Changes

In 1986, the Crawford case was reopened in an 18-article investigative series by reporter Beth Brickell, who was reared in Camden during the 1950s.[3] Brickell's work was published by the former ''Arkansas Gazette,'' now the ''Arkansas Democrat-Gazette,'' owned since 1991 by Walter E. Hussman, Jr. Also a longtime Camden resident, Hussman he is the official publisher of ''The Camden News''.

In 1986, the Crawford case was reopened in an 18-article investigative series by reporter Beth Brickell, who was reared in Camden during the 1950s.[3] Brickell's work was published by the former ''Arkansas Gazette,'' now the ''Arkansas Democrat-Gazette,'' owned since 1991 by Walter E. Hussman, Jr. Also a longtime Camden resident, Hussman he is the official publisher of ''The Camden News''.

The series implicated Mike Berg in Crawford's disappearance because of evidence of a strong financial motive related to transactions affecting the estate of his late aunt Rose Berg. Mike Berg was a wealthy Camden businessman and a former state police commissioner, who had been appointed by then Governor[[Orval E. Faubus]]. Berg's widow, Helen Berg, threatened to sue the ''Arkansas Gazette'' over the series, but the newspaper continued to publish the articles over a five-month period. Mrs. Berg never filed suit.[1]

The series implicated Mike Berg in Crawford's disappearance because of evidence of a strong financial motive related to transactions affecting the estate of his late aunt Rose Berg. Mike Berg was a wealthy Camden businessman and a former state police commissioner, who had been appointed by then Governor [[Orval E. Faubus]]. Berg's widow, Helen Berg, threatened to sue ''The Arkansas Gazette'' over the series, but the newspaper continued to publish the articles over a five-month period. Mrs. Berg never filed suit.[1]

The series revealed that a state police detective, Odis A. Henley (1919–2001),[2] had found evidence linking Mike Berg to Crawford's disappearance and presumed murder. Henley told Brickell that he had been quickly removed from the case after discussing the evidence, and all of his files vanished from police headquarters.

The series revealed that a state police detective, Odis A. Henley (1919–2001),[2] had found evidence linking Mike Berg to Crawford's disappearance and presumed murder. Henley told Brickell that he had been quickly removed from the case after discussing the evidence, and all of his files vanished from police headquarters.

''The Gazette'' series identified a new financial motive for the alleged murder of Crawford. Mike Berg had an elderly aunt, Rose Newman Berg, who had been declared incompetent in 1955 by the Ouachita County Court. Maud Crawford was her lawyer and personal legal guardian.

''The Gazette'' series identified a new financial motive for the alleged murder of Crawford. Mike Berg had an elderly aunt, Rose Newman Berg, who had been declared incompetent in 1955 by the Ouachita County Court. Maud Crawford was her lawyer and personal legal guardian.

Brickell reported that a deed filed in this period of the 1950s in the nearby Hempstead County Courthouse in Hope, Arkansas, transferred timber assets belonging to Rose Newman Berg to Hugh Moseley, a timber owner who worked for Mike Berg. A second deed with the same date transferred the identical timber holdings from Hugh Moseley to Mike Berg. State Attorney General Jim Guy Tucker said that the deeds appeared to be "powerful evidence" that Mike Berg had sought to defraud his aunt. (Tucker later was elected as a [[U.S. Representative]] and governor, succeeded by [[Mike Huckabee]].)[1]  

Brickell reported that a deed filed in this period of the 1950s in the nearby Hempstead County Courthouse in Hope, Arkansas, transferred timber assets belonging to Rose Newman Berg to Hugh Moseley, a timber owner who worked for Mike Berg. A second deed with the same date transferred the identical timber holdings from Hugh Moseley to Mike Berg. State Attorney General Jim Guy Tucker said that the deeds appeared to be "powerful evidence" that Mike Berg had sought to defraud his aunt. (Tucker later was elected as a [[U.S. Representative]] and governor, succeeded by [[Mike Huckabee]].)[1]  

According to the nieces, Crawford had informed them before her disappearance that she intended to file a lawsuit against Mike Berg to expose the fraudulent deeds. Brickell found other timber deeds in the Ouachita County Courthouse that transferred additional assets over a period of years from Rose Berg to Mike Berg. One deed, noted as having a questionable signature of Rose Berg, conveyed a large acreage of timber in fifteen counties to Mike Berg, as well as properties in Camden, and an estimated 150 active oil royalties. When Crawford disappeared, Rose Berg's will also vanished. Mike Berg ultimately secured all of his aunt's estate. He granted $187,000 to each of Rose Berg’s nieces in exchange for a relinquishment of all claims to their aunt's estate.[1]  

According to the nieces, Crawford had informed them before her disappearance that she intended to file a lawsuit against Mike Berg to expose the fraudulent deeds. Brickell found other timber deeds in the Ouachita County Courthouse that transferred additional assets over a period of years from Rose Berg to Mike Berg. One deed, noted as having a questionable signature of Rose Berg, conveyed a large acreage of timber in fifteen counties to Mike Berg, as well as properties in Camden, and an estimated 150 active oil royalties. When Crawford disappeared, Rose Berg's will also vanished. Mike Berg ultimately secured all of his aunt's estate. He granted $187,000 to each of Rose Berg’s nieces in exchange for a relinquishment of all claims to their aunt's estate.[1]  

Based on ''The Gazette'' articles, in 1986 Bill McLean, the prosecuting attorney in El Dorado, where some of the land in question was located, reopened the case of Maud Crawford and these associated Berg deeds. McLean traveled to Ouachita County, against the wishes of Sheriff Jack Dews, to interview Jack Dorris (1915–1986),[2] who had been a bodyguard of Mike Berg. Dorris was dying of [[cancer]] and did not survive long enough for McLean to question him.[1] [5] Despite the evidence from Brickell's investigation, no one was prosecuted in the case, and Crawford's disappearance and likely murder were never solved.

In 1986, based on ''The Gazette'' articles, Bill McLean, the prosecuting attorney in El Dorado, where some of the land in question was located, reopened the case of Maud Crawford and the associated Berg deeds. McLean traveled to Ouachita County, against the wishes of Sheriff Jack Dews, to interview Jack Dorris (1915–1986),[2] who had been a bodyguard of Mike Berg. Dorris was dying of [[cancer]] and did not survive long enough for McLean to question him.[1] [5] Despite the evidence from Brickell's investigation, no one was prosecuted in the case, and Crawford's disappearance and likely murder were never solved.

==References==

==References==