The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-05-18
MRS. BERGDOLL IS
FINED $1,000 OR
YEAR IN PRISON
Like Fine and Same Alterna-
tive Imposed on Two Co.
defendants, and Two
Fined $1,000 Each

Hnllauelpnla, May HINTS. EHlnla u.
Rergdoll was today sentenced to pay a
fine of $1,000 for the part she was
convicted of having taken in the eva
sion of the draft laws by her sons,
refuses or fails to pay the fine, Judge
Dickinson of the United States district
court imposed the alternative sentence
of one year and one day in the federal
penitentiary at Atlanta. Her fine must
be paid by June 10.
A like fine with the same alterna-
tive, was imposed upon two of her CO.
defendants in the conspiracy case. One
was her son, Charles f. Braun, who
chAnlged hsEseiariisy because or the NOS
toriety achieved by his brothers. ana
the other her lifelong friend and coun-
sellor, James e. Romig. The two other
defendants, Albert Mitchell and Harry
Schulz were fined $1,000 each, with the
alternative of spending six months N
the Mercer county jail : at Trenton,
\. j.
APPEAL FILED
Counsel for the defense Immediately
filed formal appeal from the sentence
This action, the clerk of the court ex-
planned, was for the purpose of staying
execution of the sentence, as otherwise
the defendants would have been sent to
Jail Immediately.
Judge Dickinson, in pronouncng SEN
tence upon Mrs. Bergdoll, declared
there was no way of ascertaining how
much of her guilt was the act of a
fond and foolish mother and while her
motive did not affect her guilt, it might
mitigate the punishment, Her heaviest
punishment, he added would be the
thought that her sons had brought dis
grace upon her.
mo one, would wish to see a mother
sent to Jail for merely helping her
sons, he said. In sentencing Romig,
who is 70 years old, Judge Dickson
said his only claim to leniency was
his age.
AS she walked out of the courtroom,
Mrs. Bergdoll turned to newspaper men
and said:
Never will pay a fine. Perhaps +
shall go to jail. Maybe I'd be better
off so.''
The five defendants were released in
$4,000 Bail each, pending an appeal.
HEARING NEARS END
Washington, May 1.-THE House
committee investigating the escape OF
Grover Cleveland Bergdoll, the draft
dodger got down to the loose ends to-
day without another glimpse of the
rair bow which was supposed to point
the way to the pot of gold. Only few
more witnesses are to be examined,
and the committee expects to close
public hearings tomorrow.
1t was established to the satis:ac-
ton Of the committee today that d.
Clarence Gibboney. counsel for Berg
doll and the man who arranged the ex-
I, =
to find the buried treasure, was
drowned in Mexican waters last win
ter Because of persistent reports that
Gitboney was alive on foreign soil, the
committee called DR.. William H. T.
Collins, a Philadelphia dentist who de-
clared positively that Gibboney was
dead. The dentist said he had ex-
amined the body shipped to Philadel-
phia from Mexico and that Identified
tior was established by the teeth.8
Gibbcney's young son. law student,
and administrator of the estate. was
called as a witness, but said he knew
absolutely nothing about Bergdoll. He
identified check for $3.50 signed by
his father shortly after the prisoners
escape. and made out in the name OF
former Judge j. w. WescQtt OF New
Jersey, but he was unabll Ito say for
what purpose the money was paid.
Maj. Bruce Campbell, who defended
Bergdoll at his trial by t-martial
for evading the draft and who, accord
ing to previous testimony, had sug-,
gested to the Bergdolls that Judge
Wes colt be kept in the background,
declared he never heard the judges
name mentioned. and knew nothing Of
any report that he was counsel for the
defense. From the beginning, Judge
Wescott has denied all part In the
case. fatty contradicting the testi-
mony Of Samuel T.. Ansell, former act
ing Judge advocate general Of the
army and Edward s. Bailey his law
partner, that he also represented the
Stacker.