The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-08-27
PLAYS WITH FIRE,
MOVIE HERO DEAL
Mate Of Woman Playc
Wronged Kills Him
Near New York
PLEA SELF DEFENSE
Bergen Challenged TO Duel
but Tried 20 Attack Host
Who Fired

lly the international Nevs Service
NEW YORK. Aug. 2G...1ohn
Bergen. a handsome picture actor
!lss dead today. the victim Of u ira.
Eody With an the thrills pHd sonsa
tons of uim drama lla was r".
ported 10 hove refused to participate
IN duel with tho husband NJ q
woman ho was rumnrod o. have
wrourcd
As he lay dylnl. ucrgcu drew
from h'a pocket n clip of paper on
which were the arraWlod words.
George cline Killed mo"
Cline was arrested uud today wa
prisoner in the u0ekHussck, ~. j..
jail charged with murder
Cllnr says Self Defense.
Cline Insists that he shot I'm self
dcfouge when Bergen attacked b m
BERGEN. II seems. hHl been sum mon
ed unexpectedly To the Cline home
whore he wna suddenly confronted
by the husband.
The trugedy took place IN the
Cline home, a pretty v!uc.olad place
in tdgewater, y, j. Just across the
Hudson river from Graut9 tomb on
Riverside drive
Cline, who has been directing
pictures for the william Fox com
panY at Fort ice. in the presence Of
his wife and her two brOthors, &C.
cusCd Bergen Of Wrcckiug his hum,
cline following the shooting. told
the police he had sent for Berge.
after cXactinR from his wifo re-
tails OF an iuCldcnt which, he re
clnrcd. she said took place az Sar
Rnnc lake, N. y. recently Al the
time cline said his wife and BERGEN
were at the lake. taking part In q
film production when he accused
Bergen at last nlghta dramRtl"
meeting. Cllne said the film actor
brnzoly admitted tho Incident and
calmly demanded: "Woll what about
~"
Bergen also added contemptuous
remarks dlsparagins to Mrs Cline
the husband sad. Thereupon Gin,
rotorted;
"wcu, 80 tong as you feol that
way about II, let us settle this mat
er IKE two men"
Duel was Suggested.
Crossing the floor OF the dining
room. Cline drew from tho drawer
OF "a closet two duclllug pistols
There Is a big empty room up
stairs. we will 20 up there and
fight II out" suggested Cline. "No
one will bother us. II Is tho chiv0l-
rous thing to do"
The W fe stood by, her hands
clasped on her breast, ho face ashcn
gray with fear Her brothers made
no move Upstairs the cline child
ron, aged 7 ana b, lay asleep.
The TWO mon started upstairs
bent on their grim business, each
with pistol in his hands ncrhcr
went first. followed by Cline. Ac-
cordlng TO the story told tho police
by Cline. the actor suddenly halt-
ed on the stairway, turned and
pointed his weapon at Cline. Cline
said he leapcd forward and attempt
ed to wrcst the pistol from Borgon's
hand, The pistol foil TO tho stair
way, Then, according TO Cline, the
actor drew "a blackjack from HE
pocket and lungod blow M hi.
head. II was then, Cline said, that
he raised his pistol and tlrod on,
shot,
The bullet struck tho actor Just
over the hoUrt ana no crumpled up
che body Il ding down the siUirwa,
past Cline, leaving n trall of blood
in its wake.
Tho bleeding body was brough
up with bump nj the bottom o
the stairs Just in from, Of Mrs. Clin'
md her brothers. Bergen wa
breathing with ions hrca;hs hut "al
conscious with q painful effort h,
staggered to his feet ana made 10
the door lie lurched from the pnrci
and DISAPPEARED IN the darkness.
Hu band Bcirlcndcd Actor.
a half hour later the dying Rcto
was found lying on the river ron,
near the Edsewater ferry station
nearly half n mile from tho spo
where ne had been shot,
A taxi-cah chauffeur saw tho bod
lying in tho roadway In q pool q
blood with his last strength h
scrawlCd the accusation aEains
Cline. He drew this from his pocke
when POI Ceman came up,
Bergen died before doctor ar
rived. lie was conscious ana gam
10 the last.
Cline told the police he had me
Bergen AT salt Lake city. Utah, an
had befriended him, helping him {
make his way upward In the movin
picture profession lie 81 q Berge
had given his wife Wine at S1raua
lake TO weaken her moral re
4lgYnpFa