The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-10-27
NAMES MRS. HALL
AND HER BROTHER
IN JERSEY CRIME
Woman Pig Raiser Saw Pair on
Night Of Double Murder
ATTORNEY DENIES STORY
Special Prosecutor Says He Is
Not Yet Prepared to Make
Any Arrests
DENIES STORY

Mrs. Frances Stevens Hall, widow
Of the slain rector OF the Protestant
Episcopal church of ST. John the
Evangelist, and her brother, Henry
Stevens, are the man and woman
named in the sworn statement of
Mrs. Jane Gibson, self-styled eve.
witness Of the double Staying OF Rev.
Edward Wheeler Hall and Mrs.
Eleanor Reinhardt Mills on the
night OF September IA, last
This announcement was not made
by the authorities. but became known
last night through the issuance OF a
statement by Mrs. Halls attorney.
Timothy y. Pfelffer, denying the facts
OF Mrs Gibson's account and declar.
ing that ne 'ther the rector's widow
nor her brother were on the Phillips
farm on the night OF the double
Staying.
Mrs. Gibson. in her statement, II is
known. declared that she had seen
four persons on the night of the mur
ders under the crab apple tree where
two days later the bodies of the rec.
tor and the choir singer were found
Yesterday she told newspapermen.
in graphic account OF the Staying.
that she did not know the murderer
at the time. but that she since had
met him again in the prosecutors
office and recognized him. This as.
sertion has not yet been incorporated
in an affidavit. but the following
story OF the shooting Is contained in
a sworn statement turned over to
Mott
Mrs. Gibson said she rode on mule
back from her home into De Brus-
seys lane and followed that red clay
road through the woods half a mile.
following wagon without lights
which she thought was driven by
corn thieves.
She said she saw the wagon tlsn
into Easton avenue toward New
Brunswick. The lane intersects
Easton avenue just beyond the so.
called lovers lane on which the two
bodies were found.
Just at the intersection. Mrs. Glib.
son said. she saw an old-style auto
mobile standing in De Brussey's lane.
Beside the machine. she declared,
were a man and woman. and she
stopped her mule about 40 feet from
them. Just then. her story goes, an.
gher machine turned into the lane
and the flood OF light from its head
lights fell upon the two persons bd
side the old automobile.
The second automobile, she said.
backed ont of the lane and sped
away on Easton avenue. Mrs uibson
saws but while its lights were thrown
on the old machine she saw the man
and women. She says they both
stepped out OF the light into the
shadow before the second automobile
turned around
Mrs. Gibson said that the woman
wore a gray coat extending to her
knees. Sine says the man had a
heavy dark mustache, bushy eyebrows
and was OF heavy build
When went to the prosecutors
office" the farm woman said 81 saw
this man and recognized him as the
one who was standing beside the
car"
Mrs. Gibson saws that after the sec
ond car lad withdrawn the man and
woman crossed DeBmsseys lane and
went into the fields in a general di-
rection of the crab apple tree.
Mrs. Gibson said that instinctively
she followed the man and woman who
crossed the field.
When turned into the dirt road,
she said, 81 lost one of my moccasins'
dismounted to get It, When | had
put il ON and climbed back upon my
mules back, the couple had disap'
pearod
"a few moments later heard loud
voices In the direction of the
crab apple tree saw man and n
woman each with hashlight- They
threw the beams on another man and
woman. Then out OF the darkness
heard more loud talking as II all were
Quarrcling. Then ! heard a shot.
IL heard II woman's vo CO scream In
horror
Mrs. Gibson said the woman who
screamed uttered a name and shout
ed: Please, please
! And then. said Mrs Gibson. II pu'
my heels into my Jennie mule and We
went on home"