Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-10-25
Look for CLine's
AcQlIittdl Today

Continued from Page One
veloped into an expert with the weapons.
! Taking one of the pistols used In
the fight between Rergcn and Cline on
the night of August %. he demonstrated
| its use TO the jury, saying that n mere
squeeze would discharge the weapon.
Captain Egan. who has been an ofR :
Ger in the First Field Artillery in which
Bergen IS said to have served. said that
| the pistol used in the shooting was of
the same type about which he had in.
structed Bergen.
with the case OF the defense resting
| for the present. the first rrbuttnl wit
ness, Joseph Eurilo. was called by the
Assistant Prosecutor.
Supreme Court Justice Parker was
still celebrating whether he should
allow Senator Mackay to introduce wit
nesses who would testify to Bcrgen's $
immoral character, evidence to which
the prosecutor objected as being irrele-
want when he decided to adjourn the
court so that the jury could make n
visit to the Cline home. 100 tndercliffe
avenue, Edgewater. y. j.
To Verify Testimony
The purpose of the visit. which was
proposed by Senator Mackay. was to
enable the jurors to verify for them
selves tho fact that light could be seen
through the steps, which Bergen and
Cline nscended before the shooting
occurred and through the hole in the
door which had been introduced as evi =
dence at the trial.
The case, which has moved $50 swiftly
during its two days duration is ex-
pccted to come TO n close today, as it is
not anticipated the jury will be in re-
tiremcnt long.
4 girls folly. woman's tragedy
and mans cruel betrayal by his bes!
friend were the pictures which flashed
| before the tense spectators who wer'
in the crowded courtroom.
Miss Thornton is only nineteen. And
as she took the stand to testify in her
own behalf. she seemed like a pale
golden butterfly. dropping and crushed.
1t was the impulse of the moment. she
said. which led her to tell George Cline
of her former Swccthearts intimacy
with Mrs. Cline. Only an impulse. but
it had its end in the tragic events which
led to her sweetheart's death and her
own arrest as his murderer.
Governed by Impulses
She seemed to be governed by i'm
pulses, this slender. blond girl, who
says she did only what she thought was
right and best. One minute she smiles
the next her head is bowed and her eyes
cast down. Even her tears seem t.
have no depth, for they are soon gone.
She looks around the courtroom curt :
ously. or Straightens her shoulders In
pitiful dignity, but they soon drag down
again, and there is look of frightened
wonder on her face as she marches out
Of the room before the attendant And
then the smile comes again. and you
know what Il very happy smile it mug,
have been until it was banishcd by the
charge Of murder.
Most of the time Mrs. Cline sits
quietly, her children by her side. the
little boy scraping his toes against the
seat in front of him, her daughter
tossing back her blond curls as she
dances her fingers over the keys of q
make believe piano in front of her.
Even when she bowed down in her grief
sObbing in little gasps and moaning,
the children seem to have no idea what
is wrong with mummy" and only
awkwardly try to comfort her, reaching
out chubby hand to pat her arm.
The womans gaze seldom leaves her
husbands face, and the Only time her
expression changed from one of stern
control or bitter torture was when a
pitiful smile twitched at her lips in re >
sponse to Il look of tender encourage
mcnt. which her husband gave her as
she came down from the witness stand.
Wanted TO COnfide IN Husband
II wanted to tell my husband every
thing, but it was fear for his life that
kept me from it, she said.
Weak, perhaps, but strong. too, for
she took the hardest way and rather
than plead for the forgiveness which
she knew she would receive from her
husband and share her secret burden
with him. she chose rather to suffer in
silence rather than cndanger his life
TO both Alice Thornton and Mary
Cline today will bring life or death, for
whatever is George Cline 3 tate his wife
will suffer accordingly.
An opportunity to rebuild their shat
tered lives. to take up anew the threads
Of hope. this Is what both women
prayed for during the night. But they
prayed with the shadow of doubt hover
ing over them, for the scales tip almost
even, and what the day will bring they
both fear and hope.