GERMANY: Bergdoll Triumphant

Some hundreds of curious-minded peasants streamed into the little town of Mosbach last week to attend the trial of Grover Cleveland Bergdoll, famed Philadelphia draft dodger, who was arrested (TIME, Feb. 22) on a charge of having seduced, three years ago, Fraulein Leisel Schmidt, Heidelberg schoolgirl, then 14.

During his two months' imprisonment, Mr. Bergdoll has had the freedom of the prison garden, has dined exclusively upon meals supplied by a neighboring hotel, has grown a mustache. He appeared nervous and acutely conscious that a possible ten-year sentence might await him if convicted. Large drops of perspiration dampened his brow as he took the stand in a courtroom from which spectators were excluded "for the protection of public morals."

He testified that he had been engaged to the girl, three years ago, but had broken off the engagement when he found she was more enamored of a certain Heidelberg student. Fraulein Schmidt testified that her seduction by Bergdoll had taken place before their engagement. She was not, however, able to recall clearly the circumstances which she alleged and contradicted the testimony of her mother upon several points. Finally Professor Hans Gruhle, head of the Psychoanalytical Clinic of the University of Heidelberg, testified that he had examined the girl and found her "of subnormal mentality and untrustworthy." It was also considered significant that one Robert P. Sachs, said to be a German-American private detective and the man on whose initiative the seduction charge was preferred, did not appear at the trial but has returned to the U. S.

The Court, "consisting of a judge and two jurors," pondered well for ten minutes, declared Bergdoll not guilty.

To pressmen he said: "It was the greatest scare of my life! . . .

"This is another dirty American frame-up which I have succeeded in squashing. . . .

"I am through with Americans. I have lost all respect for Americans, because they have hounded me and by underhanded methods, such as the employment of Sachs, have tried to throw me into jail. But the accounts are not closed. I will file a counter suit for damages and libel against Sachs."

Striding to a nearby cafe, Mr. Bergdoll ordered a bottle of wine for every policeman and court official at Mosbach. Amid cheers, he departed by motor for Ebersbach, his usual centre of activities.