Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-11-02
$50 O'Clock, Not 7, When
She Saw Him at Church,
Says Mills.
CALLS JEALOUSY MOTIVE
FOR DOUBLE SLAYING
Choir Singers Throat Slashed Be-
cause of Pretty Voice,
He Says.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associates Press.
2.-Looking up from work in a coal
bin in the basement of the school,
house where he Is janitor. James
Mills, whose wife, Eleanor. was mur-
dered with the Rev. Edward W. Hall
on September IA. today took issue
with some of the statements made
yesterday by the clergyman's widow
in an interview.
Mills said that he met Mrs. Hall at
the church at $3.50 o'clock on the
morning of September Is. Mrs. Hall
said yesterday that she was at the
church at Z o'clock.
II know it could not have been
earlier than $780," said Mills, because
my children had already gone to
school.
THE first thing Mrs. Hall asked me
was: Was anybody sick at your
house last night?' We then commented
on the fact that both my wife and
her husband were missing. and 1 said /:
Maybe they have eloped'
NO was Mrs. Halls reply. 4
think something has happened to
them
AT noon. when Mrs Hall came to
my house. I told her 1 had not heard
ANYTHING and she said she had not
either. Then she went away. She is
incorrect in her statements that she
did not come to my house again at
go O'Clock. l remember that l had
just returned with some ice and put
ting 1t in the refrigerator. She stay
ed only minute.
Saw Mrs. Hall at Home.
Il saw Mrs. Hall again at I o'clock
in her home. 1 went there to ask her
if she had any news. stayed on
the porch to talk. She did not seem
to take it as hard as / did had an
idea that DIR. Hall and my wife had
been together. but 1 did not think
know why ever suggested an elope-
ment."
Commenting on Mrs. Halls state
ment that she was not vindictive and
that she did not care to see any one
punished for the murders. Mills said:
Il am not vindictive. either. but
want to see the murderer punished
I believe it was a woman's deed. All
these theories about blackmail and
robbery and things are rot. 1t was
jealousy. and l think her throat was
cut in spite because of her beautiful
singing.
II never heard any gossip about my
wife and DR.. Hall. If had l would
not have stood for it for a single
have kept that job at the church If
I thought there was anything wrong
between the minister and my wife.
live right and l want others to do
the same. 1 would have gone to Mr..
Hall. and if he would not listen I
to the vestry."
Mills said he had never heard of
his wife having trouble with anybody
and said he knew of no enemies that
DR.. Hall might have had.
There was va ,t plenty tyo; Of GOSSIP, gossip about
added.
Omcials NOn.Committal.
officials conducting the inquiry into
the murder declined to comment this
morning on the interview given by
Mrs. Hall. Stenographic transcripts
were in the hands of both Special
Deputy Attorney General Wilbur A.
Mott and his chief Investigator. De-
tective James F. Mason.
The detective said. however, that
two witnesses had stated that Mrs.
Hall entered her home at 2:10 o'clock
on the morning after the murders in
stead Of $3.50, as she told the
men. He said also that
these two witnesses said she was
alone, Mrs. Hall said her brother,
Willie Stevens, was with her.
Efforts were continued to identify
the man described by Mrs. Jane Glib
son, pig woman. as the murderer. 1t
was pointed out that little would be
in going before the
grand jury at this time with Mrs.
Gibson's alleged eyewitness account
because it specifically stated that the
woman she saw on the old Phillips
farm did not commit the murders.
Born In New York.
Mrs. Jane Gibson, farmer and self
1Continued on Page 2. Column 2.)