New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-07-20
congressman Told Slack
er Handed Over Money
in Belief Court Martial
Member Could Be Fixed
Officers Account
On Brokers' Books
Campbell, Accused by
Woman, Is Called From
West to Face Charge

WASHINGTON, July 19.--The charge
that $4,000 was paid to Major Bruce r.
Campbell, an officer of the army. for
use among "the higher ups" to obtain
the release of Grover Cleveland Berg
doll her Stacker son, was made to-day
by Mrs. Emma c. Bergdoll, of Phila-
delphia, to a House investigating COM
mittee. dispatch from Little Rock,
Ark, reported that Campbell denied
receiving the money.
Having heard of the charge, the com
mittee developed that on February 10.
1920, about ten days after Mrs. Berg
doll swore the money was paid, Camp
bell deposited $4,000 with Wassermann
Brothers, members of the New York
Stock Exchange, and $4,000 more on
March 3, all of which and more was
wiped out by the end of June in market
trading.
The money was deposited to the Joint
account of the major and Laura E.
Campbell, supposedly his wife.
Campbell Summoned
Major Campbell, who enlisted as a
private in the army in 1901 and served
overseas with the Rainbow Division
and who was Bergdoll's counsel in court
martial proceedings, was not present at
to-day's hearing. He previously had
testlhed that lie Gid not get one dollar
OF Bergdoll money, but at the direction
OF the committee the War Department
has ordered him here from Camp Pike.
AIEanSas, TO answer to-day's charges,
Called back to testify after govern
ment agents had picked up the Camp
oeI cIeW IN a renewed attempt to fix
responsibility for Bergdoll's escape
while hunting for buried tub of sop1 eold
Mfs. Bergdoll stood firmly on her con,
s'itutlonal rights and refused to answer
questions, but when assured by Chair
nan Peters Of immunity from prosecu-
toA she began her story. DECLARING
Campbell first demanded 100000.
told him to go to hell" she ex-
canned. He had tortured me into be-
neVing that my boy would be shot un
less the hIgher-ups were paid"
Under Flagpole
Questioned by John H. Sherburne. of
Boston, the committee counsel Ms
Bergdoll told how she had taken the
money pinned in her waist to Gov
ernor's Island and turned it over TO her
son. who met the major under a bje
nagpoie at the reservation and deliy
cred 1t. Later, she swore, Campbell
told her he had received the money
rom Bergdoll, but that under the law
lie coulG keep no part of it himself
ana had gwen it to an officer, whose
name she could not remember. 1t was
her understanding, she testified. that II
vas to go eventually to a member of
the court trying her son for evadine
the draft. '''
Pressed by Representative Luhring,
republican, of Indiana, Mrs. Bergdo7lil
sad she had not told the committee of
the transaction before because she had
forgotten it. Her son, she added. re-
Gently had urged her to tell of it.
Have you still got that S15O,O0O in
goid buried? ?" Mr.. Luhring shouted.
:, refuse to answer such question"
MIS- Bergdoll snapped.
Presenting stack of big ledger
sneets, Joseph F. Houlahan, bookkeeper
1or W',assermann Brothers, told the
TCohlhlittee C the records showed that
.ampbell had an account with the firm
IN y. l9l9' which had been closed prior
70 10 reopenlng the larger one in 1920.
OF the $500 placed with the firm last
year yea all was wiped out, with $415 still
due by Campbell.
while stationed at Governors Island
oanpDell, according to testimony of an
army intelligence officer, maintained
an account in a New York bank, de-
posting only his monthly pay check,
sssainst which he drew. The monthly
pslahces, ,, 1t was stated, sometimes
.snged .sg as low as 81 and never higher