New-York tribune., 1922-08-29
Two Who Heard
Bergen Confess
His Guilt Found
Blond Woman and Man Pres
ent just Before Cline
Slew Film Actor Remem-
ber Nothing of Challenge
Driven Up Stairs With Gun
Authorities Incline Toward
Theory Plan Was Made
to Bury Body Secretly

The police of Edgewater, N. j.,
found two witnesses last night who,
they believe, will throw new light on
the shooting of John Bergen, stunt
performer for motion pictures, by
George Cline, lot man for the Fox
Film Corporation, in the latter's home
in Undercliff Avenue Saturday night.
The new witnesses are Alice Thorn
ton, of 514 West 136th Street, Manhat-
tan, and Joseph Turilo, who lives at
407 Lafayette Avenue, Grantwood, N. j.
They had known of Miss Thornton's
presence in the house at about the time
of the shooting for some time, but did
not learn her name until last night. A
taxicab driver had told them of taking
blond young woman to CIine's home
Just before Bergen's arrival.
The woman was Miss Thornton.
Turilo was there also. He is in the
motion picture business and had called
to see Cline about some work he was
dong Tor the Fox company.
Heard No Challenge
According to the police, both Miss
Thornton and Turilo heard Cline de-
nounce Bergen as the betrayer of his
wife and heard Bergen admit the nc
cusation was true. While Cline has in
sisted that he challenged bergen to a
sedefsfr q darkened upstairs room and
forced him up the stairs at the point
OF pistol for that purpose, neither
Miss Thornton nor Turilo, according
to the police, recalled any mention Of
q challenge.
The police said the witnesses told
them that after Bergen had admitted
the truth of Cline's accusation the lat
ter leveled q pistol at him and forced
him to go up stairs, that moment
later there was shot and Bergen
came stumbling down.
Turilo is believed to be the driver
of Chevrolet car whose appearance
at the Cline home at about the time of
the shooting had mystified the police
UP to this time
Entered Cline Home
The blond young woman is, in the
opinion of Mr.. Hart, his most impor-
tant witness. He first learned of her
through William O. Brooks, who lives
at Hilliard Avenue and Edgewater
Place, in Edgewater, N. j. Brooks is a
taxicab chauffeur, whose stand is at
the New Jersey pier of the Fort Lee
ferry. Describing his encounter with
her, he said:
"She came on the 8:45 boat. She
wore light summer dress and was
about eighteen years old / doubt il
she would have attracted my notice if
she had not approached my machine.
She asked me il knew where George
Cline lived. When told her ] did she
got into the car: When we reached
Cline's home in Undercliff Avenue she
said: Will so cents be about right?'
told her it was and she entered the
house.
"As ] was driving away | saw David
Landau's taxi approaching. He had a
fare. had no idea then, of course,
but it was the man Bergen who was
shot in the Cline home q little later.
When drove up to the drug store near
the ferry / saw Cline supposed he
walked home from there"
Brooks's story has clinched in the
prosecutors mind the fact that Cline
was not at home to receive the man he
was going to kill. Mr.. Hart believes
young woman all may have been on
that 8:45 ferry, but he does not think
Bergen was aware of these two fellow
passengers.
Rests Upon Girl
Piecing Brooks's story with other
scraps of information obtained from
Cline, Mrs. Cline, her brothers and
others, Mr.. Hart has woven a fabric
Of theory concerning the part in this
tragedy Of the unwritten law that was
played by the blond girl. He has
learned she was one of the company
of film folk who were at Saranac when
the friendship of Cline for Bergen
was betrayed by the stunt" mans
pursuit of Mrs. Cline. Mr.. Hart be-
lieves that it was this girl who first
conveyed to the husband a suspicion
Of the act that was the motive for the
killing of Bergen.
Cline is understood TO have con-
tContinued on paes ssveu)