The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-10-26
CLINE IS ACQUITTED
OF KILLING BERGIN
Jury Headed by 23.Year-Old Stenog
rapher Brings In Verdict
Of Not Guilty.

Hackensack, n. j., Oct. 26-A jury
In Bergen county, headed by 25'
year.old girl, yesterday acquitted
George Cline, motion picture location
finder, charged with murder, udd al
so freed his brother-in.law, Charles
Scullion, and Alice Thornton, a
friend, Of charges Of being implicated
with him in the shooting to ceath OF
Daredevil" Jack Bergin, motion pic.
ture actor, following a trial consum.
ing less than II court hours.
The trial was unique in several
respects. For the first time In the
history OF judicial practice in New
Jersey, verdict in a murder trial
was handed up by woman, Miss
Susan Squires The evidence, which
resolved itself largely into series of
moral problems, was passed upon by
\ jury composed equally Of men and
women. And finally. it was one OF
the speediest trials ever held in a
state noted for the rapidity OF its ju.
dicial machinery.
The trial was opened at 10 on Fri.
day morning. In As minutes the jury
had been selected. AT 4.25 the same
afternoon, County Prosecutor Hart
announced that the state would rest.
and court was adjourned for the day.
Tuesday the defense opened and
,alled but one witness, besides Cline
and Miss Thornton, who testified In
their own defense. Court then was
adjourned and the jury was taken to
Edgewater for an examination OF the
Cline house, where II was alleged
| Bergin was summoned on the night
of August 25 to account for his con-
duct toward Cline's wife. and where
Cline testified he challenged the ac'
tor to a duel. when he said that Mrs.
Cline was "a bum and all women are
| Dad"
Yesterday the defense called FIVE
witnesses. four OF them in rebuttal'
before resting its case. Prosecuting
and defense attorneys summed up
briefly and Supreme Court Justice
Parker charged the jury at once. The
Jury retired at ! after an elapsed
time OF but IA court hours from the
seating OF juror No /. After one hour
and 40 minutes of deliberation, the
first ballot was taken, and the jury
sent word to Justice Parker that II
had reached decision.
The six men and six women jurors
hled into the jury box a moment
later. Miss Squires. slip of girl
rose in her place at the head of the
Ijury.
"Have you agreed upon verdict"
asked the court.
The words of her answer, I'VE
have" were caught only by the
clerk. despite the absolute silence
which prevailed in the courtroom
The rest OF what she said was lost
some of those within few feet OF
the jury box believed she had said
I"Guilty." and turned to communi
cate with those behind them.
Did you say Guilty. or Not
guilty asked the clerk.
| Miss Squires cleared her throat
Not guilty. she replied, and the
words we're audible throughout the
room.
| Supreme Court Justice Parker ii
thanking the jury, touched briefl,
on the services of Miss SQuires. Tht
!, jury filed from the box and left thu
! court.
/ The Cline residence in Edgewater
in a second-story room of which thu
shooting of Daredevil" Jack occurred
lust two months ago to day wa'
the scene of gay party last night a
friends and members of their families
welcomed the acquitted trio home.