The Washington times., 1922-08-29
SOFT COAL AC CTRESS
STRIKE IS HITS TALE
SETTLE D BY CLINE
Declares Bergen Was Killed in
Cold BIood-Denies Any.
Talk Of Duel.
By International News Service.

NEW YORK, Aug. 29.-Dam-
aging information against George
Cline, charged with the murder Of
John Bergen, an actor, was in the
hands Of Prosecuting Attorney
Hart of Bergen county, New Jer-
sey, for presentation to the grand
jury. o.. -.
According 70 stories told TO the
prosecutor by Miss Alice. Thorn
ton, a nineteen-year-old actress,
and Joseph Iurito, the latest fig
ure to enter the tragedy, Cline
did not propose a duel to avenge
an alleged wrong to his wife by
Bergen, but shot the actor in cold
blood.
Deny Story Of Duel.
Both Miss Thornton and Iurito
were in Cline's home in Edgewater,
N. J., when the shooting took place
Friday night. Both denied hearing
anything indicating that a duel was
fought or was to be fought. They
said they believed that Bergen did
not have a pistol in his hand. and
that he did not have a chance for
his life.
They declared they heard Cline &C.
cuse Bergen Of attacking his wife,
and that Bergen admitted the truth
Of the charge. Then, they said, Cline
pointed a gun at Bergen and ordered
him to go upstairs.
The pair disappeared UP the stair.
way, Miss Thornton and Iurito said.
and q moment later they heard a
AHf In taI q
body came humping down the stair.
way.
Told Cline OF Attack"
It was understood that II was Miss
Thornton, who first told Cline that
Bergen had been intimate with his
wife at Saranac Lake, N. Y. Miss
Thornton. Mrs. Cline, and Bergen
were at Saranac. Lake at the same
time, during the filming Of pic.
ture. Miss Thornton was invited to
the Cline home to confront Bergen
when Cline made his accusation.
Miss Thornton lives with her
grandmother in this city. Iurito,
who also was engaged in the NOV
ing picture industry, but not as
an actor, lives in Grantwood, n. J,
He had called upon Cline on the
night of the tragedy to see about
a contract.
Miss Thornton refused to make
any comment upon her statement
in the Cline tragedy. She said
that part Of the published account
Of her statement was true and
part was not" She said she was
going to New Jersey this afternoon
| for another conference with the au'
thorities Of Bergen county.
Bergen, so the actress Is said Ia
have told Prosecutor Hart, fell on
his knees and begged for mercy just
before the shooting.
This version Of the affair and other
facts brought out by a careful exami
nation conducted by Prosecutor Hart
has caused him to doubt Cline's story
that Bergen had an equal chance for
his life In the duel they fought in a
dark room.
Miss Thornton was very friendl,
toward Cline, and was a Saranas
Lake on the Fox location when the
alleged attack was made by Berger
on Mrs. cline In the hotel, which led
to the murder. She II was who told
CINE OF the friendship she had noted
between Bergen and Mrs. Cline"
|
opinion that she was the mystery cir
who lured Bergen to the Cline hom,
on the night Of the shooting.
A taxi driver was the first 10 tel
the authorities Of the girls presenc,
in the Cline home on the fatal night
He said he took the girl In his cat
from the Manhattan ferry to the muir
der home. She was very nervous, h,
said. and appeared more like a schoo
girl than a grown woman.
Staged Like Movie.
Hart Is of the opinion that afte,
the girl had told Cline Of her sus
picious concerning Bergen and tn,
dierctor's wife, Cline confront
ed his wife with the story and de
manded the truth. II was not untf
the morning Of the murder. however
that Mrs. Cline confessed to her hus
band that Bergen had attacked hei
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