The Washington times., 1922-09-05
PGGGYT(QD D
2 tales Of
ACCIDENT
Authorities Puzzled by Diver
sity Of Stories in Assault
on Dancers Husband.
nx usivssssi service.

PLATTSBURG,. NJ ", Sept. 5.
-Becauss Of the conflicting stories
told of the Shooting 81 Albert l..
("Buddy'J Johnson, husband of
Peggy Marsh, New York dancer,
Sergt. F. A. Boyce, son of the
commander Of the State Police,
declares he viii make a detailed
investigation of the affair.
Shot In Abdomen.
johnson was shot through the alb
domen last Thursday night while a
guest at Jack Cnfford's summer
camp on Lake Chateaugay and is
still in a critical condition at the
Champlain Valley Hospital here.
According to Sergeant Boyce,
there have been 30 many discrep-
ancies in the statements of Mrs.
johnson. Jack clifford. and others
in touch with the situation that he
Ia not at the moment certain that
Johnsons injury was wholly acci'
dental.
District Attorney Harold A. Jerry
did not remain in Plattsburgh yes
terday for a scheduled conference
with Sergeant Boyce. When Boyce
failed to appear, Jerry cranked up
his motor car and announced he was
off for an afternoon Of golf.
Sergeant Boyce said:
Amazing conflicts In the testi.
mony Of johnson and his wife de-
veloped yesterday which caused me
to be far from satisfied. In the
first place. johnson declared that
he shot himself with Jack Cliff.
ford's gun and his wife also said
the same. but Clifford 10 now posi-.
tive that the man was shot with
his own revolver. ,r.
''Then Peggy gave me two yer.
sions Of how the shooting occurred
Once she said he had accidentally
pulled the trigger. Afterward she
said the gun had been discharged
as a result of bel q dropped on
the floor. In fact, 1--we had diff.
Guilty in getting her to talk to the
members Of the johnson family at
all. They were very reticent about
the matter. The hospital author
tiles have also been rather reluctant
to permit us to carry out our in.
vestigation.
1--WE have definitely determined
that II was Jack Clifford himself
who made the dash across the lake
In a motorboat to call DR.. Thurber.
That in the face of a statement by
Mrs. johnson that an unknown
camp attache made the trip.
"Dr. Thurbur and Clifford had
cleansed the wound with iodine, and
IL there had been any powder burns.
they were not present when he tirst
examined the patient. The next
morning, when the party was ready
TO start for Plattsburgh with John
son, Clifford accompanied them as
far as Merrills Landing, where the
trail leads toward civilization. Why
he failed to come all the way to
Plattsburg with the injured man he
failed to explain.
Wanted No Publicity.
when. talked to Clifford he was
anxious to have the affair kept out
OF the papers. We have been unable
to learn the names Of any other
guests at the camp the night Of the
shooting"
Sergeant Boyce attempted to find
the shirt which johnson was wear.
ing when shot, but was told Il had
been torn up by Clifford and used
as bandages. Boyce was also unable
to locate the gun.
Boyce admitted tnat, despite con.
flicting versions. he has been unable
TO shake the story OF the accidental
shooting, and that unless new evi.
dence was disclosed, theIState police
investigation would have to be
halted where it stood,