Evening star., 1922-09-21
Same Tree Figures
U',ca',''ily in
PrenlOnitiO1,.
STRANGE STORY TOLD
IN DOUBLE SLAYINC
Ne,o Jersey Police Say
Mrs. de Russy Names
Woman in Case.
BY the Associated Press.

W OStusk w NUACCS
; BY the Associated Press.
NEW BRUNSWICK, n. j.. Septem-
Der 2l.-The house of mystery" that
stands on knoll on the old Phil
lips farm, overlooking the crabapple
tree beneath which the Rev. Edward
Wheeler Hall and his choir. leader,
Mrs. Eleanor Reinhardt Mills. were
found slain last Saturday, was
brought forcibly back into the picture
Mrs Charles Amedee De Russy, one:
time playmate of the slain rector's
widow and resident for sixteen years
in the ramshackle building.
Mrs. De Russy said she had visited
the old homes;euu last June with
woman friend. whose name she re-
said, pointed out the identical tree
under which the bodies were found,
"This would be an ideal place for a
murder"
Mrs. De Russy said she attempted
to laugh it off. but the woman re-
torted: You think am jesting. Some
day you may read or hear OF a mur-
der here"
Saw slayings in Dream.
Last Monday night-three days
after the bodies had been discovered
she had a vivid, horrible dream, in
which she saw the murders committed
wing of the building.
Mrs. De Russy declined to give
details Of her dream or to say VINO
the '.dream murderer" was.
Assistant Prosecutor Toolan an
nounced today that in questioning
willie" Stevens, eccentric brother of
Mrs Hall, yesterday. Stevens had
given him q .32-caliber pistol which
The pistol had not been used for a
long time. and could have had no con-
nse,ion s:a with the murders Mr. ro0'an
I'VE will not be rushed in this
case" said Prosecutor Stricken of Mid
dlesex county. ITO make an arrest
would be to open the way for habeas
US to disclose the lines along which
we have been working"
Detectives Of MiddleseN and Som
erset counties were reported working
in widely scattered points of New
Jersey throughout the day, and all
make more tangible the theory In
which the unnamed suspect 10 the
central figure.
Question All Of Family.
Detective Totten and members Of the
prosecutors staff of Somerset aues-
toned every member of the family at
the Hall home. Totten carried with
him the a ssxoive1 fohno hn ny yesseauay wsanon
with which the clergyman and Mrs.
Wills were killed. The detective said
that he asked Willie Stevens to repeat
again his account Of what he did on
last Thursday night, the assumed time
Of the double shooting. Mrs. Hall had
told the police early in the investiga-
tion that her brother accompanied her
when she went out to the church about
midnight Thursday in quest Of her
husband. While declining at hrst to
speak in corroboration OF his sisters
later in a conversation at the firehouse
that he wasn't with his sister on
Thursday night. Detective Totten said
that he retracted this statement dur
ing today's questioning, which lasted
% Mrs. Hall also was questioned. as
were servants and q Mrs. Sallte Peters.
who said she was "an old friend y the
family" and had been bridesmaid
at Mrs. Halls wedding. She SAID sne
had been visiting with Mrs. Hall since
the tragedy.
Examination OF Garage.
While at the Hall home. the detectives
made a minute examination OF the aaii
garage, which holds two cars. Tney
paid particular attention to the pattern
Of the tires on the smaller OF the TWO
machines, Willie Stevens accompanieo
Totten's men into the garage. He did
not leave with them, but remained IN
the garage with doors shut for some
a
home directly after the detectives had
left brought the statement that MI.
Stevens was not at home"
Detectives later returned and took
Stevens and ono of the Hall servants 10
the prosecutors of'ice. where they were
ciined to make any statement after leaV.
inr the prosecutors ofice and returned
Al once to the Hall residence with the
servant Detectives declined 70 say
whether the servant had been Q9estioneo
at all. but admitted that the Han lamiiy
slain rectoTs brother-in-law. James
MllA husband Of the slain woman. and
his daughter: Charlotte, sixteen were
not questioned yesterday. Somerset
,ounty detectives said that they were
being left out Of the investigauon. ~
had been searched particularly for any
papers which might throw tght on the
reiations which existed between Ara
Mills and the rector.
widow Blaaes Rebbers.
Expressing her belief that robbery
was the motive for the mprdsr. the
rectors widow today issued q state:
ment in which she declared her con
ndence in the integrity OF her nus
band and MrA Mills.
The statement was given through
Miss Sally Peters, an old friend OF
the Hall family. whg>now In staying
at the Hail homo.
II am confident that there was
and Mrs. Mills" Miss Peters quoted
Mira Hall as.saying, Z feel that this
IS. gs.ss.zs # 49,