The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1921-05-11
ALICE HUNT
CHARGES ARE
WH|TEWASHED
GOVERNORS ISLAND
COMMANDANT CRILLED
Record of Bergdoll Court
Martial Probe Is
Reviewed.

that Colonel John T.. Hunt. former COM
mandant at the disciplinary barracks at
,;,vrrno~s Island was "whitewaShcd
by 4 court martial resulting from ms
alleged failure to TAX" proper precau-
lions To prevent the escape OF Grover
Cleveland Bcrgdoll. Philadelphia draft
dodger, was made late today at the end
or : long session of the house inNesu-
eating committee.
Called before the committee TO tell
what precautions he had taken 10 safe
guard Bcrgdoll while on gold hunting
expedition to the Maryland mountains.
Colonel Hunt had been on The stand TOT
nearly five hours when "hwaS taken
in hand by Representative Johnson
Democrat. Kentucky. for grillinS
croSS-cNamination.
some Of the questions put TO the wit
ness were extremely blunt and OF per-
sonal na,ure. Then. after asking for Il
YES or no answer as to whether lie had
been given . fair trial and whether he
had been aggressivcly prosecuted, MI
johnson proceeded TO quote from the
court martial record certain statements
by the prosecuting officer directed nj
the good standing OF the accused.
Not vigorous Prococutton.
Us that a vigorous prosecuting
speech?", Mr.. johnson asked. and Hunt
instantly replied that it was plea Tor
his conviction as he SAW ii.
At this juncturc. John III. Shcrburne'
OF Rostun, counsel for the committed
intcrposed that it was only fair to read
from the Judge advocates address. n
course which the committee approved.
1t is my purpose to show. aithough n
call n
counsel for this committee" Mr.. John
son decla red. that the court-martiaI |
record contains more than suspicion
that this witness was whltewashed ana
that counsel participated only in half
hearted prosecution. And think ! Will
show more as l get further into 1t.
The loud changing Of the house bell
for n vote on the army hill and brief
informal discussion as to the adviSabll-
ity Of inserting the entire court martial
proceedings in the records OF the COM
mittce hearing broke up tho meeting at
this point.
Extracts from the iudg" advocates 3
address quoted by Mr.. johnson set forth
that the prosecution did not think or in
innate tina, Colonel Hunt wanted Berg
doll to escape, or was in any conspiracy
TO that end, and that 1t was realized
Hunt was the sorriest of all'' that the
prisoner got away
Record Not the issue.
Sympathy was expressed by the
prosecutor for the colonel. now retired,
and il was mentioned that he had made
"A ma gn nificent record rs an officer" but
that this was rot the question at issue,
and that there had been technical vio-
la,ion of military regulations in way
to bring diScredit upon the army.
The extracts read at the insiStence Of
Mr.. Sherburne related to the suggestion
Of General Harris. the adjutant general,
thai a commissioned officer be placed
in charge Of the expedition. Il SuggeS-
ton which was not carried out. The
prosecutor asked for a verdict OF guilty
on the specifications.
hunt Describes Plans.
Colonel Hunt. recently recovered from
a long illness. took no part in the dis
cussion. In the course OF his eHamina-
tion he described plans for Bergdoli 10
leave under military guard for Hagers-
town, Md, in search Of the buried gold.
and declared that no officer was availa-
bio at the time and that hc had the ut
most confidence in Sergeant Ollare. who
was directly responsible for the SAFE
return Of the prisoner.
Asked by Chairman Peters if the es-
cape was due to his own fault or 10
the incompetency Of the guard. Hunt de-
MED vigorously that he was responsible
for the mans escape. and added that he
did not want to characterize the con-
duct of the sergeant as dereliction Of
duty.
Summon Mrs.. Be-gdou.
Mrs. Emma c. Bergdoll mother OF the
draft evader, will be summoned to ap-
pear before the committee to explain
what became Of the $l05,0o0 In gold
obtained from the treasury. which her
son was released to recover. As she
is awiIting sentence at Philadelphia
within the next few days on conviction
Of conspiracy to aid her son in evadinS
the draft. the date OF Mrs. Rergdolrs
appearance has not been definitely set.
Our next stop will concern disposi l.
ton OF the gold which we now know
was taken from the treasury. John ).
Sherburne counsel for the committee,
said today.