The New York herald., 1922-08-30
Asserts Former Lover Was
Lulred to House and Slain
in Cold Blood.
MIXED JURY TO HEAR CASE
Prosecutor Says Evidence Is
Complete-Defense to Be
Unwritten Law.

The two women witnesses to the
| shooting OF Jack Bergin. movie actor,
by George A. Cline, location finder for
the Fox Films, told conflicting stories
Of the killing yesterday.
Cline's wife said her husband killed
Bergin in a fair fight after Bergin. in
her presence, called her an imprint
able name. Alice Thornton, formerly
Bergin's sweetheart, said the actor
was lured to his death and shot down
in cold blood.
The statement of third witness.
Emil J.. Iurrillo, a friend Of Cline,
supported Mrs. Cline's story. Iurrillo
said he happened In" and found the
two men quarreling. They went UP
stairs and he heard scuffie, followed
by shot. Then Bergin ran out of
the house mortally wounded.
| Mrs. Cline's statement is the first
she has made since the shooting last
Friday night. She will be the princi-
pal witness for Cline at the trial next
month, and his defense undoubtedly
will be the unwritten law. Miss
Thornton will be the chief witness for
| the prosecution
Sheriff Kinzley and Jesse DeGroff.
jury commissioners. drew panel of 100
| names for the September term yesterday.
Forty-nine were women. Indicating a
mixed jury. 1t Is understood both the
prosecution and the defense want women
on the jury.
Mrs. Cline Sees Husband.
Mrs. Cline went to Hackensack yes
terday and saw her husband in the
county Jail. When she returned to Edge
water she consented to talk, because she
wanted to correct a statement that APP
peared In one Of the newspapers that
she and Cline have been separated and
their house unoccupied for weeks pre-
ceding the murder.
We've been married nine years." she
said I'VE have lived together all that
time. The only time we were separated
was when George went on location trips.
He has Just finished a picture called
"Moonshine Valley" with Bill Farnum.
which was taken at Saranac Lake.
1T is not true we were unhappy. He
was fine man and did big things"
Mrs. Cline began to sob. She has been
i'll and under doctors care. she said.
since Ave weeks ago which is when she
charged Bergin attacked her in the st.
Regis Hotel at Saranac. She looked
weak and sick yesterday and broke down
frequently while she was telling her
story.
THAT'S not true what the papers said
about my husband being in the German
army" she continued. He was never
overseas and never took any pictures in
Belgium or won the Iron Cross. When
the war came he had to stay home and
take care Of me and the babies"
The Cllnes have two children. Conrad.
7, and Mildred 6. They were in their
grandmother's house, next door. on Fri
day night.
Declares There Was Struggle.
A statement by Miss Thornton TO the
effect that there was no struggle pre-
ceding the shooting was shown to Mrs.
Cline.
That's lie." she said. Nobody
could have been in the house and not
heard them struggling. There were five
OF us In the reception room when George
and Bergin went upstairs: my brothers,
Charlie and Lawrence Scullion, Iurrillo.
Miss Thornton and me.
They began to quarrel You know
how men are. George and Miss Thorn
ton accused Bergin and finally he said:
Yes. l know I'm no good. know
I'm q rat. but you know what all women
are That made George mad and he
wanted to fight. After while Bergin
said. All right I'll fight So they
went up. Bergin first and George fol-
lowing.
II tried TO run after them and stop
them. but Miss Thornton held my arms
You stay here, she said. You're In no
condition TO GO l heard them strug-
Cling on the floor above and then there
was a shot. After that ! don't re-
member exactly what happened.
thought my husband was shot and i
wanted to go to him. but Miss Thornton
held me-"
Mrs. Scuiilon, the grandmother said
she heard the shot from her house and
also heard quarreling voices and the
word flight" several times.
Expected Merely n Beating.
In reply 10 a question Mrs. Cline said
she and her husband had talked over"
Furnishing Bergin for what he had done.
when they said they were going to
fight" sho said, "1 didn't know what
they were going 10 do. | didn't see
revolver. They must have found IL up
stairs. | thought perhaps George was
going 10 beat him UP. He deserved IT.
Miss Thornton talked at her home In
514 West 13Gth street. where she lives
with an uncle and aunt. Mr. and Mrs.
II. II. Harris. She Is 10 and aspires TO
be a movie actress. She and Bergin
got on together "swlmmIngy' at first,
shc said Then they quarreled over Mrs
Cline and she would have nothing more
to do with him.
Cline asked her why she and Bergin
we're no longer friends. Miss Thornton
said. When she told him. he would not
believe 1t al first, but finally he arranged
Continued on Page Three.
KoDAKs FOR LABOR DAY 1856 orr.
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