New-York tribune., 1922-09-01
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Cli1le's Motive.
Hart Declares
That and the Complexity Of
Things Other Than Actor
Courtirig Wife Cause of
killing, Prosecutor Says
Wife's Brother Arrested
Charles Scullion Is Charged
With Murder After Civ
ing a Versions of ARRAY

While George A. Cline is preparing
in his prison cell to plead justifable
homicide on the strength Of the un-
written law, whereby it is universally
recognized that a man is given the
right to protect his wife and children
at ell times" Prosecuting Attorney
A. C. Hart is working on the theory
that the motives which caused him TO
shoot Jack Bergen in his home at
Edgewater. N. j., last Friday night
are more complex than rage and jeal-
ously over the film actors relations
with his wife.
In another cell in the Hackensack
Jail. distantly removed from his
brother in-law, is Charles Scullion,
the twenty-one- -year-old brother of
Mrs. Cline, who was arrested yester-
day by the Edgewater police, taken
to Hackensack and charged with muir
der. Since the night Of the crime he
has told four different stories of what
occurred in the Cline home before
Bergen reeled out mortally wounded.
More arrests are expected, although
the prosecutor said he did not con-
template any other moves within the
next week.
Two Pistols in Case
Young Scullion is checker in the
Warner sugar refinery. While he is
held as an accessory before the fact, in
the eyes Of the law his share in what
transpired may be held as important
as that of Cline. He lives with his
sister and was present on the night Of
the shooting. His first story was told
to Police Captain Dinan on Friday
night. The following morning he told
an entirely different one to the assist
ant prosecutor. Since then he has
given two conflicting versions. In two
of his four stories he admits having
gone upstairs to get pistol for Cline.
Two weapons figured in the shooting.
Neither one was in the hnds Of Ber-
gen, the state argues. In her story to
reporters Alice Elizabeth Thornton,
the pretty blond, who was the sweet
heart of the murdered man and who
was present in the house at the time
of the shooting, said that Cline told
Scullion to go up stairs and get pls-
toll in bedroom. He went up stairs,
did not see whether he had weapon
in his hand when he reeppeared, and
she did not see him give one to Cline.
IN his statement to the authorities
Cline said that Sculiion handed him
pistol when Bergen sought to escape
from the house after he had been in
vited to Eight it out"
Scullion was arrested by County De-
tectiye Nathan H. Allyn and Captain
pinan on warrant charging murder,
issued by Judge James D. Moore. He
was taken in a taxicab to Hackensack,
where he was taken before Judge
Moore. lie pleaded not guilty and was
rsmanded without bail. Then he was
questioned before being sent to the
county jail. When told of the arrest
Mrs. Cline wept bitterly, saying:
Cites Unwritten Law
my poor kid brother! Why did they
do it?n
She was driven to the prison, tear
sodGen and miserable, but she was not
allowed to see her brother. State Sen
ator William b. Mackay jr. will act
as his attorney. He issued his first
statement yesterday for Cline, indicat-
ing what line the defence WI, take
He said:
at is not my intention to eXpless an
opinion st this time regarding the
Cline case.
ut is apparent to me from N'hat ]
have already ascertained that DECEASED
took advantage of a situation at a
time when Mr.. Cline had placed I'M
pIicit confidence in him and naturally
expected it would not be violated. 1t
Ia universally recognized that a man
is given the right to protect his wlfe
and children at all times.
.tThe relationship of man ard VIZ:
Is one OF the most sacred, sa!lmn and
binding contracts in the eyes OF the
Creator. The law giving every man
and woman the sight to protect the
home and fireside should be invioiate
In many cases the unwritten law, which
includes self defence and lustiilabie
homicide, has bten recognized in this
and other countries"
"a Good Gallery"
Senator Maekay scid he would not
enter into more detailed discussion
OF, the case until he had time for
lone conference with Cline.
Commenting on the statement com