Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-08-14
.BERCDOLL STAYS
WOULD-BE K|DNAP FER
IN GERMAN HOTEL

EBERBACH, BADEN, Aug. IL
(By Associated ss.)-Grover
Cleveland Bergdoll, the American
draft evader, shot and killed one
man and wounded another last night
when men concealed in his hotel
apartment seized him in a kidnapping
attempt.
Two other men waiting outside in
an old American army automobile
with an American shield on the
side were arrested after being men
aced by a crowd. The German au-
thorities said one was an American
army lieutenant and the other a
Russian prince.
Both Of Bergdoll's ASSISTANTS were
identified as Frenchmen, in the serv-
ice of Americans.
The police arrested the two Amer
leans in order to save them from
the crowd which threatened to lynch
them. Those in the hotel said that
the two men who went inside tried
to choke the draft evader.
Bergdoll said the men seized him.
but that he broke free and then
drew a pistol and fired.
The reported attempt Of Ameri-
cans to kidnap Bergdoll and spirit
him outside the jurisdiction of Ger
many. was the second since he
escaped from military authorities in
the United States in 1920 and
sought refuge abroad.
BergdoH and his brother, Erwin,
were the most notorious draft
evaders in this country during the
World war. Erwin served SEN
tence at Leavenworth and only re-
Gently was released to return to the
home of his wealthy mother, Mrs.
Emma Bergdoll in Philadelphia.
Grover made several attempts TO
escape the custody of federal au-
thorities At last, while he was or
leave at his mothers home, in Gus
tody of soldiers, he made good his
escape.
As his guards slept, he drove
away in big automobile, across
several states and into Canada,
eluding capture and getting aboard
a ship bound for Europe, although
all police of the cities through
which he passed and hundreds OIL
secret service men were bending
every effort to make him prisoner.
Believing secret service men We're
still after him, Bergdoll Ned for his
life to Switzerland, Bavaria. Aus
tria and back to Switzerland.
He was married to a waitress laset
January, said reports which Berg
doll promptly denied upon his re-
turn to Eberbach.
Mrs. Bergdoll, the fugitives moth
err. has been in almost constant liti-
cation with the government in an
effort to obtain from the alien prop
erty custodian what is left of huge
estate a large part Of which Is re-
ported to have been spent In a VAIN
attempt to keep her sons out Oh
prison. On last July IL she was
granted passports to sail Tor Ger
MANY to visit Grover, but, although
she had booked passage, she either
sailed under an anonymous name or
changed her plans and returned 10
Philadelphia, for it has not been oen-
nitely established whether she
sailed. "''' ed"
The escape was so sensational and
Bergdoll so openly tainted the gov
eminent about the ease with when
he accomplished it that congress
sional inquiry was held, and those
responsible severely reprimanded.
Hardly was the fugitive comfotr-
ably set up in a hotel in Eberbach'
Baden, when early in 1921, five men
attempted to abduct him and MS
confederate, Isaac Stecher. An
American girl was wounded in the
ensuing pistol battle.
Two of the would-be kidnapers
were reported to be American mill
tary intelligence operators. One, Carl
Neuf. was sentenced to German
prison for IS months. He later was
released, enlisted in the American
forces on the Rhine, and returned to
this country late in 1921.
Meanwhile three governments had
taken diplomatic steps to obtain
BergdOll by eXtfadltlOn. Inc OlIIIeu
States sought him on the ground
that he was an escaped prisoner OF
the government. Canada and Eng
land charged he forged the names OF
British officials to his passports. But
Germany declined to take hand.
or to release the Americans captured
in the attempt to kidnap the refugee.
WAR DEPARTMENT DENIES
ANY PART IN ATTEMPT
WASHINGTON, Aug. 11.-(By the
Associated Press)-War department
officials expressed interest today in
reports of the attempted capture of
Grover Cleveland Bergdoll in Ger
many, but denied that the depart
ment or any of its representatives
had had anything to do with tho az
fair. There was no significance in
the fact that an old army car was