The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-11-02
MRS. HALL IS
BOMBARDEDBY
NEWSPAPERMEN
Grants First Interview
Sin ce Staying Of
Hus b a d and
Choir Singer. 49,

NEW BRUNSWICK. y. J.. Nov. l.
What comment could make? or
course that was not so, and that is al"
With these words Mrs. Frances Stew
ems Hall opened today her first inter-
view-and interview planned by her
counsel so that she might seek to eX-
tricate herself, in the public eye, from
the circumstantiaI net in which the un-
folding of the Hall-Mills murder mys-
terry had enmeshed her.
For the first time since she was wild
owed by the staying Of the Rev. Edward
Wheeler Hall and his choir leader, Mrs
Eleanor Reinhardt Mills, Mrs Hall
emerged from the seclusion she has main
tanned for seven weeks, meeting small
army of newspaper writer's in her home,
and subjecting herself to an hours bonn
bardment of questions.
At the end, she retired as she had en-
tered the room. wan but composed. She
had shed no light on the mystery. She
had fallen into none of the traps the
cross examiners had prepared for her.
Hers was a negative story 1t amDlifed
but did not materially alter the state
ments previously made on her behalf by
counsel and friends.
Believes in Dead Husband.
Briefly, it was that DR.. Hall had
started out to his doom, saying he WAS
going on an errand of mercy-to discuss
with Mrs Mills a hospital bill which he
was paying with church funds; that he
was slain by a person and for a motive
of which she has not the slightest con-
lecture; and that her memory of him IS
unsullied by the ugly scandal in which
his name has been involved.
The reporters, matching her rowing
gaze with intent stare, saw rather
plump woman of 47-pale, obviously
tired, and slightly nervous. Her gray
hair was brushed back in high pom
padour that emphasized slightly the long
oval of ner face.
Have you any comment to make, Mrs.
Hall?' the spokesman began, ION that
part of Mrs. Gibsons story (Mrs. Jane
Gibson, the so called eyewitness of the
slaying) in which she says you were
present on the Phillips farm on the night
of Sept. 14?"
Moistening her lips. Mrs. Hall replied:
What comment could l make? OF
course that was not so, and that is all"
You were not there?'
IT certainly was not"
For an hour, then. one reporter after
another volleyed questions at her, talk
ing over her story of her actions before
and after the murder; quizzing her
sharply for any possible knowledge she
might have had of the rector's affair
with Mrs. Mills; seeking some point at
which an entering wedge could b.
driven into her story.
Three or four times she took refuge be-
hind the reply, Il cannot remember
and three questions she refused point
blank to answer. But throughout the
interview she maintained that she al
ways had believed. and still believed, in
the faithfulness of her husband to his
marriage vows.
Brushing aside the letters and the
diary. whilh her counsel admits is writ
ten in a hand remarkably similar to that
of the slain minister, she declared:
81 had such faith in my husband. II
he were here he could explain. He
could explain. If he were here"
She said she had not even read the
documents. most of which have been
published in the newspapers, asserting
they did not seem to interest me at
all"
When she was pressed to express an
opinion as to whether she did not think
they might have bearing on the solution
of the mystery, she said:
II don't even see that that would tell
YOU who was the criminal
Don't you think it widens the sphere