officer, was to proceed with
the prisoner to Hagerstown, Maryland,
to another bank at Philadelphia, and
return to the barracks,
No Written Orders.
There were no written orders ex-
cept to stop off at North Philadelphia,
meet the late p. Clarence Gibboney,
Bergdoll's lawyer, and thereafter be
guided by what Gibboney said, the wit
ness declared. O'Hare declared he
wanted to handcuff his prisoner, but
that Hunt refused.
~ was w 0AOOVACy . UINCAs He bdlA,
that the party halted at Philadelphia.
went for a long automobile ride, with
Bergdoli at the wheel, visited a bur-
lesque show and stopped at the Berg
doll home, from which the prisoner
escaped.
The sergeant told how Bergdoll. who
had evaded the draft for couple of
years, was sent from the island in the
full uniform Of an enlisted man with
n hat cord indicating that he belonged
to the infantry branch Of the service.
Covers Step by Step.
Step by step he told Of the various
moves, UP to the moment when Berg
doll walked into bath room to answer
the telephone. He was never seen after
that to this day, the sergeant said he
does not know how he got out. Ex-
cept for that single moment, he de-
clared. the prisoner was never out of
his sight.
No amount OF cross examination
could bulge the witness from his state
ment that he was in entire ignorance
of any plan to 60 out and dig up the
buried gold.
Mrs. Emma G. Bergdoll. mother Of
the man who was sent to Washington
to get $1O5, 900 in gold from the treas
ury, were around the Bergdoll home
all the time the party was there,
O'Hare said. While not shooting pool
or reciting Shakespeare, Grover. he
added, was walking about, perfectly at
ease.
Mother Greatly Excited.
When Mrs. Bergdoll learned that her |
son had gone she was greatly excited, |
said O'Hare. The woman and Mr.. |
Romig. he added. tried to persuade
him not to worry. assuring him thar
Bergdoll would be back after while.
As the guards were being entertained,
a bottle Of gin mysteriously appeared
In the pool room, O'Hare testified, but
he did not touch it. York. however.
drank some of it but was warned by
O'Hare to let it alone.
Tears filled the eyes Of the little
sergeant as he told the committee of
his return to the Island, empty handed.
with barely enough money to pay his
fare. He was tried later by court
martial and acquitted
Former Judge John w. Westcott,
Of New Jersey, who has denied the
testimony of Samuel T. AnseIl, that he
was consulting counsel. and Romig,
the gold messenger and general boss
around the Bergdoll home on the day
Of the escape, will testify Thursday.