New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-08-31
Two Tell How
They Came ON
Bergen, Dying
Wife of New Witness Says
She Heard Shot, Seeming
ly From Cline Home, just
Before Actor Was Found
rlyLove Affair Charged
Authorities Claim TO Have
Established Indiscretions
Before Saranac Incident

A new witness, who said he heard
Jack Bsrgen's dying words after he
was shot at Edgewater, N. j., last Fri
day night by George A. Cline, of the
Fox Film Corporation. told his story
to the police yesterday.
His statements were corroborated by
his wife. The pair, Mr.. and Mrs. AL
bert Merritt, live in the upper story
of the home of Charles Scullion, brother
of Mrs. Cline. The house is two
family dwelling, adjacent to Cline's.
Merritt informed the police that he
returned to his home with his wife
from an automobile drive at 8
o'clock Friday night. Walking home
from the garage, after putting his car
away, he saw man leaning against a
tree across the street from Cline's
home. He was hatless and had one
hand pressed to his left side.
Earlier Love Affair
Say, mister, go and get me an am
bulance. I'm dying" he quoted the
wounded man as saying.
At that Merritt grew frightened and
ran into his house. He told his wife,
Together they went to front window.
She confided that there must have
been a fight "some place next door,
as she heard a shot fired. From the
window both could see that passersby
were gathering. Tho figure across
the street moved slowly on, then fell
at the corner Of Russell and Under
cliff avenues. An automobile drove I'D
and the prostrate form was hidden
by surrounding group of men, ac-
cording to the story told by Merritt
and his wife.
Police authorities said that it was
fairly established that Mrs. Cine's
relations with Bergen were indiscreet
before the trip to Saranac. This is de-
duced from the fact that Miss Alice
Thornton, the girl who said she was
HeTgen's sweetheart and who admitted
having told Cline of the youths rela-
tions with his wife, was not present at
Saranac. The information she gave
Cline is alleged to have related to
events occurring earlier in the summer.
Discrepancies Alleged
The Edegwater police said that accord
ing to Cline's confession to them, he
said to his wife last Friday: mamie,
you might as we'll own up to everything
and tell me ell about it, because /
know" Thereupon Mrs. Cline told him
of an episode at the Hotel St. Regis,
Saranac, the police say. Cline was also
cognizant Of incidents occurring in his
own home in June, they allege.
Prosecutor "A. G.. Hart said that his
case now was as '.clear as crystal"
Nothing that Miss Thornton said in
/ her confession" has caused him to
change his mind about the shooting be-
ing deliberate and cold-blooded"
There are discrepancies in Miss
Thornton's published interview and
that told by her to County Detective
Nathan A. Allyn, but they are of a
minor nature he remarked. 'In the
main, the stories she has told are the
same. The fact that Miss Thornton
had the impression that Bergen and
Cline were upstairs five minutes is
of no particular significance. Naturally,
the suspense was great and the time
seemed long to her. Turillo, who Is
surely an unbiased witness, believed
they were up there less than min-
ute"
Inquiry Completed
Mr.. Hart pointed out that, while
Miss Thornton said she heard scuff1ing,
both she and Turillo we're agreed that
they had not heard sounds of "strug-
gle.' Referring to a statement by
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