Evening star., 1922-06-06

~
the door through which Bergdoll en-
tered What change between the
Bergdoll as l have known him IN
Philadelphia and the man as he ap-
peared at the trial. About five feet
six inches tail. he is clad in blue
serge suit, German style. A clipped
mustache adorns his upper lip. his
forehead shows signs of wrinkles,
and his head is bit bald. He is eX-
tremely nervous and apparently is
greatly worried.
His nervousness is evidenced by
the constant opening and closing OF
both hands. His facial expression Is
that of a typical coward. ana. some :
how, his sojourn in Germany has ient
him more the appearance OF a Ger
man than an American.
Prefers to Speak English.
Bergdoll is sworn. He repeats the
oath in German with a pronounced
American accent The judge requesls
him to give his testimony in German.
to which Beredoll replies that ne
could do better if permitted to use
English.
Mr.. Bergdon" the president of the
court remarks. you have been
brought up in a German home, all OF
YOUR people were Germans, aud YOU
have been among US for quite while.
should think that you should be
able to use the German language
just as well as English and l require
you to do so. and if YOU can't express
yourself thoroughly at times the in
terpreter will help you out
SO our friend made an attempt to
testify in German. as follows:
When the United States entered
the war against Germany the govern
ment enacted the 'conscription law.
I received notice that 1 would have
to Join the colors. knowing that If
required TO fight against Germany
and some of my own relatives, | made
up my mind that l would not submit
to the draft. and In order to avoid
this fed to Mexico"
At this point the president of the
court interrupted him with the ques-
tion
while you were in Mexico you wrote
a letter to the Philadelphia Public
Ledger that If you were permitted TO
come back to America and would not
be prosecuted for evading the draft
YOU wished to go into the Air Service
as a fier?"
To which Bergdoll made no reply
at all, because this would have been
a fat denial of his contention that he
did not wish to go to war against mis-
people in Germany. for most certainly
in the Air Service, as he is known as
a good aviator, he would have been
sent to France.
1t would be going too much into
details that are already well known
in America if I were to repeat Rerg-
dolls account of his activities in the
United States l shall therefore omit
so much of his testimony as brings
the case up to his escape from the
guards at Philadelphia.
BergdOlrs Virginia Treasure.
ION the way to the Nirginian
mountains. where / had told the au-
thorities I had hidden treasure.
told the two sergeants who We're act
ing as sentinels over me that l would
like to stop off at my home in Phila-
delphia They assented and SO we
went home. I had good meal pre-
pared for them and supplied them
with plenty of drinks. of which they
partook freely until they became
completely intoxicated.
previously notified my chauffeur.
Stecher. that l would try to make
getaway, and told him to have the car
in readiness. When I saw that the
guards were good and drunk. | quickly
got all my things together. jumped
out of the window into the waiting
car. and off we went. travelling day
and night in disguise through the
middle west and finally into Canada
At the border we paid the officials
substantial tip and were allowed to
go over without any trouble.
Obtain False Passports.
.It was an easy matter for us to
obtain passports as Canadian citizens.
and thus equipped with false papers
we set out for Europe. landing at
Hamburg. Germany We immedi-
ately notified our people at Eberbach
that we we1e coming, and when we
arrived at Eberbach we surely felt
safe from any further prosecution by
the Americans, but soon after our ar
rival we became suspicious OF a num-
ber of strangers who cam to Eber-
the Americans were again after me.
II therefore took the necessary pre-
cautions and counted upon the Ger
man government that 1t would see to
it that / had all the proper protection
of a political refugee In the country
of my forefathers. and your honor
knows we'll that I have shown my
gratitude in many ways to the people
of Germany, and I only hope that this
court will administer proper justice
to these Americans who so unscrupu-
lously violated the laws of this coun-
try and international laws.
Says Life Was Threatened.
THE evidence I may give with
reference to the attempt on my life
is brief. I was host to a newly mar
ried couple We had spent the after
noon at the Hotel Eur Krone at Eber-
bach, and toward evening we were
expecting some one else TO join us.
This party was to arrive here on the
o'clock train, and I suggested that
we go down to the station in my car
We arrived at the station at about 6
pm, and 1 was just getting ready to
leave the drivers seat when the de-
PENDANTS stepped up to me. Naef, with
a pistol in his right hand. which he
pointed directly at my chest. saying:
Hands up! We've got you. Bergdoll
This Is the American police
81 knew the Zig was up, and. with
quick jerk with my right hand I
knocked Naefs pistol out of his.hand.
rushed back to the steering wheel
and started my car. A few seconds
later 1 heard a shot and some inc in
the rear of the car screamed. / looked
around and saw that one of the girls
in the car was shot in the hand and
blood was flowing profusely there
from. A few yards from where the
hold-up took place I stopped the car,
as we saw that large crowd had as
semb1ed and that the criminals were
in their midst"
AS the Stacker concluded his testi-
mony, which at times he experienced
great difficulty to give in German and
often required the assistance of the
interpreter, he turned in the direction
of the two Americans, and. raising
his fists, as If attempting to hit them,
exclaimed: .,-...
You dirty American BUNS of that
'Coxey's army in Coblenz, these peo-
pie here are no fools, and they will
show you that they're bosses around
here"
Any court would have considered
such an attitude on the part of a wit.