New-York tribune., 1922-09-04
Inquiry Begun
ln Shooting of
Bl1ddie johnson
State Police Question Peggy
Marsh, Jack Clifford, and
Latter's Camp Guests Are
TO Be Interrogated d
Sotries Held Conflicting
Witnesses Tell of Screams
and Rushed to Apartment
Thinking w as Fight

PLATTSBURG, N. Y, Sept. s.--An
investigation of the shooting Thursday
night of A. NJ. "Buddie" Johnson, hus-
band of Peggy Marsh, actress and pro-
fessicnal dancer, at the camp of Jack
Clifford on Chateaugay Lake, has been
begun by state police under the direc-
tion of District Attorney Harold A..
jerry, of Clinton County.
At the time of the shooting, 1t was
announced at the hospital mere that
johnson had accidentally shot himself
while putting away a revolver that had
been used in target practice.
Statements already have been OBJ
tanned from Mrs. Johnson and her
wounded husband, and state troopers
to-day made inquiries for further de-
tails in connection with the case at
Mr.. Clifford's camp, it was learned.
District Attorney Jerry. while admit
ting that the investigation Is being
pressed, declined to make public any
of the facts he as-obtained until to-
! morrow. He explained that he has not
had sufficient time to go over alf the
information.
The District Attorney also revealed
that he expects to question tom orrow
other guests who were at the Clifford
camp at the time of the shooting.
A conference between Sergeant A. F.
Boyce, of the state police, zone COM
mander for Clifton and Essex coun-
ties, who visited the Clifford camp, and
the District Attorney Is scheduled to
take place at II o'clock tomorrow.
after which, the District Attorney said.
he would make statement concerning
the case.
Over the long distance telephone
from Keesville, where he is stationed,
Sergeant Royce tonight told of his
visit to the Clifford camp to-day.
During his visit, Sergeant Boyce talked
with MIR. Clifford, who, he said, had
told him "No one heard any shots.o
Mr.. Clifford also is declared to have
told Sergeant Boyce that the reason he
and others in his camp had hurried to
the apartment of Mr.. and Mrs. Johnson
was because they heard scream and
thought there was fighG
Shooting After Party
Sergeant Boyce, who was accom-
panied by Trooper Francis Canileld,
also learned from Mr.. Clifford that
there had been a party at the camp
that night, and that the shooting hap
pened Immediately after it,
Sergeant Boyce, who obtained the
statement from Mr.. Johnson at the
hospital, said the wounded man told
him he had shot himself accidentally
with Jack Clifford's 32-caliber revolver,
which he was loading in preparation
for a hunting trip. Subsequently,
however, Sergeant Boyce said that MIR.
Clifford had denied that it was his re-
volver. Sergeant Boyce also obtained
statement from Mrs. johnson, in
which she is reported to have said her
husband had accidentally shot himself
just as she was entering the room.
The statements of Mr.. and Mrs. John
son were substantially the same, Ser
geant Boyce said.
a number of widely known theatrical
and screen performers were at the
Clifford camp, according to Sergeant
Boyce. He declined to give their
names until tomorrow.
District Attorney Jerry, who. said
he planned to question those at the
clifford camp to-day, did not say
whether they had been summoned to
appear before him. Either they would
come to his office or he would go to
the camp and interview them, Mr.
Jerry said.
Johnson was said to have shown
some Improvement at the hospital
here tonight, but the authorities said
he was by no means out Of danger.
Efforts to obtain a statement to-
night from Mrs. C. E.. Bayne, mother
Of the wounded man, or Tom L. john
son, his brother, who came here yes
terday, brought the announcement
from the hotel where they had been
stepping that they had checked out,
without leaving any destination. Mrs,
johnson also was said to have checked
ont of the hotos